STORM LAKE, Iowa | A new program will give first-year students at Buena Vista University tools and resources needed to succeed.
The TruePromise program is a formal promise to students that they will locate a meaningful internship, earn a degree in at least one major within four years and secure a job or entrance to graduate or professional school within six months of graduation.
TruePromise was developed to help students and their families address concerns about college affordability and their expectations regarding the value of a college degree.
Mike Franz, vice president for enrollment management, said the program was developed after an evaluation of the programs BV offers and what methods work best with students.
“We know the formula for post-graduate success: students who do well in the classroom, who have the initiative to get experience such as those offered through internships, who utilize resources on campus such as the office of career and personal development and utilize faculty to network effectively,” he said.
People are also reading…
Students who participate in the program are expected to formulate a four-year plan with their academic adviser, declare a major by the end of the first academic year and attend two enriching career-designated programs. They must also achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.75 and complete 60 credit hours by the end of the sophomore year.
“We’re thrilled,” he said. “We’ve developed a program that’s easy to understand and provides the kind of results they expect from higher education.”
Franz said while much is expected of the student, BVU staff and faculty involved have plans in place to make sure a student finds success in the program.
If a student does not find an external internship, BVU will arrange an on-campus internship within the student’s area of interest. Should a student not graduate in four years due to the number of courses required, BVU will fund tuition for an additional semester on campus. And if a student does not obtain a job or enter further schooling after graduation, BVU will fund one semester of classes toward a master’s degree or extra course work at BVU.
Franz said the TruePromise program will help a freshman student adapt to college life, then grow as a student and be geared for a career upon graduation.
He said the program helps a student consider all four years, not just each semester. Franz said it helps a student look through a schedule and determine when he or she could possibly complete an internship or study abroad. He added that the program also gets students familiar with the career office early in their post-secondary educations.
