Career Connection
RU College of Professional and Extended Learning Awarded $464,450 Illinois Youth Investment Program Grant
The College of Professional and Extended Learning at Rockford University has been awarded $464,450 through the Illinois Youth Investment Program, a program of the Office of Community and Positive Youth Development at the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).
“The Illinois Youth Investment Program (IYIP) was established to provide Illinois’ at-risk youth ages 16-24, with the opportunity to participate in the employment recovery of the State following the COVID-19 pandemic,” explained Dr. Deepshikha Shukla, Dean of the College of Professional and Extended Learning. “This iteration of the IYIP program is being offered to build upon those successes by offering short-term, long-term, and career development employment programming in certain Illinois counties, including Winnebago County. Rockford University will receive $464,450 for a 12-month project period to serve its students with comprehensive career guidance from readiness skills to job experience.”
Throughout the 12-month project period (April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026), the College of Professional and Extended Learning will provide employment readiness training to students in three cohorts. Students will be simultaneously placed in internship positions at both Rockford University and local organizations through this program. The program is called Rockford Youth Career-readiness Ecosystem (RYCE).
One of the internship placement partners, Alignment Rockford, shared about the RYCE participants:
“We are so grateful for your hard work, bright ideas, willingness to learn a lot in a short time, and then to create and build with your own ideas. We know you have bright futures ahead, and while you helped shape our work here at Alignment, we hope your time at Alignment will also shape your future!”
The first cohort completed the program in summer 2025; cohort 2 will run from October 2025 to December 2025, and cohort 3 from December 2025 to March 2025. Please contact careerconnection@rockford.edu for more information.
Students
Reach new heights in your career! Congratulations on choosing to incorporate the Regents Career Journey into your educational experience at Rockford University. It’s a decision you’ll be glad you made! At Rockford University Career Connection, we’re dedicated to helping students and alumni reach their professional aspirations.
The Regents Career Journey involves three key steps, each designed to support your goals. Our Career Services team is here to assist you every step of the way. For more information, feel free to email us at careerconnection@rockford.edu!
Internships & Experiential Learning
According to the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE):
“An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.”
At Rockford University, we strongly encourage every student to gain career experience through a robust internship opportunity, as it will confirm your career path, enhance your resume and increase your employability after graduation.
Internships may (or may not) be for academic credit and some internships are paid, while others are not. Have you heard about micro internships yet? They’re a thing too.
When you’re ready to learn more about your next internship, make an appointment to speak with a member of the Career Connection team and we’ll provide you with all the further details on starting the internship process!
Employers/Recruiters
Hire Our Students!
Rockford University (RU) seeks to be a valuable resource for your company/organization as you move forward. Today, many of our interns and recent graduates are working remotely or in person at companies like yours. Whether you need help recruiting or need interns to assist, RU students are adaptable and resilient and can serve as a resource to you. Our Regents are Here to Help!
Our students demonstrate career competencies and present skillsets required to succeed in all industries! Whether you need
- Corporate communication skills, design skills, marketing skills or project management skills…,
- Personnel to provide services online or update your website,
- Someone who can provide excellent patient satisfaction,
- Someone to help with data management and analysis,
- Research support on policies around vaccines and medication,
- Quality assurance personnel,
- Human Resources personnel, etc.
RU student interns can do the job! And if you are looking to hire, you can recruit RU alumni free of charge. If there is anything that RU can do to support your organization, we are committed to assisting our employers and community as well as our students and alumni. If RU Career Connection can help your business, please or email us at CareerConnection@rockford.edu.
