In 1847 Rockford Female Seminary was chartered by the Illinois legislature. The University has been an educational pioneer from the very beginning. In 1882, Rockford Female Seminary granted its first bachelor’s degrees including that of Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jane Addams. In 1892, Rockford Female Seminary became Rockford College®. In 2013, Rockford College® became Rockford University.
At Rockford University, our mission is to educate people to lead responsible lives by means of a curriculum grounded in liberal arts learning and complemented and extended by professional and practical experience. Students connect different forms of learning to each other, learn to think critically and expansively, and apply the knowledge and skills they develop to the real world.
The academic programming includes undergraduate programmes and graduate programmes in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. Whether you come to Rockford University with no previous college credits or some college credits, we can help you determine the appropriate educational journey that’s right for you.
Rockford University achieves strong career outcomes across disciplines. Undergraduate job placement is 86.9%, with graduate placement at 91.1%, reflecting a focus on experiential learning and personalized career support.
Alumni work in healthcare, business, education, government, nonprofits, and STEM, with regional, national, and international employ.
Healthcare graduates join leading systems such as OSF HealthCare, Mercyhealth, UW Health, SwedishAmerican Hospital, Hartgrove Hospital, and Hope Clinical Care, while business and STEM alumni work at companies like Collins Aerospace, GE, Woodward, Ford Motor Company, Panduit, Pettit & Co., RSM US, Ameriprise Financial, UMB Bank, Lendmark, and Salesforce.
Below you will find scholarships related to Rockford University. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
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Rockford University is dedicated to supporting your journey from the moment you arrive on campus through graduation and beyond. Their comprehensive range of student resources—most of which are completely free—ensures you have the tools to succeed both academically and personally. You can sharpen your skills at the Math Lab, Writing Center, or through HUB academic coaching and testing services, and plan your future with our Career Development team. They prioritize your well-being and safety through the Lang Wellness Center and Public Safety, while the Information Technology, Mail Desk, and Print Services keep your daily life running smoothly.
The residence halls provide students with opportunities to live and grow outside of the classroom through interactions with peers. The Cummings Complex is a three-story complex that encompasses four buildings suitable for undergraduate students. The four halls are connected but maintain their individual community environment.
In the center of Cummings Complex is an upper and lower lounge that proves to be a great space for people to get together with amenities that include: Pool table, a flat screen television, ping pong, shuffleboard, and comfortable furniture. The small houses consist of 6 residence halls, all of which are self-contained and co-ed by floor. Each small house has a common area lounge.
With access to over 97,000 electronic serial titles, over 500,000 E-Books, a physical collection of over 100,000 volumes, and access to materials of other academic and public libraries, the Howard Colman Library supports the curriculum and students of Rockford University by providing information in a variety of formats.
WIFI is offered across campus, including in residence halls. Several computer labs are also available for student use.
Rockford University Information Technology provides students with:
The mission of Lang Wellness Center is to create a safe and supportive environment to meet the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of the Rockford University community. Disability Support Services (DSS) facilitates an accessible educational experience for students who have disabilities and serves as a resource to all members of the campus community.
Rockford University, situated 90 miles from Chicago, is set on a 150-acre campus with a park-like setting, featuring modern academic buildings, athletic facilities, residence halls, and amenities like trails and the Lang Center for Wellness. The campus has a disc-golf course, a spirit shop, and access to performing arts.
The Seaver Center is located on the campus of Rockford University and hosts all of the Regents' home basketball and volleyball events. In addition to the main competition gym, the building also houses a fitness center with a weight room, an athletic training room, multiple locker rooms and an auxiliary gymnasium.
The auxiliary gym doubles as a recreational space for everyone on campus to enjoy, featuring two basketball hoops and a court, a volleyball net and a court and three drop down batting cages. The upstairs of the building was recently renovated to create multiple lounges and a speed and agility room for strength and conditioning.
Through Student Activities, students can meet new people on campus, test and further develop their leadership skills, and have fun. These opportunities offer a plethora of experiences for all students. In fact, our campus community is large enough to provide a diverse list of activities and clubs, but it’s also small enough for students to get involved in as many organizations as they’d like.
Students can choose from over 20 clubs and organizations including Multicultural Club, Student Government Association and the Nursing Student Organization. And if they don’t see a club or organization they desire, they can start one!
Rockford University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Accreditation is periodically reviewed and is renewed annually. Other memberships include:
The nursing programme is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc (ACEN), the teacher certification programme (Education and Child Development) by the Illinois State Board of Education, and the business administration programme by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.
Based on 2 reviews
The experience of studying here is good and not good at the same time. Is a small university and if you are an international student without a car is not fun because there is nothing to do in the university or around the city. But at the same time is peaceful living in the dorm.
When I first got here in 2019, I started as a Biology major. Even though I did not get good grades I though I like what I was studying, but with the years I started to realize that I was not getting good grades because I did not like what I was studying. On April 2022 I changed my major to International Studies because I always had an interest about politics, and on August of 2022 I started the new major and this past month I have been loving what I am studying. Because I did not like my major for so long my mental status was really bad and it did not help that because of that my GPA went down and now I am working so hard to pull my GPA up.
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