Rockford Promise expansion will help send more students to Rockford University for free

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A year ago, more than 90 students applied for Rockford Promise scholarships to attend Rockford University tuition free.

But there was only funding for four spots.

That will change next school year under a partnership between the university, Rockford Promise and the city of Rockford, which is using $500,000 annually in revenue from Hard Rock Casino Rockford to expand the scholarship program.

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Next year, graduates from public or private schools within the city will be eligible to attend Rockford University tuition free if they have a 3.0 grade-point average and meet financial qualifications.

Rockford University expects more than 100 students to be eligible in the fall, adding to the roughly 40 Rockford Promise students on campus right now.

“For me, this was the greatest opportunity I could have to get a higher education,” said Ethan Pedroza, sophomore at Rockford University and a Rockford Promise scholar. “Growing up, I really never thought I would have this kind of opportunity coming from a single mother and her providing for everything I had.”

Pedroza, who graduated from Guilford High School, is pursuing an art major with a focus on graphic design. He said he was encouraged to see city and university leaders invest in the program.

“It really warms my heart that this whole program cares so much for the community,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to stretch forward.”

Rockford Promise is a nonprofit designed to enhance the educational attainment and economic vitality of the Rockford region by providing full tuition college scholarships to students who live in the city. It also provides academic support and mentorship to its scholars.

There are nearly 500 Rockford Promise students now, the majority of whom — about 400 — attend Northern Illinois University. The program also funds Rock Valley College scholarships and it will add OSF Saint Anthony College of Nursing in 2025.

The scholarships to Rockford University are funded with a combination of state and federal student aid, the city funds from Hard Rock and institutional funding from the college.

In 2016, Rockford Promise transitioned from offering partial scholarships to full tuition for a handful of students, as many as fundraising would allow.

“In the past, since we had limited funding, we had to do a competitive scholarship process,” said Kaylene Groh, executive director of Rockford Promise. “Now, with this expansion of funding, if a student meets all the qualifications down the line, it’s just a verification process. If they meet all of those, they’re in: They’re guaranteed four years of college education.”

Hard Rock Casino revenue has been pumped into the program since the temporary casino opened in 2021. The city initially committed $1.5 million per year, with the money helping bolster the number of students who could attend NIU.

But the opening of the full casino resort at 7801 E. State St. meant additional revenue — to the tune of at least $7 million — for the city. The City Council approved nine ways to spend that money in October, including the expansion of Rockford Promise to Rockford University.

“When we do believe in our kids, they always come through,” Mayor Tom McNamara said. “Rockford Promise tells them and shows them in very real and tangible ways that we believe in them and that we love them and that there is hope and opportunities out there.”

Each Rockford Promise scholarship has small differences in qualifications based on the school being attended. The Rockford University scholarship, for example, requires MAP and Pell grant eligibility unlike the NIU scholarships.

Rockford University President Patricia Lynott said the scholarship program makes the city an attractive place to live because it places such a high priority in education. She said the educational benefits students receive will also benefit local businesses with homegrown future workers and the community with invested and educated residents.

“This isn’t just an investment in individual students. Rockford Promise is an investment in our community,” Lynott said. “This program will help students, their families, area businesses, this university and the entire Rockford region.”

Rockford Promise has had 107 graduates so far, and scholars have a 92% graduation rate, according to Groh. That’s better than national graduation rate averages, which stood at about 62% for all schools last year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

The program is also making college available to families for the first time, with about 70% of Rockford Promise scholars first-generation students.

“If I’ve learned anything in my tenure with Rockford Promise it is this: When we challenge our local students to new heights, they rise to meet them and even far exceed them,” Groh said.

How to apply

Eligible students would complete their federal student aid and Rockford University admission applications by Feb. 1 of their graduating year. Students must apply through the Rockford Promise online application.

Rockford Promise and Rockford University will coordinate to confirm eligibility and manage the enrollment process.

To qualify, students must:

• Live in the city of Rockford
• Graduate from a public or private high school in the city limits
• Achieve a 3.0 grade point average or higher on a 4.0 scale
• Qualify for federal Pell and Illinois MAP grants

To learn more: rockfordpromise.org

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas