First Student Partners with Eden Village and Drury University to Transform Donated School Bus into a Mobile 3D-Printed Housing Lab

Student-designed renovation will support the construction of tiny homes for individuals facing chronic homelessness

SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Dec. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- First Student, the company setting the standard for innovation and transforming the school transportation industry, today announced a new partnership with Eden Village to convert a donated school bus into a mobile innovation hub that will support 3D-printed housing projects for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.

The collaboration reinforces First Student's mission to invest in safer, stronger, and more supportive communities, extending its impact well beyond the school day.

"At First Student, our purpose has always been bigger than the yellow bus," said John Kenning, CEO and President of First Student. "We exist to support students, families, and the communities that shape them. This partnership with Eden Village and Drury University is a powerful example of what happens when innovation and compassion come together. By transforming this bus into a mobile 3D-printing hub, we're helping create spaces of stability and dignity for people who need it most and extending the impact of our work far beyond the school day."

A Mobile Tiny-Home Innovation Unit

Eden Village will use the bus to transport critical components of its industrial 3D printer, which is currently supporting construction at the organization's third tiny-home community in Springfield, Missouri. Because the equipment includes high-precision parts, the bus will be redesigned to safely carry components that cannot be transported on traditional equipment haulers.

"We are so thankful for the generosity of First Student and this timely gift of a school bus to convert into a much needed transport vehicle and construction office," said Nate Schlueter, Chief Visionary Officer of Eden Village. "We are excited to partner again with Drury School of Architecture's Design Build Program to transform this bus into a multi-purpose vehicle that will be a key component of building Eden Village 3 to house our chronically homeless friends."

Students in Drury University's School of Architecture, specifically members of the nationally recognized Design-Build Program, will lead the redesign, transforming the school bus into a dual-purpose mobile unit. Their plans include creating a secure transport vehicle for sensitive 3D-printing components and building a functional mobile construction office with fold-out workstations, dedicated storage, blueprint space, and potential enhancements such as HVAC, solar power, and an exterior awning.

"The Design-Build program in the Hammons School of Architecture at Drury University is deeply grateful for the opportunity to partner once again with Eden Village," said Traci Sooter, Director of the Design-Build Program at Drury University. "Repurposing a former school bus into a dual-purpose mobile unit – serving as both a construction office and a mobile hub for 3D printer storage and fabrication – embodies our shared commitment to innovation, collaboration, and hands-on learning in service of the community."

Drury's program has been featured in national publications and has completed award-winning design-build projects, giving students hands-on experience in architecture, engineering, and community-centered construction.

Supporting a Growing Model of Housing Innovation

Eden Village is part of a growing national network of tiny-home villages and housing-first initiatives. While the bus will begin its work in Springfield, its flexible design allows it to be used at future build sites as additional properties come online helping expand access to innovative construction tools and community development models across states.

Renovation work will continue through the winter, with a goal of deploying the unit to support on-site construction in March–April 2026, when weather conditions allow for concrete 3D printing. Eden Village and Drury University plan to produce ongoing video updates documenting progress.

About First Student

First Student is reimagining the school bus experience with 5.6 million student rides across North America every single day. As the undisputed leader in K-12 transportation, the company completes 1 billion student rides annually, delivering not just students, but confidence, reliability, and peace of mind to families and school districts alike. Backed by a workforce of highly trained drivers and an industry-leading fleet of 47,000 vehicles, including electric buses, First Student is a mission-driven partner in education.

Named one of Fast Company's 2025 Most Innovative Companies, First Student offers cutting-edge services including special-needs transportation, AI route optimization, fleet electrification, vehicle-maintenance services, and charter solutions. First Student's impact extends beyond logistics: every ride is designed to be a safe and supportive space where students can start and end their day with a great experience. With innovation at our core, First Student is driving the future of student transportation one ride at a time.

Learn more at https://firststudentinc.com

About Eden Village

Eden Village is a permanent supportive housing community for the chronically homeless. It is the first of its kind, tiny home community, that made its debut in Springfield, Missouri in August of 2018. It has lifted disabled homeless individuals off the streets, into a home within a gated community of like individuals and the support of a community center and garden. The community center is furnished with a full kitchen, laundry room, computers, a library of books and DVDs, as well as a community garden, woodworking shop, a neighborhood store, outdoor grills, and a storm shelter. 

Eden Village has two locations in Springfield, Missouri and is currently working on a third. They have also licensed their model and there are now Eden Villages in Wilmington, NC., Tulsa, OK., and Kansas City, KS.

The mission of Eden Village is to build relationships and communities for our chronically homeless friends. The vision is to create cities where no one sleeps outside.

Learn more at https://edenvillageusa.org/

Contact

Brenna Rudisill

[email protected]

SOURCE First Student