Careers & Outcomes

Student Stories

Every Beaver has a story. Here are a few of them.

Behind every statistic is a person — a student who found their path, an alum who built a career, a Beaver who came back to lift the next one up. Meet the people who make Buena Vista University what it is.

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Meet the Beavers

Meet the Beavers

Real students and graduates across every college — from the sciences to education to the arts — share what BVU made possible.

Sarah Thompson
Accounting · Class of 2021

Sarah Thompson

"My internship turned into a full-time offer before graduation. BVU professors knew me by name and pushed me to aim higher than I thought I could." Senior Financial Analyst, Principal Financial Group

Biology · Class of 2020

Marcus Chen

"I co-authored research with my professor as a junior and presented at a national conference. That experience got me into my top-choice grad program." Ph.D. Candidate & Research Scientist, Mayo Clinic

Jenna Morales
Elementary Education · Class of 2019

Jenna Morales

"Student teaching at BVU meant I was in real classrooms early and often. I walked into my own classroom feeling completely prepared." 3rd Grade Teacher, Des Moines Public Schools

David Okafor
Digital Media · Current Senior

David Okafor

"I designed a full brand identity for a real Storm Lake nonprofit as a class project. It's the centerpiece of my portfolio — and it's already out in the world." Design Intern, regional marketing agency

Psychology · Class of 2022

Priya Nair

"The small class sizes meant my voice always mattered. My faculty mentor helped me find an internship that shaped my whole career direction." Behavioral Health Coordinator, UnityPoint Health

Business Administration · Current Junior

Tyler Brandt

"Career Connect introduced me to an alum who became my mentor. That one conversation opened the door to my first internship." Operations Intern, John Deere

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