Lisa Kesting Best, J.D.. Dean, Harold Walter Siebens School of Business, Buena Vista University, Professor of Business Law and Political Science. Photographer: Duane Tinkey.
Q: How would you describe yourself?
A: A firm believer that education and opportunity are essential keys to progress, I have the privilege of leading programs that prepare students for success and serve as a catalyst for economic development. As an attorney, I have represented businesses and nonprofits for more than two decades. I am also a wife and a mother who remains excited about the promise of growth and innovation in every corner of Iowa.
Q: How would you describe your institution?
A: Buena Vista University provides transformational educational opportunities by providing excellent classroom training combined with hands-on experience through internships and experiential learning. With funding from BVU alumni and generous benefactors, our students enjoy an incredible array of business and educational experiences across Iowa and throughout the world.
Q: What are your institution’s guiding principles?
A: For more than 130 years, BVU’s tenets have been based in Education for Service. By working with business leaders, we place our students in real-world settings and help equip them with the skills, tenacity and empathy it takes to solve problems as they grow to best serve themselves, their families, their coworkers, and their communities.
Q: What do you love about your job?
A: I am fortunate to be surrounded by remarkable colleagues, alumni and friends of BVU who are dedicated to helping students reach their full potential. It is so rewarding to see how our students grow in four years at BVU, emerging from eager freshmen who first pass through BVU’s Victory Arch to confident graduates poised to make the most of their opportunities and immerse themselves in career fields that feed their passions.
610 West 4th Street | Storm Lake, IA 50588 | (712) 749-2400 | www.bvu.edu
