About

Rockford University Presidents 1852 – 2022

For ease, this list refers to Rockford University as Rockford Female Seminary during the years it existed, 1847 – 1892, Rockford College from 1892 – 2013, and Rockford University from 2013.

Anna Peck Sill
1852 – 1884

Anna Peck Sill was the first principal of Rockford Female Seminary. She officially opened the school on June 11, 1849, with classes held in the old courthouse building on North First Street, and began hiring staff when the cornerstone was laid by Reverend Aratus Kent on July 15, 1852. She helped the institution flourish and change so that it was conferring baccalaureate degrees by 1882. Principal Sill’s bell, which she rang at the start of each school day, is still used for the opening ceremony for incoming first-year students and at commencement.

Martha Hillard
1884 – 1888

Martha Hillard came to Rockford after teaching for three years at Vassar, her alma mater. Principal Hillard found the seminary had not evolved in the 30 years since it was chartered and felt it was time for a change. One of her first priorities was the creation of the honor code, an attempt to change the “constant espionage” over students to a system of trust. This standard has remained steadfast at Rockford University and is often fondly remembered by alumni.

Anna B. Gelston
1888 – 1890

Principal Gelston, herself, said her two-year tenure at Rockford Female Seminary brought “no great changes.” An 1881 graduate of the University of Michigan and an instructor at Wellesley College, Miss Gelston was described as a woman of “rare scholarship and culture, earnest, conscientious, and able.” When she resigned from her position due to falling ill with both influenza and diphtheria, the Board of Trustees recognized her service with $500 to meet her annual expenses as she rested and recovered.

 Sarah F. Anderson
1890 – 1896

When Sarah Anderson became principal at Rockford Female Seminary in 1890, she was one of the most qualified leaders to lead the institution. Miss Anderson graduated from the seminary in 1869, became a faculty member, taught physical education, served as financial secretary, and, eventually, was the first president when the trustees voted to change the seminary’s name to Rockford College in 1893. President Anderson is credited with changing the curriculum to reflect collegiate academic rigor, increasing faculty salaries, and raising funds for the repair of the college’s buildings and classrooms.

Phebe T. Sutliff
1896 – 1901

A scholar and an intellectual, President Sutliff became President of Rockford College during a time of transition. Not yet a well-recognized college and no longer a female seminary, President Sutliff took charge and presided over the college as it celebrated its first half-century, a celebration attended by all of the women who graduated in the first class of Rockford Female Seminary. Perhaps more notably was Miss Sutliff’s career after leaving Rockford College. She ran a night school for foreign immigrants during World War I, was the first woman to run for Congress in her district in 1924, and was elected into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame in 1990.

Emily K. Reynolds
1901 – 1902

Having the shortest tenure of any president of Rockford College, President Reynolds brought new traditions and expanded old ones at the school. Social life at the college was expanded with plays, receptions, and parties. The library was reorganized and the main building renovated. Most importantly, the honor code was expanded to the classroom – students were required to personally sign their blue examination books, indicating that they had received no help on their exam. Uniquely, the students dealt with all discipline matters, not faculty or administration.

 Julia Gulliver
1902 – 1919

Understanding that Rockford College was no longer serving women as a preparatory school, President Gulliver had a vision to make Rockford College students outstanding citizens in society. She included vocational studies alongside of traditional curriculum. Secretarial work and home economics were included and a department of education was created. President Gulliver also believed strongly in a robust building and endowment fund. The Andrew Carnegie Foundation offered $35,000 if the school raised $85,000 and the goal was successfully reached in 1913.  These funds allowed for John S. Barnes Hall to be erected and for the library to be re-organized and recognized as having state-of-the-art materials.

William A. Maddox
1919 – 1933

In the mid-1920s, the citizens of Rockford relished the increased activity at Rockford College and credited the vision of President Maddox who aspired to make the college well recognized, not just throughout the state of Illinois, but the entire United States. He brought academic rigor through strategic nationwide searches for faculty and created community programs such as Dr. Mildred Berry’s speech lessons for children in the community. He introduced music programs and opened campus events to the public. Beloved by faculty, staff, students, and locals, it was a dark day when President Maddox’s death was announced on August 10, 1933. President Maddox and Professor Willgeroth were killed at a railroad crossing when they did not stop for an oncoming train. Rockford College’s sorrow was multiplied when on September 19, 1933, John S. Barnes, president of the Board of Trustees also died.

Gordon K. Chalmers
1934 – 1937

At thirty years old, Dr. Chalmers was the youngest president to lead Rockford College. Graduating magna cum laude from Brown University, studying on a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford University, and completing his Ph.D. at Harvard made him well qualified. President Chalmers brought new ideas to the school, believing that classroom teaching should be complemented by informal discussions in more relaxed areas of the campus. Well-liked by the students, President Chalmers was responsible for creating the October Day tradition that continued in its original form until the mid-1980s. All classes were dismissed for the day when the president walked through campus ringing the Anna Peck Sill bell, urging faculty, staff, and students to take advantage of a lovely fall day in northern Illinois.

Mary Ashby Cheek
1937 – 1954

Dr. Cheek led through the turbulent years of World War II and used the changing times to bring change to the college. When General George Marshall asked colleges in industrial centers to offer a two-year liberal arts education to aspiring male engineers, Rockford College enrolled male students and kept them in separate classes from the women. When filling factory jobs became a problem due to men serving in the armed forces, President Cheek developed work-study programs for Rockford College students and women were able to earn money and serve their country working at places like Woodward Governor Company. President Cheek was admired by the students and often held waffle breakfasts in her apartment at the Faust Hotel. Although she believed strongly that a women’s college should inspire leadership and independence in young women, President Cheek supported the decision at the end of her tenure to make the college co-educational. She is remembered today as the President who brought a Phi Beta Kappa chapter to the school, only one of 290 in the country. Her legacy is also remembered through Rockford University’s Mary Ashby Cheek Society which honors people who have included the school in their estate plans.

Leland Carlson
1954 – 1959

President Carlson graduated from Rockford High School at the age of 16, enrolled in Beloit College where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, attended Chicago Theological Seminary, and continued his studies at the University of Chicago, the University of Grenoble, France, and Cambridge University, England. More importantly, to the citizens of Rockford, he was the first Rockford native to assume the post of President of Rockford College. His legacy became one of constant change. On February 27, 1955, it was announced that Rockford College would immediately start recruiting men for the fall semester. The school was separate from Rockford College and was named Rockford Men’s College. In 1956, President Carlson announced Rockford Evening College, a school townspeople could attend to further their education. The last major change under President Carlson’s direction was the major announcement to the Rockford Community on November 4, 1956, that Rockford College would relocate and move its campus to the east side of town.

John A. Howard
1960 – 1977

Dr. Howard attended Princeton until his junior year when he joined the army and served in combat. He was awarded two Silver Stars and two Purple Heart decorations and finished his undergraduate study at Northwestern University. When more than 100 people applied for the President’s position at Rockford College, there was no question in the Trustees’ minds that John Howard was the right man for the job and he was installed as president in 1960. He faced head-on the problem of financing and maintaining a new Rockford College, one at a new location and one with a co-educational student body. President Howard was regarded as an excellent fundraiser, but many alumni and students disliked his policies. As national student dissension rose, bringing picketing, sit-ins, and rallies across the country, Rockford College was not spared. Dr. Howard made it clear that he believed it was the college president, alone, who should be responsible for the direction of the institution, not public opinion, and he banned students from any form of protest. In January 1970, after a series of candlelight vigils, the Student Government Association officially censured Dr. Howard.

Norman L. Stewart
1979 – 1987

Dr. Stewart strongly believed in the importance of small, private, liberal arts colleges and knew that Rockford College was vulnerable. He maintained that high standards of academic rigor and good management of limited resources were needed to ensure a successful future for Rockford College. To that end, President Stewart set out to make the school a unique place that stood out among its peers. Under his tenure, Weekend College was brought to campus. Community members were able to attend classes on Friday evenings and Saturdays so that furthering their education did not interfere with work or family. These non-traditional students were allowed to stay on campus, eat in the cafeteria, and use the library and recreational facilities. President Stewart’s second innovation was to invest in Regents College, a university and campus in London, England. At the time, international programs for college students were rare, and offering a semester abroad at a school owned by Rockford College was thought to attract students. This decision created financial havoc for the school for decades to come.

Gretchen von Loewe Kreuter
1987 – 1992

Graduating from Rockford College in 1955, Gretchen Kreuter earned a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin. She is only one of several presidents to have attended Rockford College and her background in higher education as a professor, assistant to the president, and assistant to the vice president of academic affairs gave her a strong background to take on Rockford College. Arriving at a point when the college’s finances were disturbingly strained, President Kreuter was well received by present faculty, staff, and students, and revered by fellow alums who knew of her strong academic and administrative background. During her five-year tenure, President Kreuter worked diligently to shore up the college and its finances. In 1992, she served another small Midwestern college in the midst of a racial conflict that earned national attention. In 1998, she authored a book named Forgotten Promise about this incident.

William A. Shields
1992 – 2002

Once more Rockford College was suffering from financial hardship, declining enrollment, and vision. William Shields, former president of the College of Great Falls in Great Falls, Montana, took on the challenge. President Shields oversaw the completion of one of the most successful capital campaigns in Rockford College history. The Vision Campaign raised $20 million, setting a course to keep the college alive and functioning. In 10 short years, President Shields became a familiar face in the Rockford Community. He served as chair of the Greater Rockford Council of 100, on the board of the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Rockford Golden Apple Foundation, and Growth Dimensions. He was also responsible for establishing a football team at Rockford College to attract additional student-athletes, and for creating the annual tradition of the school’s Gala, a premier fundraising event.

Paul C. Pribbenow
2002 – 2006

Paul Pribbenow graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and earned a Master’s degree and his Doctorate degree in social ethics at the University of Chicago. Believing deeply in social service, equity, and equality, President Pribbenow worked to bring the face of Jane Addams, Rockford College graduate of 1882, to the forefront. Building on her legacy, he created the Jane Addams Center for Civic Engagement at Rockford College and used Jane Addams to recruit students and interest them in community service. President Pribbenow has authored many articles on philanthropy, nonprofit management, and social ethics. Currently, he is the author of a bimonthly email newsletter, “Notes for the Reflective Practitioner.”

Robert L. Head
2008 – 2016

Starting his career in the banking industry and serving as vice president for trust services at Toledo Trust Company in Ohio, and vice president for trust services at Northern Trust Company in Chicago, Robert Head brought financial expertise and leadership to the helm as President of Rockford College. Once more, Rockford College faced crushing debt. Under President Head’s leadership, enrollment rose to a 20 year high. He expanded degree offerings and created collaborative partnerships with Rock Valley College and the Rockford Public Schools. President Head expanded Rockford College’s international program so that local students or students going abroad could learn from diverse relationships. His capital investments updated roads, dormitories, and classrooms. In 2016, under President Head’s leadership, Rockford College became Rockford University to better reflect the numerous academic programs, departments, and degrees.

Eric W. Fulcomer
2016 – 2022

Two decades of leadership experience in higher education and a three-year tenure as Rockford University’s Vice President for Enrollment Management made Eric Fulcomer the perfect candidate for president in 2016. Under his leadership, Rockford University ended its Rock Solid and Steady campaign raising $1.1 million more than the original goal of $17.3 million. Those funds were put to good use, making significant improvements in campus infrastructure, student experience, and technology. By creating a strategic plan and diligently following it, President Fulcomer has created a campus environment where all trustees, faculty, and staff take shared responsibility for the institution’s success. President Fulcomer’s background as an elected official in Bluffton, Ohio, serving as village council member, council president, and mayor, prepared him well for the challenges and complexities of university leadership. President Fulcomer is a welcome addition to the Rockford community, as well, actively serving on many boards and lending his expertise to local organizations.

Patricia Lynott
2022 – Present

Dr. Patricia Lynott has combined a successful teaching career with innovative academic leadership in her 35+ years in higher education. She began her career as a communication professor teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in rhetoric, political communication and public speaking. At Elmhurst College, Dr. Lynott served as Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education, and became the founding director of Elmhurst Partners, the college’s corporate training division that provided custom programming to Chicago-area Fortune 500 companies.

At Southern New Hampshire University, she played a critical leadership role in transitioning a small regional business college into a national, multi-faceted university. Dr. Lynott successfully managed the impact of rapid and significant growth that required new business processes and structural reorganization during a period of remarkable transformation. She also served as vice president of academic affairs, provost, and as president of SNHU’s University College.

Resources for this guide to Rockford University Presidents include Rockford University Archives, Rockford College – A Retrospective Look, and other information in the public domain.

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Our History

In 1847, during one of the great college-building eras in American history, Rockford Female Seminary was chartered by the Illinois legislature. The citizens of Rockford (population 2,500) pledged $3,500 to erect a building for the ambitious enterprise.

The first classes were held in the old downtown courthouse. Soon, however, the seminary moved to its own campus between the Rock River and Seminary Street. More than a century later, in the mid-1960s, the College moved to its present location at the eastern edge of the city.

The University has been an educational pioneer from the very beginning. In the 1840s, when Americans still doubted the value of educating women, the decision to make the curriculum at Rockford Female Seminary as demanding as that of a men’s college was a bold one. In 1882, Rockford Female Seminary granted its first bachelor’s degrees including that of Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jane Addams. In 1892, Rockford Female Seminary became Rockford College®. In 2013, Rockford College® became Rockford University.

The University was involved early in the development of adult education, offering the first such courses in 1919. In 1952, responding to a need in the community, the Center for Learning Strategies (now known as The HUB) opened its doors to help young people and adults improve their academic skills. Men were first admitted to classes during World War II, when Rockford College® offered cooperative educational programs with the Illinois Institute of Technology. The institution became fully coeducational in 1958.

List of Rockford University Presidents – 1847 to present.

Quick Facts

Rockford University, formerly Rockford College®, is a four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. Located in Rockford, Ill., just 90 miles northwest of Chicago, the campus spans 150 acres and includes several academic buildings, an athletic complex, 10 residence hall spaces, and several newly remodeled residence hall and gathering spaces for students.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to educate people to lead responsible lives by means of a curriculum grounded in liberal arts learning and complemented and extended by professional and practical experience. Through the total academic and co-curricular experience, Rockford University strives to prepare students for fulfilling lives, careers, and participation in a modern and changing global society. 

Quick Facts & Distinctions

• Enrollment: 949 undergraduates; 191 graduate students; 1,140total students
• Students in attendance from 32 states and 22 countries 
• International student population represents 19 countries and 99 students (Fall 2024)
• Student-to-faculty ratio: 10 to 1
• Faculty: 71 full-time faculty members; a majority with terminal degrees
• Phi Beta Kappa: one of 11 colleges in Illinois and 290 in the country with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, the oldest and most prestigious liberal arts academic honor society
• Intercultural engagement: more than 30 intercultural events sponsored annually
• Department of State designated Exchange Visitor host site
• “Best in the Midwest”—named by the Princeton Review
• 2026 US News & World Report – Best Regional University: Midwest and 51st in Top Performers in Social Mobility
• 25 partnership agreements with universities worldwide
• Sister college of Kobe College Japan
• Chinese Ministry of Education designated IGEC partner site

University Strategic Plan

Revenue Growth

Rockford University will drive sustainable revenue growth by enhancing enrollment, increasing philanthropic contributions, and expanding alternative revenue streams.

Physical Plant

Rockford University will modernize and sustain its campus facilities to create a safe, accessible, and innovative learning environment.

Talent Development

Rockford University will develop and sustain a high-performing workforce by attracting top talent, fostering employee engagement and retention, and ensuring competitive and equitable compensation aligned with institutional goals.

Student Success

Rockford University will foster student success by enhancing academic support, improving retention and graduation rates, and advancing career development.

Community Involvement

Rockford University will strengthen community involvement by expanding partnerships, increasing engagement with alumni, employees, and local organizations, and fostering a culture of volunteerism and service.

Rockford University Learning Expectations

1. Knowledge – for Understanding the world
2. Values – for Envisioning the world
3. Skills – for Shaping the world

Athletics and Extracurricular Activities

• NCAA Division III athletics: Men – baseball, basketball, cross country, football, soccer, volleyball; Women – basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, volleyball
• Competitive Esports
• Approximately 15 student-run clubs and organizations
• Jane Addams Center for Civic Engagement (JACCE)
• 18-hole Disc Golf course

Scholarships, Grants, and Other Financial Aid

Every year, Rockford University students receive more than $10 million in scholarships, grants, and other financial aid. Within that dollar amount, $2 million is provided annually in institutional scholarship aid to students who graduate from local school districts.

Academic Offerings

• More than 80 majors, minors, and concentrations
• Degrees offered: Bachelor’s degrees in several disciplines, including arts, sciences, fine arts, management studies, and nursing
• Bachelor’s Degree Completion in management and accounting studies
• Master’s degrees in business, education, data science, sport management and leadership, and exercise physiology.
• Dual acceptance program with Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Pharmacy
• Most popular degree disciplines: Business, the sciences, performing arts, nursing, psychology, education, and sport management
• Programming also extends to include The HUB: Academic Coaching & Testing Services and English as a Second Language.

Notable Alumni

Rockford University alumni have accomplished and continue to accomplish some amazing and notable feats, including:

• Earning patents for the use of ACE inhibitors to reduce the likelihood of heart attacks
• Piloting the first test B2 Stealth Bomber
• Serving on the Bell Labs team that invented fiber optics and the LED
• Serving as president of ABC Studios and The CW Network
• Testing the first artificial heart valve in humans
• Manufacturing gears for NASA rovers to Mars
• Serving as a US Magistrate Judge
• Being named as Illinois and North Carolina Teachers of the Year
• Earning the Nobel Prize for Peace

Executive Council

Patricia Lynott
President

John DiRaimondo
Vice President for Finance & Chief Financial Officer

Megan Frankfother
Vice President for Enrollment Management

Katherine Trotter
Vice President for Advancement

Dr. Patricia Lynott

About Dr. Lynott

Dr. Patricia Lynott joined Rockford University in December 2022 serving as interim President until becoming the 19^th President of Rockford University on March 1, 2024. Lynott’s almost forty years in higher education includes being a tenured, Associate Professor of Speech, serving as Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education at Elmhurst University, and becoming the founding director of Elmhurst Partners, the university’s corporate training division.

Dr. Lynott spent fifteen years at Southern New Hampshire University where she played a critical leadership role in transitioning a small regional business college into a national, multi-faceted university. During her tenure at SNHU, Lynott served as vice president of academic affairs, university provost, and president of SNHU’s University College.

Dr. Lynott’s community involvement is extensive. She was a founding member of Manchester Proud, a citizen’s coalition dedicated to uniting the City of Manchester behind an aspirational vision for the city’s public schools. She served on the steering committee of New Hampshire Scholars, a federally funded, community-based program that encourages students to enroll in a rigorous Core Course of Study in high school. She was also a member of the New Hampshire Advisory Committee of the US Global Leadership Coalition—a network of businesses and NGOs, national security and foreign policy experts, business, faith-based, academic and community leaders who support elevating diplomacy and development alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.

Dr. Lynott has served on the board of directors of numerous non-profit organizations such as the Fulbright Association; Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society; the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce; the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire; America’s Credit Union Museum; and the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester. She is currently President of the Board of Governors of the Boys & Girls Club of North Central Illinois. 

After graduating magna cum laude from Trinity College, Dr. Lynott completed a master’s degree in communication studies from Northern Illinois University. She completed her doctorate at Loyola University Chicago and has a certificate from the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.

About Rockford University

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 bachelor’s degree completion program for a B.S. in Management Studies. Through its Graduate Studies department, degrees are extended to include the Master’s of Business Administration (MBA), Master’s  of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and a Master’s of Education in 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. Named by The Princeton Review as a Best Midwestern College and as a US News & World Report as a Best Midwest Regional University,” Rockford University currently serves approximately 1,250 students throughout its diverse program offerings.

A NCAA Division III institution, The university offers 12 intercollegiate varsity teams along with several junior varsity teams and participates in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. Approximately 25 percent of the university’s students participate in at least one intercollegiate sport. For more about Regent Athletics, visit rockfordregents.com.

Affiliations

Rockford University is proud to be affiliated with the following associations:

• The Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
• Association of American Colleges and Universities
• Illinois Campus Compact
• Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges
• Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

Board of Trustees

These dedicated men and women are responsible for setting the general policy of the University and for ensuring that its educational mission is fulfilled. The Board of Trustees of Rockford University is a diversified yet cohesive group. It is composed of business and professional people; community leaders and activists; alumni and non-alumni; and local, regional, and national representatives – all united in their common commitment to Rockford University and to its mission of quality higher education.

Marci K. Taets ’92
Chair of the Board
Retired
South Beloit, IL

Greg Allen ’98
Vice Chair of the Board
Treasurer & CFO
MPEC
Rockford, IL

Aaron Potter ’98/MBA ’09
Treasurer of the Board
Chief Financial Officer
Bergstrom, Inc.
Rockford, IL

Keith Akre
Sr. Trust Officer
Resource Bank
Dekalb, IL

Wendy Alsteen
VP of Finance
Hard Rock Casino
Rockford, IL

Charles Box, J.D.
Former Mayor
City of Rockford
Rockford, IL

Edward Caceres
Business Advisor, Digital Marketing Specialist
Business Advice & Solutions
Delavan, WI

Lesly Couper
Chief Operating Officer
Workplace
Rockford, IL

Anisha Grimmett
CEO
A New Look by Nisha
Rockford, IL

Michael Iasparro ’98               
United States Magistrate Judge
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois      
Rockford, IL

Mary Ann Laudicina ’91
Alumni Trustee
Asst. VP/Financial Advisor
Baird Private Wealth Mgmt. Rockford, IL

Patricia A Lynott, Ph.D.
President, ex officio
Rockford University
Rockford, IL

Anthony Scandroli ’02           
Vice President                         
Scandroli Construction         
Rockford, IL

Tammy Schiek, Ph.D., ’87
Faculty Trustee
Associate Professor of Kinesiology
Rockford University
Rockford, IL

Elaine Sharpe ’75                    Retired Professor                    Rockford University                Rockford, IL

Patricia Tumilowicz ’87
Rockford, IL

Frank E. Walter
Rockford, IL

Ashley Harkey
Student Trustee

Charles L. Colman ’06 L.H.D.

Elizabeth Donovan ’20H

Dawn R. Hallsten, J.D., ’73

L. Thomas Heiser ’84

Helen C. Hill ’70

Charles J. Howard

Teresa J. Ingrassia MBA ’86/’00 L.H.D.

Dennis W. Johnson

James Keeling ’18H

Kent A. Mallquist ’97 L.H.D.

Thomas Muldowney ’74

Sunil Puri ’82/’13 L.H.D.

David Rydell ’63

Louise Sinclaire ’57

Angelo L. Spoto