Two new Rockford Promise Scholars to attend Rockford University this fall
05/01/2017 11:20 am
Representatives from Rockford Promise held a press conference at Rock Valley College on Thursday, April 27, to announce the 2017 receipts of the neighborhood-based full-scholarships. Two students were awarded scholarships to attend Rockford University and eight students will attend Rock Valley College this fall.
Rockford University welcomes Magdaleno Mendoza (Rockford Urological Associates Named Scholar) and Vanessa Peoples, both from Jefferson High School. Both students have expressed interest in studying nursing.
Rockford Promise, modeled after the Kalamazoo Promise in Michigan, aims to provide a growing number of scholarships for Rockford students to attend school on full-tuition scholarships. Rockford’s program focuses on students from the Midtown and Ellis Heights neighborhoods, noted as two of Rockford’s lowest income neighborhoods. This is the second year Rockford Promise has awarded scholarships, increasing to eight recipients from four awarded in 2016. Students must meet grade requirements, do well on the SAT, have filed for financial aid, and plan to study in Rockford.
Read more about Rockford Promise and the four scholarship recipients in the April 27, 2017 Rockford Register Star article, “More full scholarships to area schools given through Rockford Promise.”
Pictured above: Rockford University President Eric Fulcomer with Vanessa Peoples and Magdaleno Mendoza.
Mendoza and Peoples with 2016 scholarship recipients are Alondra Torres and Jennifer Rosales, also Jefferson High School graduates.
Contact: Rita Elliott, Director of Communications, 815-226-3374
Rock Solid Regent – Joshua Davis
04/24/2017 12:47 pm
Joshua Davis from Chicago, Illinois is our ROCK SOLID REGENT for the week. Joshua is a freshman computer science major and was nominated by Dr. Mehmet Dik. He is an active participant on the football team as well as the Minority Male Mentoring Program. Dr. Dik describes Joshua as a “role model student in and outside of the classroom.” He is a servant to others which is displayed in his actions as he gladly helps many students on campus. His work in Math 224-Statistics has been exemplary and he currently holds the title “Statistics King.” This title is given to the most successful male student in the class.
Joshua appreciates the very close-knit community at RU. During his first year he has discovered that there are so many free resources available to students. He also is thankful that the faculty and staff are willing to help you in any way possible. After graduation from RU Joshua would like to pursue a career in the IT security field. Congratulations, Joshua, on being a ROCK SOLID REGENT!
‘A Flea in Her Ear’ opens with raucous fun on April 27
04/24/2017 11:22 am
Rockford University Performing Arts Department presents “A Flea in Her Ear” on the Maddox Theatre stage April 27 – 30. Maddox Theatre is located in the Clark Arts Center on Rockford University’s campus, 5050 East State Street, Rockford.
For tickets, contact BoxOffice@rockford.edu or call 815-226-4100. $12 adults, $9 students and seniors.
Professor of Performing Arts and Director Deborah Mogford shares, “In 1907 Georges Feydeau’s play A Flea in Her Ear opened to critical acclaim. It was the height of La Belle Époque and Feydeau’s masterpiece reflects the joyous spirit of the age. Feydeau is regarded as a master of farce and his plays continue to delight audiences with their comic exploration of the foolishness of human behavior, particularly when it comes to relationships and marriage.”
Pictured at left: Owen Thomas [DON CARLOS HOMENIDES DE HISTANGUA]; Brandon Michaud [VICTOR CHANDEBISE, POCHE]; and Addison Clearwood [RAYMONDE CHANDEBISE].
RU, Rockford Sexual Assault Counseling partner for Take Back the Night
04/20/2017 4:58 pm
Rockford University and Rockford Sexual Assault Counseling will partner Thursday, April 27 to host a Take Back the Night walk in Rockford—encouraging the community to speak up when they see or know something, speak out against all acts of violence and stand with survivors. The walk, suitable for all ages and abilities, is a culmination of programming on RU’s campus throughout April in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Participants will travel down the Rock River Recreation Path from Sinnissippi Gardens in Rockford, with check-in from 5 to 6 p.m. and the walk starting at 6:30 p.m. The event also will include speakers, readings of survivor stories, giveaways and more. Several local and regional service organizations from Illinois and Wisconsin will be present to share resources and information with attendees. All participants in the walk will be asked to sign liability waivers. If rain forces a move indoors, activities will be held at Regents Hall in Rockford University’s Burpee Student Center, 5050 East State Street, Rockford. Rockford is among 600 campuses and communities in 30 countries to host a walk or event for Take Back the Night, a charitable organization that aims to end domestic and sexual violence. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Samantha “Sam” Thomas at SamThomasRSAC@yahoo.com. For more information about Rockford’s Take Back the Night walk, contact LaShun McGee, compliance and Title IX coordinator at Rockford University, at 815-226-2842 or LMcGhee@rockford.edu.
Barbara Pierce Bush to keynote Rockford University’s 163rd commencement
04/19/2017 4:55 pm
Barbara Pierce Bush, daughter of former President George W. Bush, will keynote Rockford University’s spring commencement ceremony Saturday, May 13.
Rockford University’s 163rd graduation will be held at 2 p.m. at the Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St. in downtown Rockford. The University will award undergraduate and graduate degrees to approximately 352 students from 18 states and six countries.
Bush, 35, is co-founder and CEO of Global Health Corps, an organization focused on mobilizing a global community of young leaders to build the movement for health equity. Before joining GHC, she worked for the Smithsonian Institution’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, as well as at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, and interned for the United Nations Children’s Fund in Botswana.
Bush has traveled with the UN World Food Programme, is a member of UNICEF’s Next Generation Steering Committee, and is on the board of directors of Covenant House International, Population Services International, the UN’s Social Entrepreneurship Council, and Friends of the Global Fight for AIDS, TB and Malaria. She is a Draper Richards Foundation Social Entrepreneur, a World Economic Forum Young Global Shaper and a fellow of the Echoing Green Foundation. Bush graduated from Yale University with a degree in Humanities in 2004.
Tickets are required to attend the ceremony, and are limited to degree candidates and their guests. They will not be available at the door of the Coronado.
Rockford University is a four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. The University offers approximately 80 majors, minors and concentrations, including the adult accelerated degree completion program for a B.S. in Management Studies. Through its Graduate Studies department, degrees are extended to include the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Master of Urban Education. Rockford University is home to one of only 11 Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) chapters in Illinois, the most prestigious honor society in the United States. Rockford University is also named by The Princeton Review as a Best Midwestern College. Rockford University currently serves approximately 1,300 full-and part-time students.
Rock Solid Regent – Alondra Torres
04/17/2017 1:05 pm
Congratulations to our ROCK SOLID REGENT for the week, Alondra Torres from Rockford, IL. She is a freshman biochemistry major and was nominated by Dr. Mehmet Dik, Chair, Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics. Dr. Dik shared that Alondra has done an amazing job academically and socially as a first year college student. Throughout the semester Alondra has been an “exemplary student”. Her work has consistently exceeded course expectations. Additionally, she is involved in many campus activities and organizations including, CAB, Spanish Club, Multicultural Club and the soccer team. She also finds time to work as a part-time certified Nursing Assistant.
For Alondra RU has been a great place to study. She is thankful that she is able to attend college close to home. Alondra shared that “family is very important to me and being able to be here when they need me is crucial”. Additionally, she is thankful that RU offers her majors, Biochemistry as well as French. Alondra also likes the small campus because it has allowed her to develop strong relationships with faculty, staff, and students from all over the world. After graduation she plans to attend medical school to become a pediatrician or a family practitioner. Congratulations Alondra on being a ROCK SOLID REGENT!
April 26 Day of Giving will support scholarship with matching gifts
04/13/2017 3:27 pm
Rockford University will hold its third annual Day of Giving on Wednesday, April 26. The day’s goal is to harness the power of social media during a 24-hour blitz to raise funds for student scholarships. Challenges, fun incentives and special guests will be fea
tured to encourage engagement and participation throughout the day. This year, proceeds will directly support Rockford University’s participation in the Rubin Education Challenge with a dollar to dollar match, doubling the impact for every dollar given on April 26.
In December 2015, Rockford University and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) announced the University’s participation in the Rubin Education Challenge, a challenge grant offered by CFNIL to build scholarship endowments benefiting local students with financial need who attend local post-secondary institutions. Together, Rockford University and CFNIL will build a $3 million endowment, with CFNIL matching every dollar contributed by the University and its donors. The program is named after Dr. Louis and Violet Rubin whose $24.5 million gift to CFNIL made the matching endowments possible.
Each year, Rockford University awards more than $10 million in institutional aid, scholarship and grants, including $2 million awarded directly to students from the region. These funds are part of the University’s commitment to its students. The Rubin Education Challenge provides additional flexibility within the University’s existing financial aid commitments, further enhancing the ability to enrich academic and co-curricular programs for all students.
To participate or follow Rockford University’s progress during the 2017 Day of Giving, connect with the University’s primary social media channels and use hashtags #RUNeedsU and #WeAreReady2017!
Facebook: facebook.com/RockfordUniversity/
Instagram: instagram.com/rockforduniversity/
Twitter: twitter.com/RockfordUniv
YouTube: youtube.com/user/rockforduniversity
Website: rockford.edu/give/
RU’s International Food Festival offers gastronomic globetrotting
04/05/2017 4:59 pm
America is a nation of immigrants with a diversity of backgrounds, but one thing is universal across cultures—everybody eats.
“There’s something so basic about sharing your food,” said Maria Diemer, assistant director of Global Affairs at Rockford University. “And every culture can relate to that beautiful memory of sharing a meal together.”
You can sample your way around the world at Rockford University’s annual International Food Festival from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 22. The Office of Global Affairs and Multicultural Club are hosting a taste of what’s in store with a free precursor to the festival, “Around the World in 50 Minutes,” at noon Wednesday, April 12. Both events will be in Regents Hall, located on the second floor of the Burpee Student Center.
IFF has gotten bigger along with Rockford University’s international student population, which itself has grown about five times over in as many years. Today, roughly a tenth of the campus hails from outside the United States, with 114 international students representing 26 countries.
“It brings students together with such a camaraderie, and you have students from different continents, cultures and religions working together seamlessly and enjoying themselves tremendously – and so proud to share their heritage with other students, community members, faculty, staff,” Diemer said of the festival. “It’s just one of the most beautiful things that I wish everyone in the world could see.”
Shammeran Benjamin, a Global Affairs graduate assistant from Sweden, adds that IFF is both a source of pride and welcome distraction to students far from home.
“It feels like we have something to say, and we can share where we come from,” she said. “And it keeps us busy as well, so we have less to think about.”
Students in the Multicultural Club will prepare favorite recipes from home, present a flag ceremony and model clothing from their home countries in a fashion show. Festivalgoers can try their hand at calligraphy, get a henna tattoo, jump in a photo booth with friends, enjoy song and dance performances, and nosh on authentic dishes from countries like Sweden, Germany, the Philippines, Japan, China, Turkey, Syria, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Liberia, Mexico and Bosnia.
Andrei Egorov, a senior from Kyrgyzstan who works in Global Affairs, says students put in long hours but find pride in preparing for the event, painstakingly sourcing ingredients and expanding favorite recipes they may usually make for just a few people to 125 servings.
“Often times, the student comes and says, ‘Hey, there’s this ingredient for my recipe,’ and we do our best to find it anywhere – we’ll go to Amazon.com, we’ll go to Chicago to buy certain ingredients,” he said. “We bring them all here, and the student tries to become a chef and make this delicious masterpiece.”
Tickets for the festival on April 22 are $10 in advance or $12 at the event, with children’s tickets $5 in advance or $6 at the event. Doors open at 4:30 to whisk you around the world without leaving RU’s campus at 5050 E. State St., Rockford. For more information, contact 815-394-5112 or globalaffairs@rockford.edu.
“Being toward the end of the year, I think it’s a great culmination and a feeling of success,” Diemer added. “You know, they’ve made it in this different country for a year, and now they’re so proud to share with these new friends and new people that they’ve met.”
Rock Solid Regent – Abigail Brandon
04/03/2017 1:03 pm
Abigail Brandon from Rockford, Illinois is our ROCK SOLID REGENT for the week. She is a senior physical education major and was nominated by Associate Professor Tammy Schiek. Professor Schiek shared that Abigail is a dedicated and hardworking student who leads by example. She is respected by her professors and peers. She works diligently both in and out of the classroom. Abigail was recently spotted painting the Meltfest game board for her Senior Seminar class. This is just one example of her sense of responsibility, dedication, and leadership. She is not afraid to “step up to the plate”! She consistently exemplifies what it takes to be a successful student.
Abigail says that the “personal atmosphere” is why she enjoys studying at Rockford University. She feels that the professors try to get to know you as a student instead of a number. Faculty truly try to guide you through your experience and help in any way they can. Additionally, Abigail shares that the community on the RU campus is very friendly and welcoming. While walking from classes or entering the student center, “I am greeted or receive a smile”, which she knows is hard to find on other campuses. After graduation she plans to substitute teach and build relationships in the schools while she pursues additional endorsements on her teacher licensure. Eventually she would like to obtain a middle school physical education position in a Rockford Public School where she can spread her passion for living a healthy lifestyle. Congratulations Abigail Brandon, on being a ROCK SOLID REGENT!
Forum Series offers ‘Last Lecture’ with RU professor on April 18
03/30/2017 5:47 pm
Rockford University will offer an additional event in its Spring 2017 Forum Series lineup with a lecture from one of our own professors who received a student nomination.
Dr. Lynn Newhart will present “From Tommy Guns to Tusks: Organized Crime and the Exotic Animal Trade” on Tuesday, April 18, at 3 p.m. in Fisher Memorial Chapel.
While most of us know that organized crime is involved in drugs, weapons, and human trafficking, few of us realize the extent to which it is involved in trafficking of exotic animals. Dr. Newhart is going to discuss this lucrative trade for organized crime groups, explaining how they are involved, why they are involved and why this type of trafficking brings in billions of dollars a year.
The Last Lecture Series is meant as an honor to recognize a professor who is greatly admired by the campus community. By being honored, the professor is asked to give the lecture he or she would give if they knew it would be their last.
The forum series is open to the public and, with the exception of plays, are free of charge. Lectures and performances will take place on the Rockford University campus, 5050 E. State St., Rockford. Tickets are required for all events and can be obtained by contacting the Box Office at 815-226-4100 or boxoffice@rockford.edu.
