Rockford University

Alma mater of 1881 graduate Jane Addams, Rockford University is a private four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 as Rockford Female Seminary. The Seminary changed its name to Rockford College in 1892, and on July 1, 2013, became Rockford University, reflecting the institution’s long-established and increasingly diverse offerings, while also clearly defining its status within the Rockford and world communities.

Located in Rockford, Illinois (USA), Rockford University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields with approximately 80 majors, minors and concentrations, including three 100% online majors through the RU Online program. Five master’s degrees are offered through the graduate program, including: Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Master of Education (M.Ed.), Master of Arts in Sport Management & Leadership (MASM), and Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology (MSEP).

Rockford University is home to one of only 11 Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) chapters in Illinois, the most prestigious honor society in the United States. Rockford University is proud to hold the prestigious Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, an elective classification that highlights our dedication to meaningful and impactful partnerships within our local and regional communities. Named by The Princeton Review as a Best Midwestern College and a U.S. News & World Report Best Midwest Regional University, Rockford University currently serves approximately 1,200 full- and part-time students.”

The Jane Addams Center for Civic Engagement (JACCE) works to fulfill a mission of enriching Rockford University students’ educations and lives by engaging them with the community. Creating meaningful connections between the University and communities beyond campus, JACCE organizes campus service projects and our University-wide annual day of service, assists professors in creating Community-Based Learning and engaged research projects, and offers programming that cultivates an attitude of civic responsibility. Our work at the Center is grounded in the ideals and life of Jane Addams and her belief in the importance of understanding and reaching out to people in need and taking action to help.