Regents are Resilient. That is especially true for Rockford native Chelsea Johnson, BS ‘12/MBA ’15.

2020 began like any other year. Chelsea was excited as she started her new job working as Project Delivery Manager for Global Solutions at multinational oil and gas company BP. When the coronavirus pandemic took hold of our country, Chelsea started working from home but soon learned that the company’s Naperville campus where she worked was scheduled to be eliminated in April 2021 due to restructuring. Since then, Chelsea has been one of the only remaining project managers at the Naperville office. “I needed to learn to adapt and be nimble through this transition,” she said.

Chelsea attributes her ability to connect and work well with others to Rockford University. “Being an alumna of RU, I always remember to make connections with those I get to work with,” said Chelsea. “Creating that genuine connection with someone is something I feel I can credit to RU through the small class sizes and the amazing people I got to learn from in my time there.”

Although her time at BP is nearing the end, Chelsea is continuing to learn by pursuing a range of certifications that will increase her marketability. She’s already earned PMP (Project Management Professional) and PSM 1 (Professional Scrum Master I) certifications with more in the pipeline.

“I am forever grateful for my time spent at RU,” said Chelsea. “It allowed me to learn about myself, continue to pursue goals, and never back down from a challenge. Always keep up a challenge.” She is also thinking about her future once her time at BP ends. Chelsea has begun to consult on project management for a pharmaceutical company.

During this time, Chelsea has remained positive saying, “I just keep my head up and try to keep everything in perspective – it has been a journey and I just want to learn what I can along the way.”

Welcome to Spring 2021. This is a reminder to all Faculty and Staff of the following COVID-19 protocols that are currently in place.  As always, please reach out with any questions.

• We will continue our procedures from the fall semester: All employees should contact Human Resources if they are symptomatic or have been in close contact with someone who is symptomatic or positive for COVID-19.

Monique DiVenti

Mdiventi@rockford.edu

815-394-4376 (work)

815-742-0731 (cell after hours, including weekends)

• We are still under Phase 4 guidelines/Tier 3 mitigation which means all departments should be fully-staffed on campus and in operation during standard business hours. We are following information from Winnebago Health Department in order to keep abreast if mitigations will change for our region.  If this does change, we will communicate if and how that would affect our workforce.
• All employees should revisit RU Expectations for Spring 2021.
• Employees should not report to work if they are sick or have symptoms.
• Masks are required on campus, in offices and classrooms, at all times. We also require masks to be worn outdoors.
• All employees should refer to the COVID Resource Page on the RU portal for more information.
• The University is monitoring guidance from the Winnebago County Health Department in regards to timeframes for isolation and quarantines. At this time we will continue to use the recommended timeframe of 10-14 days.  

Campus Clear App – Faculty and Staff are encouraged to also use the Campus Clear app to monitor symptoms daily.  This is a free app that guides you through a symptom checklist for COVID-19. As part of the Rockford University Community Expectations, every member of Rockford University is to check for symptoms before leaving home for class or work. 

Here are the links to download the app:

* Apple AppStore: https://apps.apple.com/app/campusclear/id1516163872

* Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.campusclear

* Web app: https://web.ivy.ai/app/campusclear

COVID-19 Dashboard

• Beginning 1/19/2021, the dashboard will be updated daily, Monday-Friday, by end of day.

Covid-19 Vaccine     

• Please refer to the Winnebago County Health Department website for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine and the link to register for the vaccine: wchd.org
• At this time, receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is voluntary.

Wishing you a healthy and productive Spring Semester.

Rockford, IL (December 21, 2020) – Rockford University, the region’s leading private four-year institution, today announced that its president, Dr. Eric Fulcomer, has been appointed as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Presidents Council, the highest governing body in Division III athletics. Fulcomer’s term will begin June 1, 2021, and continue through January 18, 2025.

As a member of the NCAA Presidents Council, Fulcomer will help establish Division III’s strategic plan and make recommendations to the NCAA Board of Governors on matters such as championships and the use of funds allocated to Division III to support initiatives and programs.

The NCAA is a member-led organization dedicated to supporting the well-being and lifelong success of college athletes. The organization proposes and interprets the rules and policies surrounding college sports, runs all championships, and manages the programs that benefit the nearly half a million college athletes at colleges and universities around the nation.

Division III is the NCAA’s largest division, representing about 40 percent of the total membership. Division III athletics offer competitive opportunities for athletes who play for the love of the game, without the obligations of athletic scholarships. The playing seasons and eligibility standards minimize the conflicts between athletics and academics, co-curricular, and extra-curricular opportunities, allowing athletes a well-rounded campus life.

“I’m honored to serve on the NCAA Division III Presidents Council,” shared Fulcomer. “Athletics are an important part of the experience on college and university campuses – both for the student-athletes and the campus community. I’m pleased to be able to support the success of Division III programs in this role.”

In addition to supporting fair and competitive play across 24 sports, the NCAA Division III has priority initiatives around promoting the value of athletics, supporting diversity and inclusion, ensuring academic performance, and enhancing the well-being of student-athletes.

Rockford University sponsors 12 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams that compete at the NCAA Division III level. Approximately one-third of Rockford University students participate in athletics, and many participate in two or more sports. Rockford University is a founding member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, which consists of 13 NCAA Division III private colleges and universities from the shared-border states of Illinois and Wisconsin. Dr. Fulcomer currently serves as NACC president.

ABOUT ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY

Rockford University is a private four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. The University offers more than 80 majors, minors, and concentrations, including the bachelor’s 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), and Master of Education in Urban Education, (M.Ed.). 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 is a U.S. News & World Report Best Midwest Regional University, Rockford University currently serves approximately 1,250 full-and part-time students.

For more information: Emma Bergstrom, Rockford University, 815.394.5041, ebergstrom@rockford.edu. 

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by Maurice Williams

In September 2020, our Jane Addams Center for Civic Engagement held its annual Day of Service. While following state and university COVID-19 safety protocols, our students were able to get out into the Rockford community to make a difference whether it was contactless, in-person, or virtually.

This year a total of 330 students, including 45 student-athletes, volunteered around Rockford. The locations included the mobile Northern Illinois Food Bank, the Ethnic Heritage Museum, and the Rockford Rescue Mission.

Students worked on gardening and landscaping at Rockford Rescue Mission and the Ethnic Heritage Museum, in addition to serving families at the mobile Northern Illinois Food Bank that set up on campus. For virtual volunteering, students helped the Open Street Maps project and the Smithsonian Institution with a transcription project. Wesley Willows residents and RPS (Rockford Public Schools) students received cards written by students on the Day of Service.

RU student-athlete Maurice Williams volunteered at the mobile food bank along with other teammates. Following the event, Maurice reflected on the day and talked with fellow student-athlete, Mykal Brown about the importance of volunteering and giving back to our local community.

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“Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.”

– Marian Wright Edelman.

On Sept. 11, 2020, Rockford University held a Day of Service where all students were encouraged to find a way to support and give back to the community. Out of all the students who participated in the Day of Service, there was an unspoken emphasis on the role of athletes in giving back. This year I am glad to say we had an amazing turnout of athletes to help on the Day of Service.

Now the question is after the Day of Service has come and gone, what is the athlete’s take on it? As a Rockford University athlete myself, I wanted to find another athlete to interview to explain the way athletes on campus felt about the Day of Service. I interviewed Mykal Brown, a sophomore receiver on the football team.

Before I touch on the interview with Mykal as well as my own personal experience, I would like to explain why it is so important to see Rockford University athletes giving back to the community. Rockford is a relatively small city, and they give their sports teams their full absolute support. That is one reason why when given a chance to help those who are less fortunate or the community as a whole, we as athletes should thrive on the opportunity to show that the support carries through to both sides of the coin. Service gives the athletic community a golden opportunity to show that we appreciate the support, and we would like to reciprocate the help.

Another reason why athletes should turn out to help is quite simply money. When I say money, I mean it not in the way of us getting paid for our work; however, I am addressing the money that is paid by the school for things like bus trips, jerseys, equipment, and so on. This, along with the money paid by people to support us and come to our games and even travel to our away games is reason enough to come out and give back.

The final reason for giving back is because Rockford is essentially your home now.

Whether a native Rockfordian or not, you still will spend four years of your life living here and as an athlete representing this city. Now, why would you not want to help the city you’re living in improve itself?

It is perplexing to think that someone would want to sit back and not want to help the city they represent go through hard times because like it or not it reflects a part of who they are as well.

I would like to take you through my interview with Mykal Brown before I give you my final thoughts on the Day of Service. The first question I asked Mykal was, how did he personally feel about helping out the community? He responded with, “It feels good to help out in the community especially being from Rockford. It makes me feel like I am doing my best to improve the community that helped mold me into the man I am.”  Next, I inquired into the reaction of his peers not from Rockford on the Day of Service. Mykal had this to say in response: “After having numerous conversations, I feel like now that they have been connected to the campus community, they have become a part of the greater Rockford community and essentially adopted it as their own.”

Lastly, I asked Mykal if he felt that athletes should participate in the Day of Service next year or should it be modified or just scrapped in general. Mykal’s response was “I think it is something that definitely needs to continue but it should be modified. I feel like we should have more of a variety for service choices to help gather more student help that way. It feels like even more of a day of serving the community.”

Now after I did my part in the Day of Service, interviewed Mykal Brown, and asked around campus to just get a general feel for how people felt, I have concluded that students did enjoy giving back. Even more so, the athletes were ecstatic to give back and wanted to give more. There were the few complaints about the cold but for the most part, people were just happy to give back and hear the joy in people’s voices while they were being helped. I also agree with Mykal in the sense that this event should return but it should be more widespread with more ways to help out.

Overall, I feel that the Day of Service was an outstanding event that as most things do, could have some improvements but was still a raving success especially amongst the athletic population. Hopefully, it will continue so that we as a campus can show our gratitude to the community that accepts us while we further our academic and athletic careers.

Jorge Hernandez has built a career based on communicating and problem-solving – skills that tie directly back to his years at Rockford University.

The 1984 alumnus oversees teams around the globe in his position as vice president of quality assurance for restaurant chain Wendy’s. It’s a position he never envisioned when he arrived at RU as a pre-med student from Mexico. But the lessons he learned here gave him the flexibility to pivot his career away from medicine and into environmental health and food safety.

Growing up in Mexico, Jorge needed to choose at an early age what career path he would take. So he decided to become a doctor in his early teens and his education put him on the path to do that. He came to RU with a degree in microbiology from the Centro de Estudios Medico-Biologicos in Mexico City, and continued his studies by getting a bachelor’s degree in biology at Rockford University. 

In addition to science, however, Jorge also studied French and spent a year in Paris at the Sorbonne. He took French, history, art, and communication classes, which taught him how to apply his education in the real world. And he learned plenty outside of the classroom as well, while spending time among students from other countries.

“For someone who came from another country, to be able to interact with Americans and live in the American culture, it broadened my view of the world,” he said. “I learned there are many paths to get to the same goal.”

Jorge began his career as an environmental health inspector for the Winnebago County Health Department and worked his way through various food safety and quality roles at the State of Illinois Department of Health and several food companies. Today, Jorge works from the Wendy’s headquarters in Ohio, where he is responsible for the quality and safety of all of the products the restaurant chain buys, transports, and prepares in 31 countries around the world.

“I’m having a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s an awesome job and I love it.”

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Thank you for your help in navigating COVID-19 through the fall semester.  We are pleased with the teamwork of everyone that kept campus open the entire semester as planned. 

If you do contract COVID-19 over break, notify Lang Wellness Center at healthcenter@rockford.edu  if you are a student.  Faculty and Staff should contact Human Resources at 815-394-4376 (during business hours) or mdiventi@rockford.edu (when the campus is closed).  We will continue to track positive cases so that we can better instruct you on how to proceed with potential quarantine, isolation, or testing needs during the spring semester.

Over break, please continue to:

• Wear a Mask
• Wash Your Hands
• Social Distance

When should you get tested?

• Test for COVID-19 if you have symptoms.  It is best to test as soon as symptoms appear or within the first few days of illness.  
• Test for COVID-19 if you are in close contact with a person who tested positive on day 5, 6, or 7 after the exposure date. 

Questions? 

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for guidance. 

The best way to reach us over break is:

• Students
  • healthcenter@rockford.edu
• Faculty and Staff
  • 815-394-4376 (during business hours) or mdiventi@rockford.edu (when the campus is closed).

Enjoy your Holidays!

Kristen Clarke                                                  Monique DiVenti

Director of Lang Wellness Center                Assistant Vice President of Human Resources

Rockford, IL (Nov. 19, 2020) – Rockford University, the region’s leading private four-year institution, today announced that senior Tanner Elliott was named as a Lincoln Academy Student Laureate, a prestigious honor awarded to only 55 students in the state.

The honor is bestowed by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois to the most noteworthy senior from each of the participating Illinois colleges and universities. Each fall, an outstanding senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is awarded the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award. In the spirit of Lincoln, Student Laureates are honored for their leadership and service in the pursuit of the betterment of humanity and for overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities. Student Laureates are selected by their individual schools.

Elliott is finishing up his four years at Rockford University with a major in Criminal Justice and a minor in Religious Studies. He hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement with the national park service. This role parallels his passion for the outdoors and conserving wildlife. As a dedicated Boy Scout, Elliott earned the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. Within and outside of the Boy Scouts of America program, he participated in and led numerous initiatives for the environment deeply rooted in his sense of service. He is a Harlem High School graduate who always planned to stay local for college.

“Our region has so much to offer and I wanted to participate in a university and community both on and off campus,” said Elliott, who serves as President of Rockford University’s Student Government Association. “Combining my love for the Rockford area with a higher education experience has allowed me to not just learn but live my dream. It is an incredible opportunity for anyone.”

“We are immensely proud of Tanner’s accomplishments both at Rockford University and throughout our community,” said Dr. Eric Fulcomer, President, Rockford University. “His leadership and service to his fellow students and his dedication to his academic studies make him well deserving of the honor of Student Laureate.”

The ceremony to recognize the Student Laureates of The Lincoln Academy, which is historically held every fall at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in Springfield, was held virtually this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. It can be viewed at https://thelincolnacademyofillinois.org/

All Student Laureates receive a letter and certificate of merit signed by the President of the Lincoln Academy, Governor J. B. Pritzker, as well as a Lincoln medallion, a challenge coin, and a $500 check.

ABOUT ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY

Rockford University is a private four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. The University offers more than 80 majors, minors and concentrations, including the bachelor’s 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), and Master of Education in Urban Education, (M.Ed.). 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 is a U.S. News & World Report Best Midwest Regional University, Rockford University currently serves approximately 1,250 full-and part-time students.

For more information: Bridget Jennison, Rockford University, 312.213.6242, bjennison@rockford.edu; Rebecca Epperson, Chartwell Agency, 815.621.8295 or RU@chartwell-agency.com.

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Rockford, IL (November 12., 2020) – Rockford University, the region’s leading private four-year institution, today announced that Antonio Evans has been named as the first recipient of the Charles E. Box Scholarship, a program which enables Black students to pursue a business degree, without cost, at the Puri School of Business.

In his application, Evans, 40, said he decided to complete his degree to fulfill his lifelong goal of higher education, to give himself and his family options in the next stage of life, and to set an example for his three children. “I’m always preaching the importance of education to my kids and attaining this degree will allow me to practice what I preach,” he said.

Evans is a Rockford native who graduated from Jefferson High School. His personality, communication skills, and leadership attributes have fueled his career growth and positive impact at Rockford-area employers MCI Telecommunications and American Income Life Insurance Company, despite not having a degree. Managers from both organizations wrote letters of recommendation commenting that Evans is “naturally gifted when it comes to business, leadership and entrepreneurship . . .when Antonio sets his mind to something there is nothing that will stop him from successfully completing what he has set out to do.”

Evans earned unanimous approval for the scholarship from the six-person panel who reviewed his application and conducted interviews.

“Antonio is an exemplary candidate and a well-deserving recipient of the Charles E. Box Scholarship,” said Mandolen Mull, Ph.D., Chair of the Puri School of Business. “The scholarship committee members were unanimously impressed with Antonio’s life goals and how, through his education, Antonio will be able to achieve those goals to better himself, our institution, and our greater Rockford community.”

The Charles E. Box Scholarships will allow students to complete their business degree at Rockford University debt-free and be well-positioned for careers in our world today. The scholarships will be awarded to Black students who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business management or accounting through the degree completion program at the Puri School of Business at Rockford University. The scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis up to six students per year over the next five years. Black students who are interested in applying must have completed at least 60 credit hours of coursework to be eligible and follow the two-part application process outlined at www.rockford.edu/cebscholarship. Questions about the Charles E. Box Scholarships can be directed to agadmissions@rockford.edu or (815) 226-4040.  

About Puri Foundation

The Puri Foundation was established in 2014 by Sunil Puri, the founder of First Midwest Group and lifelong philanthropist in the Rockford-region. The organization’s core mission is to fund opportunities that empower underprivileged individuals. The Puri Foundation accomplishes this goal by contributing financial resources to foster educational, athletic, civil society, and other philanthropic initiatives led by high-impact organizations.

The Puri Foundation’s initial gift was a $5,000,000 monetary and building pledge to endow the Puri School of Business at Rockford University in 2014. Since then, the foundation has been active in the region with a $2,250,000 donation of the Puri Family YMCA building in 2015, the establishment of the Puri Residence Hall at Rockford Christian Schools in 2018, and continual support for the Golden Apple Foundation through the Puri Family Outstanding Principal Award, among others. The foundation is also active internationally, providing seed funding for Water for Dignity, a Non-Government Organization providing clean water and women’s empowerment initiatives to India’s most impoverished regions.

ABOUT ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY

Rockford University is a private four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. The University offers more than 80 majors, minors and concentrations, including the bachelor’s 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), and Master of Education in Urban Education, (M.Ed.). 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 is a U.S. News & World Report Best Midwest Regional University, Rockford University currently serves approximately 1,250 full-and part-time students.

For more information: Bridget Jennison, Rockford University, 312.213.6242, bjennison@rockford.edu; Rebecca Epperson, Chartwell Agency, 815.621.8295 or RU@chartwell-agency.com.

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