Campus News

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

Contact:

Sara Myers

RU Marketing & Communications

smyers@rockford.edu

815.394.5052