Campus News

Greetings from Rockford University! The English expression “May you live in interesting times” certainly applies to living through 2020. Over the last few months, we have weathered a storm that we didn’t see coming. But as a liberal arts institution that values the development of critical thinking and transferable skills that help one respond to unforeseen challenges and opportunities, we were prepared. When I share the importance of the liberal arts with incoming students and parents, I use this simple definition of the liberal arts: exposure to a set of subjects that provide the essential knowledge needed to be an active participant in civil life. I then pivot to the fact that we now live in what some are calling the knowledge age – a period after the information age where data was key. In the knowledge age, facts and figures are widely available and the key is to take that information and create new knowledge that will help us deal with whatever comes our way.

I am deeply appreciative of the work that our faculty and staff did between March and May to pivot our operations in order to serve students and maintain business continuity. With just ten days’ notice, our faculty completely transformed their course delivery from in-person to remote learning. As they made decisions individually and collectively throughout that time, the student experience was the focus. At the same time, most of our staff transitioned to remote work, which was new to most of them. Because we had a few students who needed to remain on campus, our residence life staff, safety and security personnel, food service and maintenance workers, and a few others were here each day to keep the campus running.

One of the interesting things that has come out of this time has been learning new ways to communicate with one another. For example, since travel was limited, we hosted a number of alumni gatherings over Zoom. More than 300 alumni engaged with us – and one another – during these events.  I held a few Zoom meetings with alumni and friends as well; it was not the same as sitting in a restaurant or living room together, but we had good conversations nonetheless. I suspect that we will continue to utilize this meeting method long after we are able to travel freely again.

In this edition of the Catalyst, you will see many examples of how our campus community pivoted and responded well to a challenging set of circumstances. You’ll also meet some of our Regent Heroes, alumni who are on the front lines of this crisis. I trust that you will enjoy reading about the work of Rockford University alumni, faculty, and staff as we collectively responded to COVID-19. 

Rockford University has time and again proven itself resilient over the last 173 years in the face of a variety of threats, challenges, and opportunities. Just as those before us did, we are working to remain nimble, resourceful, and adaptive.

Eric W. Fulcomer

President

As the effects of COVID-19 began to settle into our environment, I vowed to provide a safe and inclusive atmosphere, to foster relationships, and to individualize the learning experience for my students.

My first priority was to find a balance between maintaining course content integrity and supporting the individual needs of my students in the shift to online learning. I began by revising presentations and assignments to an online format. I established a system to provide ongoing updates and announcements to students, ensuring clear communication of expectations and maintaining course objectives. 

To foster ongoing relationships, I incorporated weekly virtual meetings to encourage positive face-to-face interactions and meaningful discussions both as a whole class and in smaller groups through online breakout rooms. In these meetings, students challenged their understanding of course topics and supported one another by sharing their personal stories which encouraged solidarity, optimism, and hope among their peers. The average online attendance for my classes remained consistent at 90-100 percent, which I attribute to the students’ desire for consistency and personal connection.

Students also took advantage of virtual office hours offered through email, phone, and virtual meetings for clarity on course expectations and support with assignments. The shift to online learning was challenging for most of my students, who benefited from the personal connection, routine, and accountability offered in face-to-face classes. Despite the challenges, they continually validated a shared appreciation for professors holding them to the same level of accountability that they had in the classroom and for the flexibility offered as they navigated the emotional impact of the stay-at-home order.

The semester was a challenging one for many reasons, however, my Urban Education graduate students had a wonderful ending to all their hard work. Despite the difficult situation, this group of Rockford Public School teachers attended online classes every week with passion and perseverance, wholly supporting one another. For our last session, Assistant Professor of Education and the Director of our Secondary Programs & Urban Education Graduate Program, Annie Baddoo, and I combined both of the educational cohorts for an online celebration to acknowledge everything this amazing group of students accomplished this semester. We ended our evening by inviting guest speaker, Gregory Michie, author of Same As It Never Was: Notes on a Teacher’s Return to the Classroom, to the virtual meeting. His book was one of many we studied , and it was the perfect ending to a unique semester!

Michelle Collins ’86, spent most of her time on campus in her room studying for her nursing courses. Her senior year, however, presented an opportunity to leave the dorm room and travel to London for a semester abroad at Regent’s College.

The experience proved to be life-changing. “In London, I was able to spend one day a week at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington Station, where Princess Kate and Princess Diana both gave birth.” Collins recalled, “because of my interest in obstetrical nursing, I worked on the labor and delivery floor, which was staffed by midwives. Within the British model, 80 percent of babies are born into the hands of midwives. This was my first exposure to what midwives really do.”

That introduction to an alternative method of labor and delivery left an impression on Collins that would shape her career. When she returned to the states, she continued to work as a labor and delivery nurse for 17 years at Rockford’s St. Anthony Medical Center and SwedishAmerican Hospital.

She then made the decision to return to school to become a certified nurse-midwife, graduating from Marquette University in 2002 with a Master of Science in Nursing/Nurse-Midwifery. She took a position as a certified nurse-midwife in Marion, Ill., where she was the first nurse-midwife to practice in the city.

Midwifery wasn’t the only thing that left an impression on Michelle during her semester abroad. She also learned about the use of “gas and air” (nitrous oxide) during childbirth. “In London, nitrous oxide is used by about 60 percent of the patients during childbirth,” she said. This practice is not widely used in the states. Seeing this option provide relief to a patient in labor inspired a passion in me, to lead an effort to initiate the practice in the US.”

After two years in Marion, Michelle was recruited to join the nurse-midwifery faculty practice at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. There, she led the 2011 initiative to offer nitrous oxide to women birthing at the Vanderbilt Medical Center. In 2012, she graduated from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center with a Ph.D. in Nursing and since has consulted hundreds of hospitals and medical sites nationwide to help them establish a nitrous oxide program. Thanks to her efforts, there are now over 1,000 hospitals and medical centers offering nitrous oxide to their patients during childbirth.

“Being at Rockford College, and then being able to include the semester abroad in my education was really life-altering,” Collins said. “I would never have become a nurse-midwife had I not seen it firsthand in London, and I would have never seen nitrous oxide in use and been inspired to make sure that American women had access to the same option.”

Michelle received Rockford University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015 for her accomplishments in the practice of medicine in the United States and for her support of the University.

Following her 14 years of practice, teaching, and serving as the program director for the nurse-midwifery program at Vanderbilt University, Michelle returned to the Midwest where she is now the associate dean of academic affairs at Rush University College of Nursing in Chicago. She also continues to provide obstetric and gynecologic care and delivery of babies at the University of Illinois Chicago Medical Center.

Catalyst: An entity that causes change.

​I have been teaching for nearly ten years. The role of a teacher is clear: to be a catalyst that shapes the future of the next generation. I had established a norm for my teaching by combining interactive lecture sessions with demonstrations, tutorials, group discussions, polling, and experimentation.

Suddenly, COVID-19 happened, and with it came the realization that a new normal was not only critical to teaching but also for our survival of life. Almost immediately, faculty became inundated with resources and options to support online instruction from well-meaning colleagues, companies, and professional organizations. Debates over synchronous vs. asynchronous sessions, discussions about online assignments, accommodations, and exams became commonplace, and they added confusion to the decision-making process.

I decided going back to the basics was the best option for me, so I focused on three things:

• Know your audience: With a hastened move to online instruction imminent, I needed to know my students differently. A survey during the extended spring break informed me about my students’ access to technology, any added job responsibilities, and the obligations of students who were also parents and helping homeschool their kids. I also asked how comfortable my students were with online instruction.
• Adapt with compassion: The survey gave me the information I was looking for, allowing me to be inclusive and trim parts of my course that were not suited to this delivery model. I adopted synchronous online instruction to reach those students who needed structure and discipline to succeed. I also provided recordings of these sessions to reach students who needed to watch at an alternate time or could benefit from the review.
• Follow-up and individualize: The most challenging part has been tracking students and their performance. To accomplish that goal, I reviewed information from attendance in synchronous sessions, such as Canvas (the University’s learning management platform), and online homework/assignment activities. I wrote several emails to students daily and made myself available via phone or Zoom for questions and additional support. 

Shortly after coursework ended for the semester, I received two emails from students. They wrote, “This subject was not the easiest for me but the way you handle/manage your course helped out a ton!” and, “I was always terrified to take any sort of physics course, and you made this one fun and interesting… thank you for all your patience, consistency, and understanding.”

As I reflect on the second half of the semester, I am amazed by the resilience and tenacity of our students. They have overcome an unannounced challenge so admirably that it reinforces my confidence in the next generation.

I am happy to be a catalyst!

​As a former corporate leader at a property preservation company during the housing crisis, I thought I knew a thing or two about how to guide a team through uncertain times. As a scholar with a doctorate in organizational change, and teaching numerous courses on the subject matter, I thought I knew how to launch change initiatives and navigate obstacles successfully. As an organizational behavioralist and leadership consultant, I thought I knew how to lead, having trained leaders across the globe on how to be flexible with their leadership styles to adhere to the myriad contexts in which we may find ourselves.

Then COVID-19 arrived at our doorstep, and I had to put all of my experience, knowledge, and leadership self-efficacy to use as my students and colleagues in the Puri School of Business looked to me as department chair to assist in shifting our instructional delivery to a fully online format.

Now, I had some luck (as a good Irish lass almost always does!), in that I had started teaching online courses in our combined Bachelor’s/Master’s program in January of 2019, in the MBA program in May of 2019, and  other members of our department began teaching online undergraduate courses this past spring. Therefore, our department was fairly well-equipped to quickly shift our teaching modality mid-semester, but perhaps my biggest asset was the willingness of the Puri School of Business team to make it all work. Every single member of the Puri School of Business readily set out to find innovative ways to transform their courses to ensure students continued to receive quality instruction. Not only did they inspire me in their ability to fearlessly wade into uncertain territory, but their constant refrain of, “we must do everything we can to support our students as we may be their only outlet of normalcy right now,” made me beam with pride. It is indeed an honor to work alongside these thoughtful, talented, and committed department members.

But that wasn’t my only luck. Oh, how my students gave such support and grace to the faculty and each other! Each week, students showed up en masse to voluntarily tune in to online Zoom lectures,  lectures I was writing merely days before to ensure that I was responding to the context of our COVID-19 world and to their feedback in their course reflection papers.

As I continued to also consult clients, I was able to show our MBA Consulting Class members the “behind the scenes” changes I had made to guarantee I offered clients relevant value in the preparation of a post COVID-19 world. The barrier (if there ever was one) between professor and student certainly came down in our classes, as we truly embraced the “altogether, as one” mentality.

Class discussions hinged on topics such as furloughs, feelings of guilt for still having a job when others do not and burnout. We also discussed confidence in the investment that students made in themselves to pursue their degree, feelings of hope as students networked and learned from each other, and consistently focused on leadership.

Now, more than ever, is the time for great leadership. My research has shown that as much as 75 percent of all change initiatives fail. In addition, only 45 percent of initiatives that succeed produce positive results. There are countless variables that cause this alarming failure rate, but two overarching components are at the crux: leadership and transformation. Indeed, the only way organizations typically change is through massive, revolutionary, transformational change, and great leadership is what makes the difference.

Now, more than ever, is the time for great leadership. As we embark upon our journey of a post COVID-19 world, I am confident that Rockford University, the faculty within the Puri School of Business, and all of our students are primed and ready to deliver the great leadership needed to usher in positive change. Oh, what great opportunity lies ahead!

How does one teach studio art, sculpture or printmaking when traditional spaces and methods are removed from the equation? Rockford University’s art faculty and students transitioned their very visual work to a new method of learning when the pandemic began.

The easiest transition developed for art history courses as Dr. Jennifer Langworthy already had a course structure in place that fit within the University’s existing learning management platform, Canvas.”

Studio Art classes utilized a combination of approaches. Weekly assignments included reading, a sketchbook exercise, and a discussion to supplement ongoing projects. Discussion boards became the primary mode by which students shared and critiqued their work. In many ways, this format has advantages for students in that comments are archived, and they can go back and re-read helpful suggestions and interactions at any time to improve.

Students in painting courses used their own supplies or could use free painting applications and continue to apply painting principles digitally. Drawing students were less affected by a lack of materials (as pencils and paper are easy to come by). Still, they adjusted to alternative subject matter, working from their own photo references, assembling still-life arrangements at home, and using YouTube/ Vimeo channels devoted to life-drawing sessions in order to study the figure.

All classes utilized Zoom demos and photographic submission of assignments is essential.

Thanks to its already tech-centered nature, Graphic Design courses were able to make a comfortable move to the online environment. Without lab access, the biggest challenge for these courses was making software available, but solutions were quickly found and students continued to apply design theory to their projects and provide critical feedback to their peers.

3-D courses, like Professor Philip Soosloff’s sculpture class, approached assignments by showcasing contemporary, historically-relevant art such as Andy Goldsworthy or Sandy Skoglund. The work demonstrated an approach to creating sculpture that highlights a specific technique. Students found inspiration from everyday objects in their homes and continued to create compelling art.

Advanced students preparing for their Senior Seminar Exhibition were able to complete and photograph their individual pieces and design the exhibit “walls,” virtually using image compositing technology. Students completing their BFA will be allowed to return to school and host a physical exhibit when circumstances permit.

Both faculty and students rose to the occasion during this strange and difficult time. While everyone missed the face-to-face interaction so strongly associated with artmaking, together students and faculty found innovative solutions to continue the journey of learning and artmaking. Those efforts speak volumes about the dedication and creativity that drives all learning at Rockford University.

(Image 1) Student artwork by Laura Becerra. (Image 2) Student artwork by Elizabeth Kasyanyuk.

Student artwork by Fengshi Zhoa.

Online learning at Rockford University posed an interesting challenge and certainly new and uncharted territory for many of my peers and me. Our University is known for its personal connections and classrooms that thrive with the teacher-student interaction. Not surprisingly, our professors proved to be incredibly accommodating.

For me and my peers, the first challenge was to create a schedule and stay on task. Learning at home comes with many distractions. For example, I’m an avid gamer and I initially struggled to avoid being distracted by that. However, after a few weeks of adapting to a new way of learning, I developed a system to stay focused and get my work done.

The next challenge was maintaining the close sense of community that students experience on campus. The student activities staff really stepped up to support us. We built a virtual community on Facebook where we met for video chats, played trivia games, and came together with other students, faculty and staff as a community. We missed the opportunity to experience some amazing on-campus events, but the virtual experience helped keep us together. 

As I reflect about how this strange period of unfamiliarity affected Rockford University students, it is clear to me that this time away from campus did not weaken our community. In many ways, it strengthened our bonds with each other and with the University.

As the incoming Student Government Association (SGA) president, I am eager to return to campus. I believe spending this time at home will provide students with the motivation to attend as many events on campus as possible. I look forward to being able to walk into the Den and have face-to-face conversations with students, listen to their concerns, answer their questions, and most importantly, have a friendly conversation. The bonds among students, professors, and every member of the University are strong, and that makes Rockford University the amazing community that it is.

See you soon,

Tanner Elliott

Rockford University’s $3.5 million Seaver Physical Education Center renovation was completed, ahead of schedule and on budget, on May 29. The successful completion was aided by a mild winter and pandemic-related closures that eliminated the need to work around classroom and practice schedules.

The newly-constructed fitness center and weight room add approximately 3,800 square feet to the building. The 89,243-square foot facility features four new classrooms, including one that doubles as an exercise science lab to support the rapidly-growing Kinesiology department.

“This project is the culmination of a multi-year fundraising campaign,” said Stephen Kull, vice president for Advancement at Rockford University. “We are immensely grateful to our alumni and friends who supported The Rock Solid & Ready Campaign. They shared our vision and invested in the future of Rockford University’s students.” University donors contributed $18.4 million, exceeding the campaign goal by $1.1 million.

The $3.5 million renovation focused on both visible improvements and upgrades to building systems. The 700 square foot lobby features a new concession area; the entire building is fully air-conditioned and heated; and the rest rooms have been renovated and are now accessible. Seaver also received a new roof, energy-efficient LED lighting, a state-of the-art boiler, and a new power transformer.

Living, working, and playing through construction.

The impact of construction on teaching, learning, practices, and competitions was seasonal. During the fall, there was little impact on student-athletes and competitions. “We began to prepare for the inside construction work by moving equipment, cleaning out storerooms, and more” said Assistant Director of Athletics, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach, and Director of the Seaver Center Jen Saylor. “Fall is a time of great excitement for the University community and its student-athletes. The groundbreaking ceremony in November 2019 made all of the hard work and planning a realization.”

Winter and spring athletic programs and exercise science classes required more creativity. Kinesiology faculty moved into temporary classrooms and offices. New routines were developed to adapt to changing conditions and access. “As a strong athletic community, we managed to work through the difficulties,” said Saylor. “The Kinesiology faculty, athletic staff, student workers, and Sodexo communicated and remained flexible. The hard work paid off, and soon we will be celebrating the re-opening of the Seaver Physical Education Center.”

Pictured: Rockford University 2019-2020 Alumni Association Board members.
Author: Elizabeth Mundy-Hemmerich ’05

For many Rockford University alumni, graduation isn’t the final good-bye. We visit our favorite professor, or we show our partners and children and grandchildren where we spent some of the best times of our lives. Maybe our purple alumni travel mug has sprung a leak, so we visit the college bookstore. Perhaps we get tickets to a play at Clark Arts or attend a wedding in Fisher Chapel. 

Four times a year, a group of alumni gather in the Johnson Alumni Center, (some of us knew the building as the Lion’s Den). Those who cannot make the trip to Rockford, attend by phone or video conference where we discuss what’s happening at our alma mater and how we can continue to support the University, future alumni, and each other. 

Currently, the Alumni Association has 21 members from around the country with a handful of members in and around Rockford. We represent a diversity of majors and careers, and we attended the University during different points in time. We are faithfully supported by caring RU staff and participate in events such as the Day of Giving and the fall Reunion Weekend. 

During our meetings, we strategize ways to engage current students and alumni, we think about our own networks in terms of recruiting prospective students, and we thoughtfully consider how to give back to the University that shaped us. We recently shared some of our favorite memories of our years at Rockford, and would like to share some with you. 

Thomas Lifvendahl’s ’70 fondest memories include feeling accepted and developing friendships. “I was the sole USMC Vietnam Combat veteran on campus, and I deeply valued the fact that I was welcomed enough to be elected VP of the Class of 1970,” Lifvendahl said, “I also met and married the mother of my children, one of whom is an RU graduate.” Alumni Association President Damir Urtzan ’11, has fond memories of his work in the admissions office. Anthony Scandroli ’02, and Matt Szytz ’14, recalled the friendships and opportunities to travel from their days as student-athletes. “I connected with so many amazing people and felt the beautiful feeling of physically contributing to someone else’s dream come true!” Sara Hall ’09 recalled about her Alternative Spring Break trip. Courtney Geiger ’02, remembers camping out on campus during October Weekend. 

For myself, my fondest memory of many is my study abroad at Regent’s College in London. Exploring this city, visiting new countries, and meeting people from all over the world with my dearest college friends by my side made me the person I am today. Learning about new cultures and traveling to new places still remains very close to my heart. 

The Alumni Association is interested in continuing to make memories for alumni through social and networking events, traditions such as Reunion, and by providing support to each other and to Rockford University. The Alumni Association would love to hear from you about your favorite Rockford University memories! Please share your favorite moments by emailing alumni@rockford.edu. 

Reprinted article by Leslie Joan Millenson, ACI Director, Special Projects with permission from Associated Colleges of Illinois.

When the COVID-19 emergency threatened to shutter Rockford University’s campus, Dr. Karen Walker acted fast to connect with the mentees in the school’s Men of Color Mentorship Program. Part of the network of ACI Peer Mentoring Programs on 11 member campuses around the state, Rockford’s Men of Color Mentorship Program provides three mentors to support 15 students at high risk for failure to thrive at college. Walker, transition coordinator for Rockford’s Center for Learning Strategies, knew the sudden shift from classroom instruction to online learning plus dislocation from campus life could be a real stumbling block for these young men.

“When all this started going down, our students were on spring break,” explains Walker, “so many were not checking their email, so social media really was really important for us.” Rockford’s Men of Color Mentoring Program has always had an active social media presence on both Facebook and Snapchat. To leverage the program’s social media presence in response to the COVID-19 emergency, Walker held a virtual meeting with the three mentors. “We used Zoom, and we got them totally comfortable with the platform,” Walker recalls. “Of course, these students are digital natives, so they picked it up really quickly.”

Walker assigned each mentor to post on one day each week, “so we’re communicating at the beginning, middle and end of each week,” she explains. “Initially, criteria for the posts was just that they be uplifting, motivational. But as we moved forward, we’ve been using social media to give campus updates and directions on how to use digital tools to keep up with their classes.”

Next, Walker switched the Men of Color Mentoring Program’s tradition of “Chop it Up,” (talk) sessions from in-person gatherings in Walker’s family room to using Zoom conferences. “We would naturally have been doing mid-semester check-in,” Walker observes, “but now the focus was less on mid-term grades than on survival: Do you know what’s going on? Where are you? Are you on campus? At home? Do you have a digital device you can use to learn online?”

Assessing students’ living arrangements was critical, Walker says. “At first, our students were allowed to stay on campus, but then they had to vacate in early April, unless special arrangements were made.” Walker found students who had no internet access and students whose family situation wasn’t conducive to home study. “I worked with residence life to secure exceptions on a case-by-case basis, so students could continue in the dorms when necessary.”

A recent Zoom Chop It Up session featured Cory Espensen, director for advising and retention. He talked with the group, many of whom are student athletes, about policies and procedures associated with online learning and discussed the pass-fail option, including the influence selecting that option can have on eligibility for athletics.

“We had 12 students participating on that call. That’s more than we have under ordinary circumstances,” Walker acknowledges. She believes that higher participation in the session reflects some unexpected benefits of the shift to online learning. “First, not all the classes are synchronous – students don’t have to be available at a specified time to complete the coursework, and that gives students who have jobs much more flexibility. We’re also hearing that they feel a little less pressure because open book/open notes exams take some stress out of the classes. But at the same time,” Walker observes, “students have to be more disciplined in time management so as not to not fall behind.”

To combat this problem, Rockford University held a campus-wide workshop on succeeding in online learning. Rockford senior Joshua Davis, one of the three Men of Color mentors, was part of the student panel delivering the workshop. All the mentees received a link to a recording of the workshop. “Joshua Davis is an extremely studious, successful student, and the workshop was a great opportunity for a male of color to be seen as a knowledgeable peer,” says Walker.

Rockford University has hosted an ACI Peer Mentoring Program for the past four years. The program supports 15 freshmen men of color, all first-generation, low-income students. The mentees are organized into three teams, each with its own mentor, an upper classman of color from similar socioeconomic background as the mentees. ACI funds two of the teams, and Rockford University funds the third. “The great thing about our program is that the young men stay connected with us,” says Walker. “Although the program targets freshmen, many of our young men stay in touch with us throughout their college career, and our Chop It Up sessions and other activities sometimes attract other men of color on campus who just want to be part of the group.”

With the semester rapidly coming to a close, Walker and her team have scheduled a virtual end-of-semester celebration via Zoom. The April 29 event will feature Chicago Bears great Mike Singletary. “He a great motivational speaker who can help encourage our students and strengthen their connection to Rockford and to the Men of Color Mentoring Program,” says Walker, “even if they’re sitting in their own bedrooms or dorm rooms.”