Rockford Promise announced eight new recipients of full four-year tuition scholarships to attend Rockford University (RU) beginning in the fall of 2022. It is the largest RU cohort yet since Rockford Promise and Rockford’s 175-year old university began collaborating in 2016.

Rockford Promise is a location-based scholarship program transforming the lives of students, their families and neighborhoods by providing full-tuition scholarships to outstanding Rockford Public School District #205 (RPS) graduates to attend Rock Valley College, Rockford University, and Northern Illinois University.

Three of the incoming RU students will be from Auburn, two each from Guilford and Jefferson and one from East High School. This year’s class of Rockford Promise Scholars attending RU had an average GPA of 3.55 in high school and an average SAT score of 1118.

The outstanding group of students will be joining a thriving Rockford Promise program at Rockford University. Since the beginning of 2016-2017 school year, 28 RPS graduates have enrolled at RU or transferred from Rock Valley College through the Rockford Promise program. Of those, three already have graduated, four more are graduating in May, and 19 are on track to graduate in coming years.

The 28 students have a combined GPA of 3.41 while at RU.

“We look forward to welcoming our newest cohort of Rockford Promise students to Rockford University this fall,” said Dr. Eric Fulcomer, Rockford University’s president. “The relationship Rockford University has developed with Rockford Promise is important and demonstrates our commitment to our community. We take pride in seeing our Rockford Promise scholars thrive at Rockford University.”

Rockford University is one of three higher education partners for Rockford Promise. Earlier this month, Rockford Promise announced that 175 students accepted full-tuition scholarships to attend NIU. Rockford Promise will release the list of new Rock Valley College Scholars in May. This demonstrates the rapid growth of the location-based scholarship program. In 2016-2017, Rockford Promise provided five full-tuition scholarships. In the fall of 2022, there will be more than 200 new students joining the program.

With the growing number of Rockford Promise Scholars for all three higher education partners, Rockford Promise needs volunteer mentors to support Scholars.

“Mentors are key multipliers for Rockford Promise,” said Kaylene Groh, Rockford Promise interim executive director. “Mentors extend the academic support, listening ear and career guidance every student needs to succeed beyond their own efforts, and propels them into a stronger future.”

For more information about Rockford Promise please visit www.rockfordpromise.org. To sign up to become a mentor and support the 2022-2023 cohort of Scholars, go to rockfordpromise.org/become-a-mentor/.