Campus News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 24, 2024

ROCKFORD, ILL.- Rockford University’s First Gen Forward Club in collaboration with the University’s Regents First program will hold a special dinner celebration in honor of National First Generation College Celebration Day. The dinner will be held Nov. 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. in Regents Hall.

Regents Hall is located in the Burpee Student Center. Burpee Student Center is located on Rockford University’s campus, located at 5050 E. State St. in Rockford, Illinois. 

The event will include professional headshots, musical performances, and a keynote speech from RU alumna, Board of Trustees member, and first-generation graduate Mary Ann Laudicina. She will also participate in a first-generation panel discussion during the event. 

All RU faculty, staff, students and their families are welcome to this event. We do ask students, faculty, and staff to register for the event by Thursday, Oct. 31. Please register here. 

About First-Generation College Celebration

On November 8, to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, institutions nationwide are invited to celebrate the presence and experiences of first-generation college students, faculty, and staff within their communities. The HEA created federal programs that promote postsecondary access, retention, and completion for limited-income, first-generation college students. 

RU’s campus efforts will be part of a national advocacy campaign focused on promoting systemic social change by dismantling barriers to first-generation student success on both a local and national level. 

More information on this nationwide celebration can be found at firstgen.naspa.org/engagement/first-generation-college-celebration/first-generation-college-celebration. 

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This event is open to the RU community (students and their families, staff, and faculty). Local media is invited to the Rockford University campus to cover this event.

We kindly ask the media to RSVP to this event. To RSVP, please contact Sara Myers-Hogshead at SHogshead@rockford.edu by Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. to let her know you plan to attend. 

Contact:

Sara Myers-Hogshead

RU Marketing & Communications

shogshead@rockford.edu 

815.394.5052