BVU Board of Trustees Expands Unit by Three
Two BVU alumni, Mike Naig '00 and Julie Quirin '87, join Dr. Huyn Kim, the parent of two alumni, in service as Board of Trustees members.
The Buena Vista University Board of Trustees recently approved three additions to the board membership. These additions, each of whom was approved unanimously, include:
- Julie Quirin, a 1987 graduate of Buena Vista University;
- Mike Naig, a 2000 graduate of BVU; and
- Dr. Hyun Kim, the father of two recent BVU graduates.
“The Buena Vista University Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the additions of Julie Quirin, Mike Naig, and Dr. Hyun Kim to our board,” says Michael Pierce, Chairman of the BVU Board of Trustees. “All three new members bring a broad range of experience to the Board of Trustees as well as their enthusiasm and commitment to our motto: ‘Education for Service.’ These highly successful individuals will lend their energy, talent, and dedication to strengthen the University, which they recognize has made a significant impact upon their lives. We couldn’t be happier in expanding our Board of Trustees through the contributions of this trio.”
“I feel a strong obligation toward the Board of Trustees. Serving on the Board is one way in which I can maybe repay BVU for the many benefits our family reaped as our daughters earned their undergraduate degrees.”
Dr. Huyn Kim, Board of Trustees
Quirin, a Storm Lake native, is a member of the BVU Athletics Hall of Fame known for exploits on both the basketball court and the softball diamond, where she was a member of the 1984 NCAA Division III National Championship team.
The small business management and communications major serves as Chief Operating Officer for Saint Luke’s Health System, a network of 16 acute-care hospitals that operate within a 150-mile radius of Kansas City, Mo.
“As a person who hires and communicates with many people, I’ve come to appreciate the liberal arts educational experience provided at BVU,” says Quirin, who earned her master’s degree at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. “Each student I’ve come into contact with at BVU comes prepared, smart, and inquisitive. They personify how that well-rounded liberal arts education prepares one so well for life at and after BVU.”
Naig, a native of Cylinder, chose BVU as a student based in part on the positive experiences of his older siblings, Matt '97, a small business owner, and Melissa '95, a physical therapist. Plus, being an hour or so away from home, a BVU education afforded Naig the chance to occasionally return home each spring and fall to assist with planting and harvest, a practice he continues while serving as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, a post he assumed in 2018 before being elected by Iowans in 2020.
Naig, who majored in biology, was encouraged by his BVU academic advisor to add a political science major, even though it may have had seemingly little in common with biology.
“Where you might think professors could be protective of their programs, there was nothing but encouragement for me on all sides,” says Naig. “That’s something you find at BVU.”
“I’m very excited to be a member of the Board of Trustees as we work to direct and help shape BVU’s future,” says Naig, who visits each of Iowa’s 99 counties annually. “I’m eager to build upon BVU’s Strategic Vision, particularly how our current and future programming will continue to prepare students as they rise to meet challenges and opportunities in technology, food production, conservation, and more. It’s an incredibly exciting time and a huge blessing to be able to serve my alma mater in this capacity.”
Kim, of Fairmont, Minn., became keenly aware of BVU’s academic and co-curricular programs as he and wife, Peggy Kim, observed as daughters Elizabeth '17 and Emily '19 matriculated to BVU. Both students are now enrolled in medical school, following in the example of their parents: Dr. Kim is an MD who serves as Chief of Staff of the Mayo Health Systems in Fairmont and a fellow with the American College of Surgeons, among others, while Peggy served as a Registered Nurse for years.
“BVU was a perfect fit for our daughters, building on its great reputation in the sciences,” says Kim. “It is rare when you find such a quality University whose professors are so down-to-earth and willing to share of their time with students in a one-on-one basis.”
Co-curricular activities and a wealth of experiential learning opportunities will yield benefits for Kim’s daughters the rest of their lives, both in their professional practices and in their interpersonal relationships.
“I feel a strong obligation toward the Board of Trustees,” Kim says. “Serving on the Board is one way in which I can maybe repay BVU for the many benefits our family reaped as our daughters earned their undergraduate degrees.”
With their addition, the number of persons serving the Buena Vista University Board of Trustees has grown to 20. Board members include: Marc A. Brinkmeyer ’68, Timothy Brown, Douglas Clausen, Dr. Kitty Conover, Mike Degen ’67, Becki Drahota, David Dvergsten, Amy Friedrich ’93, Maureen Heffernan, President Brian Lenzmeier, Dr. Norm Nielsen ’61, Daniel Phillips ’77, Michael Pierce, Dr. Stephen Russell, Brad Schroeder ’94, and Quentin Wittrock ’81.
Sir John Marks Templeton Life Trustees are: Dr. Edward Bodaken ’62, Dr. Keith Briscoe, Robert Cramer, Dr. James Haahr ’62, Dr. Donald Lamberti, Cordell Peterson ’63, Dr. Bernie Saggau ’49, George Schaller, Dr. Bernadine Sikorski, and Dennis Young ’65.