Cardinal Community School District, BVU unify through Strategic Partnership

Buena Vista University (BVU) and Cardinal Community School District (CCSD) have unified through a Strategic Partnership that provides educational benefits, strengthening the school district and the communities both entities serve.

This partnership allows for employees of CCSD, as well as eligible family members of full-time employees, to receive grant funding to lower the overall cost of education while enrolled in classes at BVU’s Storm Lake campus. Partner grant funding also lowers the cost per credit hour for students enrolled in BVU’s convenient online/hybrid undergraduate programs or the organizational leadership graduate program.

BVU professors and staff are also available for training programs, workshops, and more should officials with CCSD seek those services and expertise.

“Partnering with BVU provides a win-win opportunity for our community, allowing individuals to earn an education at a reduced price,” says CCSD Superintendent Joel Pedersen, a BVU graduate. “Our employees and their eligible family members will now have greater access to a quality four-year degree that is close to home.”

Located in Eldon, CCSD serves fives communities, including Agency, Batavia, Bladensburg, Eldon, and Selma. Approximately 160 employees educate 1,030 students in grades Pre-K through 12. For the third consecutive year, CCSD has earned a Top Workplaces honor by the Iowa Top Workplaces and the Des Moines Register.

Along with being a BVU alum, Pedersen was named Iowa Superintendent of the Year in 2019. “As a first-generation college student, I was able to complete my degree and advance my career as a teacher coach, as a principal, and now leading a school district,” he says. “I have been able to benefit from a degree, and I hope that we can help more people earn an education through this BVU Strategic Partnership.”

“BVU is proud to join forces with school districts across Iowa, and we are excited to add Cardinal Community School District as one of our newest partners,” says BVU Director of Strategic Partnerships Laura Todd. “We hope to open opportunities for individuals as they work to better themselves and their community.”

For more information about BVU’s Strategic Partnerships and partner opportunities, visit the BVU website at bvu.edu/strategic-partnerships or contact Strategic Partnerships at StrategicPartnerships@bvu.edu.