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In the midst of a pandemic that has thrown higher education institutions into a whirlwind, one university is still standing strong. For years, it has cultivated academic programmes and a close-knit community that has not only allowed it to survive, but to thrive in a COVID-laden world.
Its name? Bushnell University.
Located in Oregon, Bushnell University first opened its doors in 1895 with one major goal in mind: to prepare its students to live purpose-driven lives. It offers a variety of traditional undergraduate, online learning, degree completion or graduate programmes all taught by leading faculty from the likes of Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and more.
Leading this drive into the future is Bushnell’s School of Business, Leadership, and Technology. With its aim for service and stewardship, it has tailored a number of undergraduate, online and graduate programmes across business, accounting, technology and criminology to suit the landscape of our ever-changing workforce.
One such programme is the BS in Accounting, which equips students with the tools they need to assess financial operations, analyse records, and ensure that organisations run smoothly and efficiently. To prepare for the workplace, students take credits that will qualify them for the uniform CPA examination in Oregon and other states.
At Bushnell, students are actively involved in shaping their education in the classroom. Source: Bushnell University
All the while, students are taught in small class sizes with an average of 14 students and a
student-faculty ratio of 12:1. This means that students get valuable, often one-to-one, time with their professors and faculty.
Bushnell, however, takes this one step further by allowing students to shape their own classroom experiences, often working with educators to dictate how they want to learn.
“This university is extremely unique,” says Dr. Tim Veach, Associate Professor of Business. “There’s a sense of community and being part of what’s happening around you. Students are intimately involved in the education in the classroom. It’s not just about knowing students’ names, it’s about being collectively involved in creating the educational process.”
In this context, students form meaningful relationships with the Bushnell faculty and wider community.
“After only a few months here, you truly get to know everyone by name,” shares student Alessia Righi, who hails from Italy. “Whether you are walking to class, studying in the library, or just relaxing on the university’s quad, a second does not pass without you seeing smiling faces of people greeting you and checking up on you. I believe this feeling of community is very important, especially when you are as far away from home as me.”
Bushnell boasts a small, tight-knit student body that supports each other in every step of their academic journey. Source: Bushnell University
The small class sizes also allowed Bushnell to remain open during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, even when many other universities were forced to shut down. “Our university did an excellent job at following all the COVID-19 guidelines so that we could stay open,” says student Miriam Cristina Gutierrez. “Those are some of the rewards of studying in a small college. I got to have the in-person experience of being in a classroom with students and our professors.”
Both Gutierrez and Righi are students of the BS in Business Administration programme. An inherently versatile degree, the programme grounds students in the theories and principles of accounting, finance, management, marketing, economics, statistics, and ethical decision-making. Overall, it hopes to provide students with a strong foundation to pursue their career goals.
The programme offers a range of six concentrations for students to specialise in. Gutierrez chose International Business, which applies global perspectives to advanced business strategy concepts and tools related to overseas market development, management of global organisations, global financial markets, and more.
Dr. Veach says this is particularly relevant in a pandemic-ridden society. “The speed at which individuals and entities are interacting is increasing and won’t be facing a downward trajectory anytime soon,” he explains. “A business degree offers what is needed for people who want to be involved in managing and leading those, and to have the tools necessary to approach problems analytically and with creative solutions.”
Another specialisation is the Sports and Recreation Management concentration. This gives students an overview of the advanced concepts and applications in the management of sports and recreational organisations and programmes, all within an industry that is rapidly growing and changing. Here, students explore the current status and future trends of the industry across a wide spectrum, including amateur and professional sports across domestic and global events.
Students at Bushnell are trained to be career-ready through a robust 16-week internship programme. Source: Bushnell University
Every student is required to complete a field experience component as part of their degree, commonly referred to as Bushnell’s Internship Programme. The 16-week internship allows them to gain real-life exposure of their field at an organisation that fits with their career aspirations and with that, give students the chance to further discover their passion and calling.
Little surprise then that Bushnell students graduate with a career readiness and professional gravitas that are uncharacteristic of many other universities — 95% of internship supervisors rate Bushnell students’ career readiness as above average or exceptional, and 83% of graduates land jobs in their field of study within six months of graduation.
Most importantly, though, they graduate with a host of memories and experiences that will inspire them for a lifetime to come.
Ready to take the next step? Apply for a place with Bushnell University here or visit its website for more information.
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