MEDIA ADVISORY

For April 17, 2024

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni will participate in challenges and special activities to encourage engagement. This year, Day of Giving is seeking to specifically support the Howard Colman Library.

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Rockford University, the region’s leading private four-year educational institution, will hold its tenth annual Day of Giving on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Day of Giving is a 24-hour giving challenge that uses the power of social media to raise funds in support of Rockford University students. This year, Day of Giving is seeking to specifically support renovations of the Howard Colman Library at Rockford University.

Challenges, fun incentives, and special activities will be featured to encourage engagement and participation throughout the day. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends will celebrate on campus with fun activities planned from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside the Howard Colman Library, 5050 E. State Street.  There will be FREE food, RU merchandise, pictures with Reggie the Mascot, and time with therapy dogs. 

In 2023, Day of Giving raised over $131,841 from 415 donors. This year, the goal is to exceed last year’s totals and achieve a record 425 alumni and friends making gifts of any size to show their belief in these incredible students.
 
Facebook: facebook.com/RockfordUniversity/

Instagram: instagram.com/rockforduniversity/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/school/rockford-university/

Website: givecampus.com/schools/RockfordUniversity/day-of-giving-2024; rockford.edu/alumni/day-of-giving/ 

Photo opportunities will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside the Howard Colman Library during our Day of Giving Celebration.

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Contact:

Sara Myers-Hogshead

Rockford University Marketing & Communications 

SHogshead@rockford.edu

815-394-5052

For Immediate Release: 

April 16, 2024

What: Rockford University Raising Awareness about Sexual Assault on Denim Day

When: April 24, 2024, from 4 to 6 p.m. 

Where: Sam Greeley Football Field at Rockford University, 5050 E State St, Rockford, IL 61108 

Who: Rockford University students, staff, faculty, and community partners – Remedies Renewing Lives, NAMI, Pregnancy Resource Center, Family Peace Center, Rockford Sexual Assault Counseling (RSAC), OSF Trauma Recovery Center

ROCKFORD, Ill. —Each year, Rockford University holds an event to recognize Denim Day. This year, Denim Day is being put on by a group of students for a class project to raise awareness about sexual assault. The students are hosting a kickball tournament and the participants will be playing in jeans. The community partners will have tables to share their resources with the students.   

The history of Denim Day is as follows: (according to Why Denim? — Denim Day)

“Since 1999, Peace Over Violence has run an inspiring and powerful opportunity to practice solidarity and support survivors by renewing our commitment to exposing harmful behaviors and attitudes surrounding sexual violence. Denim Day is a campaign on a Wednesday in April in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The campaign began after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who raped her remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. 

The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, what started as a local campaign to bring awareness to victim blaming and destructive myths that surround sexual violence has grown into a movement. 

As the longest-running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history, Denim Day asks community members, elected officials, businesses, and students to make a social statement with their fashion statement by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual violence.”

The media are invited to attend this event where they can shoot b-roll and/or interview event organizers. We ask all media to RSVP by April 24 at 9 a.m. 

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Questions or interview requests can be sent to SHogshead@Rockford.edu.

Contact:

Sara Myers-Hogshead

RU Marketing & Communications

shogshead@rockford.edu

815.394.5052

For Immediate Release: 

April 18, 2024

What: Rockford University Earth Day Clean-Up 

When: Monday, April 22, 2024, 3:30 p.m. 

Where: Along East State St. next to Machine Shed (7475 E State St., Rockford)

Who: Rockford University football team, Jane Addams Center for Civic Engagement (JACCE), and the Rockford East Cherry Valley Rotary Club.

ROCKFORD, Ill. —Rockford University’s football team, JACCE, and the Rockford East Cherry Valley Rotary Club are excited to partner together and help pick up trash along the streets of Rockford for Earth Day on April 22, 2024. 

The three groups are coming together to help pick up trash on both sides of East State St. starting at the Machine Shed restaurant located at 7475 E State St. in Rockford and ending at AMC Rockford 16, located at 8301 E State St. in Rockford.

Contact:

Sara Myers-Hogshead

Rockford University Marketing & Communications

SHogshead@rockford.edu

815.394.5052

For Immediate Release: 

March 22, 2024

Employers from fifty different industries will be on-site. 

What: Rockford University Spring 2024 Internship & Career Fair 

When: March 27, 2024, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. 

Where: Regents Hall, Burpee Student Center, Rockford University, 5050 E State St, Rockford, IL 61108 

Who: Rockford University students, local and national employers, university officials, and media 

ROCKFORD, Ill. —Rockford University is excited to host a student career and internship fair from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in Regents Hall. The event is open to all current Rockford University students, alumni, and community members. The fair will provide guests with the opportunity to meet with employers from a variety of industries. 

The career fair will feature fifty employers from the local community and beyond, including representatives from healthcare, finance, technology, education, and more. 

Companies attending include Hard Rock Casino, MercyHeath, Winnebago County, WQRF/WTVO Nexstar Medic Inc., Department of Juvenile Justice. UW Health, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Rockford Police Department, OSF Healthcare, Belvidere Park District, and more. 

Students will have the chance to speak with recruiters, learn about job and internship opportunities, explore potential career paths, receive a free headshot, use the career closet, and partake in giveaways.

Pre-registration for the event is strongly encouraged. The registration form can be found here.  

Media are invited to attend the career fair and speak with university officials, students, and recruiters about the importance of career fairs for college students. Interviews and photo opportunities will be available upon request. We ask all media to RSVP by March 27 at 9 a.m. 

We look forward to seeing you at the career fair! 

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Contact:

Sara Myers-Hogshead

Rockford University Marketing & Communications

shogshead@rockford.edu

815.394.5052

Based on the weather forecast updated to a winter storm warning, Rockford University will be closed on Friday, March 22, 2024, including all campus offices. 

Remote classes will be in effect. All scheduled events on campus for Friday will be canceled.

-RU Communications

ROCKFORD, Ill. (March 18, 2024) – The Board of Trustees for Rockford University, the region’s leading private four-year institution, has announced the appointment of Dr. Patricia Lynott as the 19th President of the university, effective immediately.

Dr. Lynott has been serving as the Interim President since December 2022. During that time, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and a deep commitment to the university’s mission and values.

“We are thrilled to appoint Dr. Lynott as the official President of Rockford University,” said Rebecca Epperson, Chair, Rockford University Board of Trustees. “Throughout her tenure as Interim President, she has proven to be an outstanding leader, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and inclusivity. The impact she has made in just 18 months has been instrumental in moving our organization forward by identifying and launching new degrees, and programs to benefit students as well as further connecting it with our community’s business leaders for future workforce needs.” 

Dr. Lynott brings a wealth of experience to the role, with over 35 years in higher education. She began her career as a communications 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 (SNHU), 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.

“I am honored and excited to continue serving as President of Rockford University,” said Dr. Lynott. “I am committed to advancing the university’s mission of educating people to lead responsible lives by means of a curriculum grounded in liberal arts learning and complemented and extended by professional and practical experience, and I look forward to working with our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners to ensure that Rockford University remains a place of excellence, innovation, and opportunity for all.”

ABOUT ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY

Rockford University, a private not-for-profit institution in Rockford, Illinois, is dedicated to providing a quality education rooted in liberal arts and professional studies. With a rich history from 1847, Rockford University is committed to preparing students for rewarding careers, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning. To learn more about Rockford University, visit our website at www.rockford.edu.

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Contact:

Sara Myers-Hogshead

Rockford University Marketing and Communications

shogshead@rockford.edu

communications@rockford.edu

For Immediate Release: 

March 15, 2024

ROCKFORD, Ill. —Five Rockford University Pathway Teaching Students received tuition assistance from members of Master Builders Masonic Lodge #33  and The Jarrett Family, in a ceremony at the Burpee Student Center on RU’s campus on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 3 p.m. 

Each student has received $3,000 as a donation towards their tuition. The five students are Donovan Turner, Rashad Hoel, Erinique Johnson, Jamera Morris, and Adorant Boukandou. All students are freshman RU Education Pathway students. 

“What a great way to diversify our teaching ranks by selecting students who are already in our school system, who understand the students and the culture of Rockford Public Schools,” said Earl Dotson Jr. of Master Builders Masonic Lodge #33 in a quote from their news release. 

In 2019, the Jarrett Family and Master Builders Masonic Lodge partnered to raise money to help fill in the financial gap for selected students. They worked with the RPS 205 Department of Equity & Inclusion to select students to qualify for the extra assistance. The students wrote essays on why they wanted to be teachers and the lodge selected students on their essays and passion for the teaching profession.

About the RU Pathway: The Rockford University Pathway is a partnership with Rockford Public Schools and Rockford University. RPS 205 students selected for the program attend Rockford University at a steep discount. Students spend their student teaching experience in RPS 205 and receive preferred hiring for RPS 205 teaching jobs after graduation. Once they are teaching in RPS 205, they can earn a master’s degree from Rockford University in urban education, tuition-free.

Photos from the event can be found here. 

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Contact:

Sara Myers-Hogshead 

RU Marketing & Communications

shogshead@rockford.edu

815.394.5052

Rockford University’s Dr. Karen Walker received the Racial Justice Award at the YWCA Leader Luncheon XLIV and 2024 Women of Achievement Awards on Monday, March 4. 

Dr. Walker is the Dean of Student Support Programming, Dean of the Center for Learning Strategies, the Coordinator for the Men of Color Mentorship Program, and the founder of Regents First.

“As the Dean of the Center for Learning Strategies at Rockford University, Dr. Walker launched the Regents First program to support first-generation college students. She consistently aligns these students with local programs and opportunities (such as Patriots Gateway and United Way) to support them and their community with their talent and skills,” said the YWCA.

“One of her favorite quotes is ‘Literacy is the tool we use as humans to find one another, so it must belong to everyone,’ from author Pam Allyn.

Believing this strongly, Dr. Walker also works with the United for Literacy movement to ensure any child, regardless of race, can read to succeed.” 

A Message from President Lynott on Women’s History Month: 

“As we embark on this month of March, I am compelled to reflect on the profound significance of Women’s History Month.  This is a time for us to honor the invaluable contributions of women throughout history and within our own university community. It is a moment to celebrate their achievements, acknowledge their struggles, and reaffirm our commitment to gender equality and inclusivity.

Women’s History Month serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by women around the world. In the spirit of Women’s History Month, I encourage each of us to learn, reflect, and engage in meaningful dialogue about the role of women in society and academia. Let us celebrate the achievements of women past and present, while rededicating ourselves to the pursuit of a more just and equitable future.”

Patricia A. Lynott, Ph.D.

President

RU Community–

The ongoing construction of our new baseball and softball fields is now being live-streamed on our YouTube.

The construction was made possible by a significant $3.58 million investment from the state of Illinois. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday, Nov. 28. The new facilities were funded by the Illinois’ Independent Colleges Capital Investment Grant.