BVU Computer Science

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BVU Computer Science

The Computer Science Department @ Buena Vista University

09/07/2026

Milestones in BVU Computer Science
1996: BVU is a WORLD Champion!

In 1995, Sun Microsystems released the Java programming language, a language touted for allowing programmers to write code once and have it work on nearly any hardware platform. To stimulate interest in the language, Sun partnered with Oracle (who would years later end up buying Sun) to create the inaugural Sun/Oracle Java World Cup programming contest in 1996.

A student team led by Dr. Ken Schweller entered a submission in the educational category. The software was a simulation of a Turing Machine, which was conceived by British mathematician and codebreaker Alan Turing before computers were invented to describe how a computer would need to work in practice. Despite tough competition from across the world, the BVU team won the international contest, and with it over $75,000 in Sun computer hardware and software.

The students on the team were seniors Mark Blanchard, Brian Davenport, Brent Goodrich, Ryan Long, Nate Niceswanger, Lance Schaecher, junior Collin Pfannkuch, and freshman Jason Shepherd.

Help us celebrate this and other milestones in our program by joining us Saturday, October 3rd, at BVU Homecoming. Use the QR code on the last image to register for the "All-Classes" CS/MIS Reunion!

09/04/2026

Milestones in BVU Computer Science
1994: CollegeTown Virtual Community Brings National Attention

In 1994, Buena Vista College gained national attention as having created one of the first expandable virtual communities, CollegeTown, a "Multi-user domain Object Oriented" or "MOO" for short. Under the direction of Dr. Ken Schweller and with the aid of many students, CollegeTown became a creative hub for people both inside and outside the BV community, including a group of Alzheimer's researchers. CollegeTown was featured in a 1994 article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, and in 1998, Dr. Schweller and Buena Vista University student Mark Blanchard were featured contributors to the book "High Wired: On the Design, Use, and Theory of Educational MOOs."

Join us on Saturday, October 3rd, at BVU Homecoming to celebrate our shared legacy at the Comp Sci/MIS All-Classes Reunion! Register with the QR code on the last image.

09/03/2026

Milestones in BVU Computer Science
1981 and 1985: BVC starts its Comp Sci and MIS majors

In 1981, Buena Vista College began its computer science major under the guidance of four faculty members: Dr. Charles Slagle, Dr. Ben Donath, Dr. Joe Traylor, and Dr. Ken Schweller. Drs. Slagle and Donath would write the first computer science textbook used at BVC, and Dr. Traylor would manage the computer center until 1997.

Not long after, in 1985, the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business created the Management Information Systems (MIS) major as a way to offer a blend of technical skills and business savvy. This coincided with the opening of new Forum building. The first leader of the MIS program was Professor Raj Shirole.

Join us on Saturday, October 3rd, at BVU Homecoming to celebrate our shared legacy at the Comp Sci/MIS All-Classes Reunion! Register with the QR code on the last image.

09/02/2026

Milestones in BVU Computer Science
1976: BV Acquires its first computer and teaches its first programming class

Almost exactly 50 years ago, Buena Vista College obtained its first computer, a Wang WCS/20. The computer featured a single 8-inch floppy disk drive, which allowed for roughly 250 KB of storage. At this same time, Dr. Charles Slagle offered the first programming class at BV in BASIC.

Join us on Saturday, October 3rd, at BVU Homecoming to celebrate our shared legacy at the Comp Sci/MIS All-Classes Reunion! Register with the QR code on the last image.

08/31/2026

Milestones in BVU Computer Science
1981: Computer Science Major is Introduced

The story of the CS program's creation starts like this. BVC had hired someone to come in and start the CS program and run the computer center. Just before the start of the Fall semester, he called and said he wasn't coming for family reasons. Four excellent professors stepped in to teach the needed classes, and one professor ran the computer center from 1981 until 1997! Take our quiz to get to know these legendary founders of the Comp Sci program at BVU.

Join us on Saturday, October 3rd, at BVU Homecoming for the Comp Sci/MIS All-Classes Reunion! Register with the QR code on the last image.

08/26/2026

Calling all Computer Science & MIS Alumni — this Homecoming is for you!

Join us for an All-Classes Reunion on Saturday, October 3, as we celebrate the shared history and legacy of BVU’s Computer Science and MIS programs. Connect with classmates and former professors, meet today’s students and see what they’re building!

Homecoming Saturday:
9 a.m. — Alumni & Emeriti Gathering
10 a.m. — Student Project Showcase & Lab Tours
11 a.m. — Alumni Alley Tent
1 p.m. — BVU Football vs. Simpson

Come back to campus and celebrate the next generation of the BVU Computer Science family!

Register by Sept. 18 at bvu.edu/homecoming/alumni

08/25/2026

Come to the first ever ALL-classes Computer Science and MIS reunion, this year at BVU Homecoming on October 3rd!

Join us at 9:00 a.m. for breakfast and mingling with fellow former students and professors, followed by a program, and then hang out to share more memories at Alumni Alley in the reunion tent at the football game.

Sign up now to RSVP and receive a free alumni swag bag! You can use the QR code or visit: https://alumni.bvu.edu/events/homecoming/2026-homecoming-events

07/24/2026

Go and watch a small sampling of the games created by Dr. Jason Shepherd's Game Programming class in Spring 2026. Now available at https://youtube.com/.

In the Game Programming class, student teams learn how to build all sorts of different 2-D and 3-D games across several different genres of games. BVU computer science students can take the class as a major elective, and it is required for students minoring in BVU's game design program.

05/20/2026

Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Stone had the opportunity to share some of our recent distinctive student experiences with Iowa Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer during her visit to campus. They demoed our mixed reality lab and our AI and robotics programs. They also shared outcomes from our innovative human-centered hardware design course, where students built "smart" velocity-based strength and conditioning devices. We appreciate the Lieutenant Governor for taking the time to visit with us. It's worth noting that her undergraduate degree is in computer science!

05/08/2026

Check out these innovators! Four computer science teams competed to build a smart device and a companion phone app that attaches to a weight bar and tracks weightlifting velocity and athletic performance. Results were:

LiftSmart: $2000
LiftPulse: $1000
RepMetrics: $400
LIFTtronics: $200

Special thanks to BVU's Stine Endowment for providing funds for equipment, technology, and awards.

Address

610 W 4th Street
Storm Lake, IA
50588

Website

http://bvu.edu/compsci

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