Interested students and their families are encouraged to attend Future Regent Visit Days, scheduled for Saturday, October 28, and Friday, November 10. Visit days provide students an opportunity to learn more about Rockford University programs, tour the campus, meet with faculty, current students, staff and admission counselors. A complimentary lunch is also provided. 

Future Regent Visit Days run from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Register online to attend at: rockford.edu/admission/visit/visitdayeventsregistration/ or contact the Admissions Office at 815-226-4050  or admissions@rockford.edu for more information. 

Interested students are also welcome to schedule a personal campus visit at any time. More information is available on the Admission Visit page on rockford.edu.

Winners have been announced after Rockford University’s departments and offices competed this week in a Homecoming 2017 decorating contest. Out of nearly 20 participating spaces, RU’s Office of Global Affairs won top honors and a traveling trophy through 2018. Here are the other winners:  

Overall Winner: Best of Show for RU Spirit: Office of Global Affairs

Best Originality: Tied between Student Administrative Services and Admissions

Best Theme: Admissions 

Best Purple and White: Athletics

As official judges visited nearly 20 participating offices this week, Reggie did his own campus tour and proclaimed everyone a winner! Watch a slideshow below of our mascot visiting RU’s decked-out spaces!

Jhasmyn O’Connor is our ROCK SOLID REGENT for the month of October! Jhasmyn is a junior double majoring in biochemistry and human development with a concentration in child and adolescent development. She was nominated by Dr. Gidget Tay and Dr. Bill Doria. Jhasmyn is known as a well-prepared and enthusiastic student. Her professors believe she is a great role model for younger students to emulate: involved in the community (both on and off campus), engaged in class, and a well-rounded, kind human-being.

Jhasmyn is involved in many aspects of the Rockford University Community. Jhasmyn is president of the American Chemical Society Student Affiliate (a club that she helped found), a member of Alpha Helix, and a member the Math Club. She works at Student Administrative Services, is an IT lab assistant, and does organic synthetic chemistry research on campus. Her other responsibilities include being a Campus Liaison to assist first-year students as well as an Advancement Ambassador. Jhasmyn’s plans after graduation are to attend a Graduate/Medical school to obtain her MD and PhD in Biochemistry. She truly is a Rock Solid Regent. Congratulations Jhasmyn!

The Illinois and Wisconsin sections of American Association of Physics Teachers (ISAAPT and WAPT) will host a conference on “Contemporary Physics Instruction” at Rockford University on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20 – 21, 2017. The plenary sessions and workshops focus on astronomy, science and media, instruction & pedagogy, laboratory practices, and the status of women and minorities in physics and astronomy.

The hosts have prepared a fantastic lineup of invited speakers and workshops relevant for physics instruction, both at the high-school and college level. Conference events will be held in Rockford University’s newly remodeled Starr Science Center, with the banquet in Forrest Cool Lounge in the Burpee Student Center.

More information is available at the website. Regular registration is $40 and includes lunch on Saturday, Oct. 21 and coffee/refreshments. The 10 first-time attendees from both Illinois and Wisconsin will have their registration fee waived. Undergraduate student registration is free.

Invited Speakers

• Las Campanas Remote Observatory: Remote Challenges and Solutions; Real Science Within Reach, Friday, Oct. 20, 4:30 p.m.; Howard Hedlund, Astro-Physics Inc., Rockford, Ill.
• The State of ‘Beyond the First Year’ Physics Labs and the Resources to Support Them, Friday, Oct. 20, 5:15 p.m.; Lowell McCann, Ph. D., University of Wisconsin – River Falls
• Building Instruments of Discovery, Friday, Oct. 20, 7:45 p.m.; Sarah Tuttle, Ph. D., University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
• Is the pipeline leaking? White women and other minoritized scientists in Astronomy, Saturday, Oct. 21, 8:15 a.m.; Sarah Tuttle, Ph. D., University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
• Science and Social Media: One Physicist’s Experience, Saturday, Oct. 21, 1:15 p.m.; Robert McNees, Ph. D., Loyola University, Chicago

Free Workshops

• W1. Friday, Oct, 20, 3 – 4:30 p.m. – Exploration of Integrating Computation into the Curriculum; Todd Zimmermann, Ph. D., University of Wisconsin, Stout
• W2. Saturday, Oct. 21, 9 – 10:30 a.m. – Women and Minorities in the History of Physics, Role Models for Today; Gregory Good, Ph. D., Director, Center for the History of Physics 
• W3. Saturday, Oct. 21, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – More Modern Modern Physics for the High School Classroom; James Madsen, Ph. D., University of Wisconsin, River Falls
• W4. Saturday, Oct. 21, 2 – 3:30 p.m. – IOLab – a multi-sensor device; Morten Lundsgaard, Physics Department, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

October’s Forum Series line-up presents and interesting mix of lectures and entertainment. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. 

Honor Killings in the Modern World
Tuesday, October 3, 7 p.m., Fisher Memorial Chapel
Dr. Laila Anwarzai Ayoubi, associate professor at Martin University and adjunct professor at Butler University in Indianapolis, discusses her new book, Niki’s Honor, a powerful story about honor killing practices still occurring in many parts of the world against girls and women. The author, a former journalist and diplomat from Afghanistan, is a past recipient of the International Women Award. Her 2015 novel, inspired by a student’s interest in the topic, is based on the true story of a young Pashtun girl trapped by cultural traditions in her Soviet-controlled country. Dr. Ayoubi holds a Ph.D. in philosophy in international relations from Preston University, a master’s in near Easter languages and culture from Indiana University, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in English from Martin University, and a bachelor’s in French and journalism from Kabul University. Event is free, tickets required. See Box Office for more information.

Musical: Xanadu
Thursday-Saturday, October 5-7, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, October 8, 2 p.m.
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

Don’t miss the disco party that ensues when a beautiful Greek muse and her sisters come back to earth to help a struggling chalk artist fulfill his wildest dreams. Roller skates, leg warmers, Venice Beach, and 1980s pop-rock hits will permeate Maddox Theatre in this laugh-out-loud parody of the cult movie classic of the same name. Tickets $9 students/Seniors, $12 adults. Purchase tickets now.

Fourth Annual Rockford City Dance Festival
Friday-Saturday, October 13-14, 7:30 p.m.
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

The Rockford City Dance Festival, now in its fourth year, brings together professional and pre-professional dance companies from Rockford and the surrounding area, performing original modern and ballet dance. Featured artists include Rockford University’s Orchesis Dance Company, Bad Wolf Dance Theatre, Without Shoes Modern Dance Company, Maria Castello and Jacques Saint-Cyr, and more. Admission is free. Donations to the Friends of the Performing Arts Appreciated.

The Dreamcatcher Foundation:
Brenda Myers-Powell
Monday, October 30, 7 p.m.
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

Co-founder and executive director of the Dreamcatcher Foundation, Brenda Myers-Powell was a product of human trafficking at the age of 14, when she escaped an abusive home life and learned to navigate the streets of Chicago. She endured continued abuse and addiction for 25 years as a prostitute and survived to mentor young women out of the same path. Now, Myers-Powell educates on the perils of human trafficking with a raw edge not for the faint of heart. Event is free, tickets required. See Box Office for more information.

President Eric W. Fulcomer, Ph.D., wrote a guest editorial for the Rockford Register Star’s Sunday, September 17, edition regarding the University’s upcoming Forum Series event, held in conjunction with the Peace Coalition of the Rock River Valley in recognition of the International Day of Peace. 

In the piece Dr. Fulcomer shares, “The International Day of Peace was established by the United Nations in 1981. According to the UN, “Peace day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.  Each September, we are given an opportunity to look within ourselves and to think about ways in which we can personally and corporately work toward making our world a more peaceful place. Locally, the Peace Coalition of the Rock River Valley, a grassroots organization made up of community members who work to spread the message of peace, organizes a number of Connect2Peace events to engage our community in this important topic.”

This year’s event features author, filmmaker, and screenwriter Jennifer Jordan, who will screen her new documentary, 3000 Cups of Tea: The Mission and the Madness. (watch trailer). The film addresses allegations made against philanthropist Greg Mortenson. Author of the bestselling book “Three Cups of Tea,” Mortenson rose to prominence on his mission to build schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan but has left a legacy tarnished by accusations of misappropriating charitable funds. Mortenson was a guest for Rockford Peace Day and the Rockford Public Library in 2008. Following the screening, Dr. Fulcomer will moderate a Q&A-style interview with Jordan.

Event details:

Jennifer Jordan – Screening and discussion, 3000 Cups of Tea: The Mission and the Madness
Wednesday, September 20, 7 p.m.
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center
Rockford University Campus – 5050 East State Street
The event is free to attend, however, tickets are required.
Contact boxoffice@rockford.edu to reserve your seat or call 815-226-4100.

Rockford University spent the summer modernizing the first floor of Starr Science Center, and unveiled the renovations just before the start of the fall semester.

Browse a slideshow of incredibly before-and-after perspectives! The first image shows ceramic murals Induction and Deduction, which were created by former professor Andrene Kauffman in the 1950s and flanked the entrance of the original campus’s science building before being moved to their current home at Rockford University’s Starr Science Center.

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Rockford University’s Fall 2017 Forum Series kicked off its first of nearly a dozen events this week, with the President’s Opening Convocation marking the start of the new academic year. This semester’s series highlights include a talk on human trafficking from Dreamcatcher Foundation director Brenda Myers-Powell, a visit from U.S. Magistrate Judge and alumus Iain D. Johnston, a discussion on honor killings with author Dr. Laila Anwarzai Ayoubi, and a magical musical parody of “Xanadu” from RU’s Performing Arts Department.

The forum series is open to the public and, with the exception of “Xanadu,” are free of charge. Lectures and performances will take place on the Rockford University campus, 5050 East State Street, Rockford. Tickets are required for all events and can be obtained by contacting the Box Office at 815-226-4100 or boxoffice@rockford.edu.

President’s Opening Convocation
Friday, August 25, Noon
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

The 2017-18 Rockford University academic year begins with a formal convocation and remarks by President Eric W. Fulcomer. Held since 1851, this longtime tradition includes a faculty procession in full academic regalia.

Rock Solid Success Seminar: Clarence Lee, Jr.
Wednesday, Sept. 6, 7 p.m.
Severson Auditorium, Scarborough Hall

Author, medical doctor, decorated air force veteran and inspirational guru Clarence Lee, M.D., provides encouragement and motivation to RU students in the annual Rock Solid Success Seminar. Dr. Lee, CEO of a personal development brand, is a columnist with two published books, has appeared as an on-air TV health expert, and was named Black Enterprise’s Modern Man in 2016. He has been named a healthcare entrepreneur to know by Becker’s Hospital Review and a Top 40 Under 40 by the Sacramento Business Journal.

Constitution Day: Judge Iain D. Johnston
Monday, September 11, 3 p.m.
Fisher Memorial Chapel

Rockford University commemorates the 1787 anniversary of the adjournment of the Constitutional Convention with a visit from 1987 RU alumnus U.S. Magistrate Judge Iain D. Johnston, who serves the Northern District of Illinois’ Rockford-based Western Division. Having founded his own law firm after working in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and at a private practice, Judge Johnston was appointed to his current role in 2013.

International Day of Peace: Jennifer Jordan
Wednesday, September 20, 7 p.m.
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

Author, filmmaker, and screenwriter Jennifer Jordan joins RU for a screening of her new documentary 3000 Cups of Tea: The Mission and the Madness, which addresses allegations made against philanthropist Greg Mortenson. Author of bestselling book Three Cups of Tea, Mortenson rose to prominence on his mission to build schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan but has left a legacy tarnished by accusations of misappropriating charitable funds. President Eric W. Fulcomer moderates a Q&A-style interview with Jordan after the viewing.

Honor Killings in the Modern World: Laila Anwarzai Ayoubi
Tuesday, October 3, 7 p.m.
Fisher Memorial Chapel

Laila Anwarzai Ayoubi, Ph.D., associate professor at Martin University and adjunct professor at Butler University in Indianapolis, discusses her book, Niki’s Honor, a powerful story about honor killing practices still occurring in many parts of the world against girls and women. A former journalist and diplomat from Afghanistan, Dr. Ayoubi based her 2015 novel on the true story of a young Pashtun girl trapped by cultural traditions in her Soviet-controlled country.

Musical: Xanadu
Thursday-Saturday, October 5-7, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, October 8, 2 p.m.
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

Don’t miss the disco party that ensues when a beautiful Greek muse and her sisters come back to earth to help a struggling chalk artist fulfill his wildest dreams. Roller skates, leg warmers, Venice Beach, and 1980s pop-rock hits will permeate Maddox Theatre in this laugh-out-loud parody of the cult movie classic of the same name.

Fourth Annual Rockford City Dance Festival
Friday-Saturday, October 13-14, 7:30 p.m.
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

The Rockford City Dance Festival, now in its fourth year, brings together professional and pre-professional dance companies from Rockford and the surrounding area, performing original modern and ballet dance. Featured artists include Rockford University’s Orchesis Dance Company, Bad Wolf Dance Theatre, Without Shoes Modern Dance Company, Maria Castello and Jacques Saint-Cyr, and more.

The Dreamcatcher Foundation:
Brenda Myers-Powell
Monday, October 30, 7 p.m.
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

Co-founder and executive director of the Dreamcatcher Foundation, Brenda Myers-Powell was a product of human trafficking at the age of 14, when she escaped an abusive home life and learned to navigate the streets of Chicago. She endured continued abuse and addiction for 25 years as a prostitute and survived to mentor young women out of the same path. Now, Myers-Powell educates on the perils of human trafficking with a raw edge not for the faint of heart.

Phi Beta Kappa Speaker: Price V. Fishback
Monday, November 13, 4 p.m.
Fisher Memorial Chapel

Price Fishback, Ph.D., is an economics professor at the University of Arizona, where he received the Graduate Mentor and Teacher of the Year award in 2016. He is also the current executive director of the Economic History Association and a research associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research. The Cliometrics Society and the Economic History Association have honored him with numerous awards for his research and teaching of economic history. He focuses his work on Roosevelt’s New Deal and the Great Depression, housing booms and busts between 1920 and 1940, and the long-term effects of climate and policy on agriculture.

The Cost of Convenience: Judge Thomas Lynch and Attorney John Hardison
Tuesday, November 14, 6 p.m.
Fisher Memorial Chapel

Cash advancements and credit cards are readily available to us, but do consumers really understand the costs that come with convenience? We evaluate the true cost of borrowing by examining credit card offers, payday loans, and other fast-cash methods that are popularly advertised to college students. Judge Thomas Lynch, who in 2012 was appointed to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Illinois’ Western Division, presents alongside his law clerk and adjunct instructor at the Northern University Illinois College of Law, John Hardison, an attorney who represented banks and other financial institutions while practicing at an international law firm based in Chicago.

Sport Management Symposium
Thursday, November 30, 6-8 p.m.
Regents Hall, Burpee Student Center

Speakers from various areas in the field of sport and recreation management will be on hand to answer questions pertaining to careers in sport management and to share their tips for success. This event is organized by members of Professor Jason Hunter’s Senior Seminar class. A full list of participants is TBA.

Rockford University’s Welcome Week Leaders, student-athletes, staff, faculty and alumni helped new students move in Saturday, Aug. 19, and about a hundred members of the campus community kicked off the new semester by volunteering in RU’s Plunge day of service at nearly 10 sites throughout Rockford.

Browse more photos and videos from the week’s activities on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.