Campus News

By Kayla Eddy, Social Media & Web Coordinator 

Rockford University Athletics has had an outstanding year. With the introduction of flag football, two brand-new athletic fields, exciting seasons for many teams, and a winning Esports program, the future looks bright for the Regents!

“It has been an outstanding year for Regent Athletics,” said Jason Mulligan, Director of Athletics. “We started the school year with a special Hall of Fame class being inducted. Longtime softball head coach, player, and administrator Kristyn King and baseball standout, Tom Flood, entered the Charles M. DeWild Hall of Fame. This spring saw longtime head coach Bob Koopmann take over the top spot as the all-time winningest coach in baseball program history, [and] the biggest development of the year was the announcement and construction of Phase I of our new athletic complex.”

Flag Football

Rockford University is proud to be the first university in Illinois to have a women’s flag football program. 

“Since our founding in 1847 as Rockford Female Seminary, Rockford University has been at the forefront of advancing educational opportunities for women,” Rockford University President Patricia Lynott said. “Now we can build upon that tradition with the introduction of women’s flag football.”

Head coach Tim Trevier has been busy recruiting for the inaugural Spring 2025 season.

RU is proud to be a forerunner in the introduction of flag football to the collegiate level. 

New Fields

In late November of 2023, RU broke ground on two brand new baseball and softball fields thanks to a $3.58 million grant from Illinois’ Independent College Capital Investment Grant. 

These new fields will “bring Rockford University baseball and softball players back home to play on their own turf,” said Linda Sandquist, former VP of Advancement. 

Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara attended the press conference to show his support. “We couldn’t be more proud of Rockford University,” he said. “And this is just another reason for all of us to celebrate the tremendous traditions that have taken place here at the university.”

Exciting Seasons

“The fall season brought with it a first for our men’s soccer program,” said Mulligan. In a historic move, the team made their first-ever trip to the NACC Tournament. Their five NACC wins throughout the season were the most in program history. 

“Making it to the NACC tournament for the first time in school history was huge for the program,” said Quinn Vukovic, defensive player and RU Marketing major. “What coach Mike has done in the three years he’s been here has been nothing short of amazing. The guys and I all agree that it’s just the beginning and now the only thing we want to do is go further into the tournament.” 

“It’s hard to pick one moment,” Vukovic said when asked about a stand-out moment or game from the season. “The first one that comes to mind is when we beat CUC this year. After back-to-back close losses in previous years it was a great feeling to finally beat them and celebrate with the team. The guys worked hard all game and getting to share that moment with them was amazing.”

It was also a memorable season for both men’s and women’s basketball. Both teams qualified for the NACC Tournament; the women’s team played a great, down-to-the-wire game, and the men’s team advanced to play in the NACC final round. 

—

This article is part of the 2023-2024 issue of Catalyst.

By Dr. Kelly Monson, Dr. Danielle Klein, & Dr. Beth Lipton

On May 14, 2024, sixteen students and three Rockford University faculty began a week-long transformational journey to serve a small rural community in the Dominican Republic.  Participants were immersed in the culture of the community through service and teaching.  

The team who led the students on this trip included Dr. Kelly Monson, Dr. Danielle Klein, and Dr. Beth Lipton, and had support on campus from Julie Griffith. Monsoon, Klein, and Lipton guided students through a cross-cultural experience that integrated their study abroad academic experience, combined with service.

Rockford University partnered with Kids Around the World, an outreach organization established in Rockford, to build a playground for a small community in the Dominican Republic.  This was the second Serve and Study Abroad trip for Rockford University in partnership with Kids Around the World, the first in 2022 serving in Ecuador.   

The team spent two rewarding and challenging days building a playground and one day teaching in a public school within the community.   

Student Daniella Torres Mandujano shared, “I am leaving feeling extremely grateful, grateful for the opportunity to have been able to go on such a remarkable trip. Grateful isn’t enough to express how it feels to have been able to be part of building a playground where children will be able to make lots of memories & be allowed to play, I hope to return and see the children playing, the impact it’s made on me is just as big as the impact it will be making on the children. The children there were the most welcoming and accepting, arriving at the school and feeling so loved and appreciated by the children made me so grateful to be there.”

Spanish is the primary language in the Dominican Republic and five of the Rockford University students were excited to act as translators throughout the trip. 

As student Naomi Cano Rodriguez shared, “To me the trip was astonishing. From seeing the kid’s faces light up to the parachute to having our final countdown as a team. Being able to speak Spanish was such an amazing possibility. I was able to make a deeper connection with the children and be able to help out the team by translating when it was needed. I was very excited to go out of the country for the first time because I knew that we were in good hands. As we landed and the days that we stayed I saw how the stories my mother used to tell me about how she lived when she was a child in Mexico and how the children’s lives were very similar.  

It brought tears to my eyes but I am beyond thankful to have built a playground in a location where all the children can enjoy and spend time with their families. This whole trip was very monumental because it made me realize all the stuff we take for granted that the families in the D.R. would love to have and it invokes change in me to be more appreciative for the stuff I have at home.  I am beyond thankful to the Kid Around the World team for all their effort in welcoming us and showing us the beauty that the Dominican Republic has to offer.”

The Rockford University students and faculty had the privilege of celebrating with the community and local government after the playground was complete. Students were appreciative of this opportunity.  

Student Savannah Turen shared, “Back home life is completely different. But not necessarily in a bad way. I will never forget the love the community gave us at the playground dedication. Back home playgrounds are so common they are often forgotten about. We forget to appreciate the simple things around us that not everyone has. This trip is a reminder to appreciate the little and simple things in life every day, not just sometimes.”

The majority of the students on this trip had never traveled out of the country and as future educators, the teaching opportunity had an impact on their future. 

Student Jennifer Pina shared, “I believe that there is truly no way to describe the impact of this trip besides actually living it. I have never flown out of the country, let alone be part of a project that would impact so many.  Being able to experience this trip allowed me to feel grateful for not only everything that I have back home but also the experience, culture, food, and community that we were surrounded by. 

As a future educator, I was grateful to work with children from a different population. As a person, I was grateful to work with and interact with people from a different Spanish-speaking culture who became like family. I am thankful for everyone who made this possible. I will forever remember this trip and can’t wait for the next one!”

Student Julissa Gutierrez shared that this was a life-changing experience.

“I am happy to say that going on this trip was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” Gutirrez said. “Not only do I feel that we really made a difference in the lives of many, but I also feel that I am going back home a different person in the best way possible. I met so many new people, listened to all kinds of stories, and learned about a beautiful culture. Not only that, but I learned that my life’s purpose goes way beyond what I thought before. I hope to continue living my life seeking the same joy, peace, and fulfillment that I felt throughout this whole adventure.”

This was an impactful experience for everyone on the trip. Students were asked to provide an impact word and story that encompassed their experience.  The impact terms included: Life-changing, Wondrous, Joyful, Eternal, Grateful, Unforgettable, Monumental, Love, Community, Appreciative, Grateful, Interesting, Grateful and Growth, Roles, Blissful, and Risk-taker.  

Rockford University hopes to partner with Kids Around the World to create a third Serve and Learn opportunity in the future.

—

This article is part of the 2023-2024 issue of Catalyst. 

By the 1974 Golden Grads Reunion Committee

Looking out the windows of the O’Hare/Rockford bus or from the comfort of our parents’ cars, we drove past endless cornfields as we made our way to a college campus many of us had not ever set foot on, in a city we hadn’t heard of before the first recruitment letter arrived. Excited, curious, anxious, and hopeful, we arrived from large cities, small urban communities, and foreign countries, (from 32 states and 7 countries to be exact) to become the faces that would make up Rockford College’s Class of 1974.

We arrived in the summer of 1970 with the war in Vietnam still raging and the threat of being drafted, the Kent State (in Kent, Ohio) shootings still raw in our minds, and riots in East Los Angeles being front page news. Soon to be given the right to vote with the swipe of a pen by President Nixon, we would finally have a voice and we were ready to be heard.

Over the next four years, dressed in our bell-bottom, hip-hugger jeans with frayed hems, wide belts, and sandals, we fought for “freedoms” from the restrictive social rules left over from the 60’s and did not acquiesce to new rules without protest! Freshman women had curfews and did not receive key cards for their dorms until the second semester.

There were strict visitation hours, and no alcohol was allowed. Change did not come as quickly on campus as it was coming on the news broadcasts. January 1973, saw the passage of Roe v. Wade; in October 1973; and the legal age for beer and wine changed from 21 to 19 in Illinois.

Distrust of government officials and authority, in general, permeated much of our thinking at the time and affected our relationship with the College administration. Outrage over the required forum series and requisite punch cards to ensure attendance along with disbelief over a student being suspended for stealing toilet paper led to animated and often heated meetings on campus. Our shared sense of righteous indignation brought us closer together!

Perhaps one of the most consequential choices we made 50 years ago was the decision to attend a small liberal arts college. Here we were taught to think critically and creatively. We were inspired by professors who cared about their students, were passionate about their disciplines, and challenged us. Who can forget the required reading our freshman year—African Genesis and The Medium is the Massage. Clark Arts Center was dedicated in the spring of 1970 and offered access to the studio arts to many of us for the first time.

In 1970, Rockford College sat at the edge of the city. One would pass it on the way in or out of town, but the beautiful new buildings and campus were self-contained. We ate, slept, and played there. And did we ever play! 

The small, intimate classes made it easy to meet other students, and we soon felt like we knew everyone including the townies who were very much a part of campus life. Without cell phones, we had to venture out into the hallways, common areas, and other dorms to find out who was doing what and where the parties were on any given night.

We looked forward to October Day when classes were suddenly canceled, in the winter we “borrowed” trays from the cafeteria to go traying at the dam, went to “tape” dances, played tug-of-war in the mud, listened to music in our own “coffee house,” and cheered on the soccer, baseball, basketball, and IM (intramural sports) teams. We were especially proud of our champion swimmers!

We are the Golden Grads this year! In September (of 2024) we will come together again to laugh and share memories and see each other just as we were in 1970. It will be time to come clean—How often did you sneak out after curfew? How often did you stay in the wrong dorm? 

Was a freshman men’s dorm a good idea? Did you ever return your trays after sledding on them? Do you remember that earthquake? Who got caught climbing out of a dorm room? 

The story of our class is as unique as our classmates. Thanks for the friends and memories, RC. Looking forward to seeing you again in September!

–-

1974 Golden Grads Reunion Committee:

• Pam Brueckner Tannura
• Emily Kehoe Johnson
• Robert Herdegen
• Nancy Magnuson Gough 
• Robert “Huffer” Gough 
• Michael Anthony 

—

This article is from the 2023-2024 issue of Catalyst. 

By Sara Myers, Digital Media & Communications Specialist

RU Student Faith Gomez was mentored by Dr. Filiz Dik, Dr. Deepshikha Shukla, and others in the SMN (Science, Math & Nursing) College and was awarded a $2,500 grant to create a STEM camp for middle school girls called “InnovateHer.” 

The event will be held tentatively this fall 2024 and include 30 girls from local middle schools. 

Gomez is majoring in biochemistry and minoring in gender studies. 

“Despite coming in on a grant for women in STEM I didn’t see a lot of outreach specifically for women in STEM even though we’re still underrepresented in the professional space,” Gomez said. “As a historically women’s college, I thought that it might be beneficial both for our history and for outreach purposes to create a more women-centric event, for STEM specifically.”

She had the idea for the camp for a while but it finally came to fruition when she started looking for grants when she was working on her capstone project. 

“I want the activities to be focused on what the mentor is doing with their career in STEM,” she said. “For example, there’s a student who wants to get a master’s in forensic chemistry and she got into chemistry programs. I want her to feel like she can do a fingerprinting experiment and she can talk about how she found chemistry as a viable career path and what they have in Rockford.”

Gomez graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. in Biochemistry in May 2024. 

—

This article is from the 2023-2024 issue of Catalyst. 

By Sara Myers-Hogshead, Digital Media & Communications Specialist 

Though she grew up in San Diego, California, RU Alumni Emily Hartzog’s mother convinced her to look at a small, private school in Illinois when Hartzog was looking at colleges. 

Her mother grew up in Rockford and suggested she look at Rockford University while Hartzog was originally looking at bigger schools in California to attend. Schools like the University of California San Diego (UCSD), the University of California, Los Angeles, and Pepperdine University were originally on her list.

“They (Rockford) were the only school that took the time for personal attention, and UCSD is not going to call you personally and say we hope you attend,” Hartzog said. “You’re one of 100,000 students.”

She said she remembers receiving the Rockford viewbook and seeing the campus with its shades of green that she had never seen growing up on the West Coast. 

“I started as an anthropology, sociology major,” she said. “I think I wanted to go into corporate mediation, which is pursuing a law degree. I think over time, I just found myself leaning toward business. It was unintentional.”

Some of Hartzog’s favorite classes at Rockford were with business professor Gary Lubbert. She said he brought in a lot of practical business knowledge and went beyond the textbook.

“It was fundamentals and you just have to have been in the business world, especially on the marketing side. He was just so passionate about it. His classes were so fun and engaging.”

Hartzog also enjoyed Jeff Fahrenwald’s classes, where the professor discussed leadership and the organizational side of business. 

During her time at Rockford, she was very involved as a member of the dance team, a student activities committee member, and a resident advisor. She said it was nice how quickly she was able to get involved on campus, and how you don’t have to be in a leadership position. She recalls going to a national conference with the student activities committee and winning an award.

After graduation in 1998, Hartzog was offered a full-time position in Rockford’s admissions office. She had been working part-time in the office during her last semester in undergrad when her friend in the admissions office went on maternity leave and she was asked to help fill the gap in the intermission.

Once her friend came back from leave, the office asked if she was interested in taking on transfer recruitment and performing arts recruitment. She took the position and started to study for her MBA during night classes.

“It was a lot of fun and travel and in admissions,” she said. “I was still close to the college world. I could speak authentically to the experience and I got my MBA at the same time, so it was great.”

Hartzog went on to work at SupplyCore after meeting the HR director in her MBA classes. This position was a big learning curve and her first step into the business world. There, she wrote press releases, reviewed government contract proposals, and helped with training other employees.

She said it was not easy to leave SupplyCore and move on to the Rockford Public Library, she got to be a director, which ultimately solidified her decision to move into that role. 

“It was a step up in my career and being the one responsible for managing a budget and taking on all sorts of projects,” she said. “In my time at the library, we rebranded, which was huge. It’s a huge project. I integrated a whole new library system, which had a technical component but also had a communications component and a training component.” 

Since 2013, Hartzog has worked at Chartwell Agency, where she recently was promoted to President. She was initially recruited when the agency was a “traditional public relations agency.”

Since then, the agency has grown immensely. It has a fully in-house creative team that includes videography, photography, and web development. She adds that the agency’s roots are still in public relations and storytelling.

“I think our growth and my changing role are almost kind of symbolic of marketing as a whole and continue to evolve, the mediums we use continue to change the expectations of people receiving our messages, and how brands need to connect continues to change,” she said. “It’s almost like a metaphor, how much we’ve grown, how much we’ve evolved, and how much you have to do as a marketing agency.”

—

This article is from the 2023-2024 issue from Catalyst. 

by Sara Myers-Hogshead, Digital Media & Communications Specialist 

Rockford-born and raised graphic design graduate Geniss Scharnweber ‘24 was described by some as a “nontraditional student.”

Scharnweber did not decide to attend college until she was in her late 30s. She said she married young and had four children during her 20s.

Before attending Rock Valley College for her associate’s degree, Scharnweber worked as a chef for 8 years. During that time she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, psoriatic arthritis. She could not work long hours on her feet anymore and went to study at RVC.

She graduated with her associate’s in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She spent the next year and a half homeschooling her children. She realized during that time that she wanted to continue her education and pursue a bachelor’s degree. 

“I realized that I need to be able to do something more than just work in an office,” she said. “I looked at the opportunities around us, and RU was such a good fit, and it’s a great university.”

During her time at RU, she discovered she enjoys working with ink and can usually be found working on ink painting, printmaking, or sewing. During our interview, Scharnweber motioned to her purse, which had an original design she created on it. She adds that she enjoys multimedia projects and figuring out ways to make her art “useful.”

She also said she has not had a professor she did not love. Scharnweber has thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Bethany Twitty’s Abnormal Sociology, and art history classes taught by Dr. Jennifer Langworthy.

“Professor (Christopher) Sisson taught me so much about just hierarchy and how to lay my stuff out,” she said. “I had all the tools and ways to use them, but now he’s teaching me to make it the best can with those tools. Professor (Dave) Menard is just great all the time; he’s hilarious. I love them; it’s been a really good experience.” a half homeschooling her children. She realized during that time that she wanted to continue her education and pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Scharnweber does not yet have a plan for after graduation but she is hoping to find a remote job so she can work from home in a setup she’s comfortable in. Scharnweber graduated in May 2024 as a MacLeish Scholar with a BFA in Studio Art and Graphic Design.

—

This article is part of the 2023-2024 issue of Catalyst.