Buena Vista University

Buena Vista University
Motto:	Bold vision, bright futures
Established	1891
Type:	Private coeducational
President:	Frederick V. Moore
Location	Storm Lake, Iowa, USA
Campus:	Rural, 60 acres (0.25 km²)
Colors:	Navy Blue and Gold
Mascot:	Beavers
Website:	www.bvu.edu

Buena Vista University is a private 4-year college located in Storm Lake, Iowa. Founded in 1891 as Buena Vista College, it is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The university's 60-acre campus is situated on the shores of Storm Lake, a 3,200-acre natural lake. BVU's academic programs feature a balance between traditional liberal arts courses and hands-on learning opportunities, such as travel and internships. The university awards its faculty with the $30,000 George Wythe Award for Teaching Excellence, one of the largest faculty awards in the nation. The average student-to-professor ratio is 13:1. At its inception, the college was housed in the Storm Lake Opera House, where it remained for only a year. Old Main, the college's first building, opened in 1892, and was occupied by faculty and students until it burned down in 1956. Major construction projects in the 1950s and 1960s extended the college, which soon included three dormitories, a library, and a number of classroom buildings. The college gained accreditation in 1952, and began to grant degrees under the authority of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The first graduate degrees were offered in 1995, at which time the college became Buena Vista University. The main campus of Buena Vista University serves approximately 1,200 students each academic year, and currently offers classes in 42 majors. 14 additional Centers located throughout Iowa serve about 1,400 students. The university was ranked in the top 20 Midwestern Comprehensive Colleges, as reported by U.S.News and World Report's college rankings. In 2007, BVU was ranked 12th for academic quality in the Midwestern Baccalaureate category.

Events and Traditions

Walk Through the Arch The Victory Arch in the center of campus is made from the stones of the entrance to Old Main, the main campus building that burned in 1956. Buena Vista students march through the Arch twice during their collegiate careers-- once as they begin on Founders' Day, and again during Commencement. American Heritage Lecture Series The William W. Siebens American Heritage Lecture Series brings a world leader to campus each year. Past speakers have included Margaret Thatcher, George Bush, Dr. Carl Sagan, Bob Woodward and Walter Cronkite.

Campus Buidlings

Ballou Building Formerly the main library facility, the Ballou Building houses the Offices of the President and Institutional Advancement, including the National Alumni Association. The lower level still houses the Allee Curriculum Library, containing 7,800 volumes; a student lounge and other library materials. Bradford Field Bradford Field is the site of football and track activity. It is home to the J. Leslie Rollins Football Stadium. The 240-foot stadium extends between the 10-yard lines and has a seating capacity of approximately 2,500. An all-weather, eight-lane track was installed in 1986. Dixon-Eilers Hall Dixon-Eilers Hall houses BVU's business offices and the Office of the Registrar, in addition to housing classrooms. The building was completed in 1958 and stands on the site of the original "Old Main." Edson Hall Originally known as Victory Hall, the University gym before Siebens Fieldhouse was constructed in 1969, Edson Hall is now home to the BVU music department. Renovation of the hall was completed in early 1997 with the addition of a choral rehearsal room, nine state-of-the-art practice rooms, a piano/keyboard lab, a student work area, and additional office space. Estelle Siebens Science Center Completed in the summer of 2004, the 70,000-square-feet facility comfortably houses BVU's five interdisciplinary fields of science (biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics), fostering collaboration among the disciplines, as well as between students and faculty. The 18 laboratories complement seven classrooms, three research areas, and 24 offices. "Science Avenue," a prominent atrium corridor that puts projects on display, connects the two-story, glass-walled rotunda (nicknamed "The Beaker") to a greenhouse with three environmental growth chambers. Finkbine Natatorium For the competitive swimmer or those swimming for recreation, Finkbine Natatorium offers an NCAA regulation-size pool. A pool lift makes the facility handicapped-accessible. Harold Walter Siebens School of Business/Siebens Forum The Harold Walter Siebens School of Business/Siebens Forum was completed in the spring of 1985. In addition to the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business and a conference center, it houses the Student and Career Services offices, food service and cafeteria, Anderson Auditorium (a 386-seat auditorium), Siebens Den, the Geisinger Student Leadership Center, the bookstore, post office, games area and snack bar, and other offices and lounges. Included in the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business are tiered seminar rooms, a case-study seminar room, faculty offices, and a special resource room that enables students to receive the latest market information from Wall Street and other sources. The conference center includes a board room, conference rooms, lobbies, and offices. The $10 million building, made possible by an $18 million gift from the late Dr. Harold Walter Siebens, also has telecommunication capabilities. Information Technology Center/BVU Library The BVU Library is a state-of-the-art facilitiy with a capacity of 300,000 printed volumes, as well as one thousand journals and periodicals. Computerized periodical databases access many sources not available in the library. Lage Communication Center Lage Communication Center is the home of telecommunication at BVU. Renovated in 1985-86, Lage houses the radio, television and print studios for the School of Communication and Arts. It is the control center for the telecommunication system, which extends throughout campus. Lamberti Recreation Center Construction was completed in 2001 on this 65,000-square-feet addition to the Siebens Fieldhouse. It features a six-lane indoor track, three courts for basketball, volleyball and tennis, an exercise and weight room, coaches offices, and locker/shower facilities. The $9.5 million project, funded entirely by donors, also included an 18,000-square-feet renovation of the Siebens Fieldhouse. Lighthouse A 30-foot brick lighthouse was built on the shores of Storm Lake near Siebens Fieldhouse in 1992 in memory of Buena Vista University trustee and benefactor Harold Walter Siebens. The lighthouse was a gift from the Siebens family. McCorkle Hall McCorkle Hall was completed in January 1996 and houses 72 students in six-person suites. Schaller Memorial Chapel Schaller Memorial Chapel, dedicated in 1963, adjoins Dixon-Eilers Hall. It serves as an auditorium and theater and is used for convocation services. Special events, such as Baccalaureate and Founders Day, are held here. A small meditation chapel is located in the lower level. A special feature of the chapel is the Hansen Organ, a three-manual Reuter pipe organ with 2,048 pipes. Siebens Fieldhouse The main level of Siebens Fieldhouse houses a gymnasium, which seats 4,000 spectators. On this level are classrooms and coaches' offices. The balcony is used for aerobics, and a large double hitting area for softball and baseball. A shot put area is also available. On the lower level are varsity locker rooms for men and women, laundry facilities, a wrestling room, a training room, handball and racquetball courts, and one of the most extensive weight lifting areas in the Iowa Conference. East of the Fieldhouse are four outdoor tennis courts for recreational and conference play. Smith Hall Built in 1925, Smith Hall was completely renovated in 1970. It houses classrooms, art studios, and faculty offices. Social Sciences and Art Hall Dedicated in 1968, the building contains the 250-seat Eppley Auditorium, along with a 60-seat amphitheater. The facility is undergoing renovations after serving as the science center until 2004. Steward D. Siebens Computer Center The Stewart D. Siebens Computer Center offers hardware and software technical support via the Help Desk, 2FIX hotline (712-749-2349), and 2FIX e-mail (2fix@bvu.edu). The Help Desk also provides checkout services for digital still cameras, digital video cameras, extra batteries, laptop computers, and automobile A/C adapters. The Help Desk is also one of four locations on campus offering battery swap services. The Help Desk hours vary throughout the year and are available on the web at http://2fix.bvu.edu. In the lab area, the Computer Center has a laser printer and several scanners. The Teaching and Learning with Technology Center, (TLTC) is located in the Computer Center. The TLTC supports faculty in the integration of technology tools into teaching and learning. Victory Arch The Victory Arch was constructed from the remains of the Old Main archway. Old Main, constructed in 1893, was the principal building on campus until it was destroyed by fire in 1956. The Victory Arch is a symbol linking the past to the present. The Victory Arch stood on the southeast corner of Chapel lawn for many years before it was rebuilt atop the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business/Siebens Forum in 1984-85.

Residence Life

The university has eight residence halls available for student living. Each residence hall is open during daylight hours, but are only accessible by electronic ID cards after dark. Swope Hall The first residence hall built on campus, it is an all-female hall and has single and double occupancy rooms available. There are 10 housing communities, each with a resident advisor available for help. Pierce-White Hall It is a double complex, comprised of two buildings. White hall is a co-ed building, with the basement housing male residents, and the top two floors housing female residents. The first floor fluctuates between having male and female residents to accommodate the make up of the student body. Pierce Hall is an all-male hall. Both Pierce and White have three floors and a basement and have 7 housing communities, each with a resident advisor available for help. The buildings share a common lobby and are connected underground with the Siebens Forum, the main building on campus. Grand Hall Built in 1997, Grand Hall is a co-ed community with three floors. The building houses 100 students, including six resident advisors. The floors are separated into males and females and are connected by internal doors. Grand Hall was the first residence hall on campus to have an elevator. Liberty Hall Finished in 2002, Liberty Hall is a voluntary substance-free building, built with similar design to Grand Hall. There is space, however for a faculty member to live in the building, creating a unique sense of community. Residents choosing to live in Liberty Hall sign a pledge form to not partake in drinking alcohol or smoking and chewing tobacco while on building premises. Suites The suites are apartment-style living quarters that group six female or six male residents in a suite in three bedrooms. There are three suite buildings, Constitution, Briscoe (formerly Centennial Hall, named for former college president, Keith Briscoe) and McCorkle (formerly Heritage Hall, named for Trustee Paul McCorkle . Entrance in the suites is reserved for sophomores, juniors and seniors and is based on a point system made up of points assigned for the student's year and grade point average and seniority in the suites.

Notable Alumni

• Carlos Martinez
• Rosemary Sackett, chief judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals
• Benjamin Mordecai, broadway producer
• Alan Semok (actor)
• Joel West (actor)
• Randy Rahe, head men's basketball coach at Weber State University

eBVyou

The eBVyou project made Buena Vista University the nation's first wireless community in the nation. The initiative, which was started in 2000, placed Gateway laptop computers in every student's hands, allowing them access to the internet from anywhere on campus. The campus is equipped with wireless points in every building, which link students, faculty and staff together at any time. Every two years, all laptops are upgraded to a better, more functional model. So far, only Gateway models have been utilized, but bids from IBM and Dell have been entertained but declined.

External links

• Official web site