MVU Strategic Plan · 2026–2031
Operation 212°
One extra degree turns hot water into steam. Operation 212° is Missouri Valley University’s plan to go one degree further for every student—in teaching, advising, support, and engagement—through 2031.
The 212° principle
211 degrees
Hot
At 211°, water is hot, and that’s all.
212 degrees
Boiling
At 212°, water turns to steam with enough power to move a locomotive.
One more degree turns good into great.
The extra degree
One degree makes the difference.
The 212° Principle is the idea behind the whole plan: a small, focused push beyond the ordinary can create results far bigger than the effort.
1
The idea
At 211°, water is hot. At 212°, it boils and creates steam powerful enough to move a locomotive. One more degree changes everything.
2
The approach
MVU is applying that extra degree everywhere, from faculty development and student services to financial sustainability and campus innovation. The aim is to raise standards, not just maintain them.
3
The goal
Every decision, initiative, and investment should help students persist, graduate, and thrive.
Student success is at the center of the plan.
Student success doesn’t come from isolated efforts. It comes from a shared commitment to go one degree further in teaching, advising, support, and engagement, so every student is inspired, supported, challenged, and ready for what’s next.
Strategic priorities
Four priorities. One focus: student success.
Each priority comes with clear commitments. Together, they guide how MVU will grow, invest, and serve students and the community through 2031.
Priority 1
Empower
Deliver empowering academic opportunities, experiences, and outcomes.
High-quality programs and learning experiences that give you the knowledge, skills, and confidence to compete, contribute, and lead.
Our commitments
- Supporting career success from day one
- Curricula that blend program-specific knowledge with adaptable, interdisciplinary life skills
Priority 2
Inspire
Use the strength of the MVU brand and value to support student success.
Clear pathways for students to enroll, stay engaged, and finish, with growth that never comes at the cost of quality.
Our commitments
- Inspiring students from all educational backgrounds to enroll, stay engaged, and complete their education
- A supportive academic environment for personalized, career-focused education
Priority 3
Strengthen
Strengthen MVU’s financial position and operational infrastructure.
A stable, well-run university that can keep investing in facilities, technology, and people, and adapt as higher education changes.
Our commitments
- A culture of data-driven decisions that guide planning, resources, and continuous improvement
- Sustainable and diversified resources
Priority 4
Connect
Build relationships that advance MVU’s mission and impact.
Alumni, employers, and community partners who open doors to mentoring, internships, experiential learning, and careers.
Our commitments
- Engaging alumni, employers, and community partners as mentors, advocates, employers, and donors
- Attracting and keeping exceptional faculty and staff with deep, current expertise
Key performance indicators
Results we can measure.
Operation 212° begins with the end in mind. Each priority is tracked with key performance indicators (KPIs), so progress is visible and accountable.
Empower: 4 measures
Student employment outcomes: Employment rates, jobs in graduates’ fields, career advancement, earnings, and continued education.
Employer feedback: How well employers say MVU programs prepare graduates for their careers.
Alumni feedback: How well graduates say their education prepared them to start, advance, and adapt in their careers.
Annual academic reports: How students perform against each program’s learning goals, measured through course assessments, capstone projects, and licensure results, and how faculty use the results to improve.
Inspire: 2 measures
Student success: Recruitment, retention, persistence, completion, and honors data, tracked each term by program and course format.
Student voices: Annual campus climate surveys that measure satisfaction with faculty and staff services, and document how MVU responds to concerns.
Strengthen: 2 measures
Financial performance: Annual independent audits, with trends in compliance, financial forecasting, resource alignment, and reduced deferred maintenance.
Revenue streams: Growth and balance across tuition, auxiliary income, grants, and fundraising, with less reliance on any single source.
Connect: 2 measures
Advancement profile: The strength of donor relations, alumni relations, corporate and community partnerships (including internship and job pipelines), and community engagement.
Faculty profile: Faculty credentials, terminal degrees, full-time and adjunct mix, teaching experience, faculty-to-student ratios, retention, and expertise.
Focused on what, not just how.
The plan sets clear outcomes, then lets teams across MVU choose the best way to reach them. That leaves room to adapt as conditions change and to try new ideas, while everyone stays accountable for measurable progress.
Valley will roll
Working together, every step of the way.
Reaching these goals takes the whole university, working as one team around the needs of every student.
Systematic collaboration
Faculty, staff, and leadership coordinate around what students need, from enrollment and academics to student support and financial operations. Offices work together instead of in isolation to remove barriers and make your experience seamless.
Clarity and agility
Shared goals unite faculty and staff, even when their approaches differ. That gives MVU a clear direction and the flexibility to lead through change in higher education, not just react to it.
Since 1889, Valley has existed to educate the future.
That calling hasn’t changed. Operation 212° is how MVU keeps it moving forward, rolling with the times without losing sight of our history, values, and purpose.
From the President
A message from President Parisi.
Dr. Joe Parisi shares why MVU created Operation 212° and what it means for students.
This strategy moves beyond maintaining tradition to actively shaping the future of education.
Dr. Joe Parisi
President, Missouri Valley University
Read the full message
Missouri Valley’s rich heritage—rooted in faith and a commitment to developing well-rounded individuals—provides a strong foundation for the future. Through this strategic planning process, we have embraced a pivotal opportunity to build on that legacy while positioning the institution to meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.
Operation 212°, our comprehensive Strategic Plan for 2026–2031, was developed through a 20-month, highly collaborative process engaging multiple stakeholders. Grounded in a renewed mission—Personalized education for life skills and career success—the plan establishes a clear and compelling vision with student success as the central driver of institutional strength and long-term sustainability.
This strategy moves beyond maintaining tradition to actively shaping the future of education. It calls for a reimagined student experience—one that is personalized, career-focused, and deeply connected to real-world outcomes. At its core is a commitment to empowerment: fostering a culture of shared responsibility where students, faculty, and staff are collectively accountable for academic excellence, personal growth, life skills development, and career readiness. Through innovative curriculum design, interdisciplinary learning, and intentional mentorship, MVU will equip students not only for their first job, but for lifelong learning and leadership.
Equally central is our commitment to inspiration and connection. MVU will strengthen its value proposition by creating compelling pathways for students to enroll, persist, and succeed, while deepening engagement with alumni, employers, and community partners. These relationships will expand access to internships, experiential learning, and career opportunities—ensuring that academic experiences translate directly into workforce success.
To sustain this vision, the University will continue to strengthen its financial position and operational infrastructure through strategic investment, efficiency, and disciplined resource alignment. This ensures long-term resilience and the capacity to innovate in a competitive and changing market.
Operation 212° translates strategic priorities into actionable initiatives supported by dynamic performance metrics, reinforcing a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. As a living, adaptive framework, our plan is designed to evolve alongside the higher education landscape—enabling Missouri Valley University to remain responsive, competitive, and future-focused.
Together, this work positions MVU as a leader in delivering personalized, outcomes-driven education—empowering students, strengthening communities, and advancing our shared commitment to excellence at 212°.
Dr. Joe Parisi
President, Missouri Valley University
Our mission
Personalized education for life skills and career success.
That’s our mission, and this plan is how we put it to work for you. Find a program that fits your goals, or learn more about who we are.