New-Transfer-Opportunity-for-RVC-Rockford-Promise-Scholars.php

New Transfer Opportunity for RVC Rockford Promise Scholars

• Students
• 01/21/2025

For first-generation college student Camila Marquez, Rockford Promise provided her an opportunity to start her college journey at Rock Valley College (RVC). Thanks to a new partnership between Rockford Promise, RVC, and Northern Illinois University (NIU), she may now have the opportunity to continue her education at NIU tuition-free.

 

Beginning in the fall of 2025, the Rockford Promise Program at Northern Illinois University will open its doors to qualifying RVC transfer students. To qualify, students must be Rockford Promise Scholars at RVC who earn their associate's degrees with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better and enroll at NIU as full-time students. Full eligibility requirements are listed on the NIU and RVC websites.

“RVC is proud to partner once again with Rockford Promise and NIU to create a new pathway option for our students to complete a bachelor's degree. Access is one of our strategic pillars, and this agreement is another important way to increase access, affordability, and success for Rockford Promise Scholars who begin their post-secondary journey at RVC,” said Dr. Howard Spearman, RVC President.

The arrangement allows for a seamless and tuition-free transition from Rockford’s only area community college to the region’s only major research university. It is possible through a new partnership between NIU, RVC and the Rockford Promise organization.

“This new partnership with NIU and RVC further demonstrates our commitment to enriching the Rockford community through educational attainment and providing a powerful economic incentive for residents and businesses to locate to the Rockford region,” said Kaylene Groh, executive director of the Rockford Promise organization.

In 2016, RVC welcomed its first Rockford Promise Scholars. There were three students in the first year. Since that time, RVC has served 185 Rockford Promise Scholars.

Currently, Rockford Promise is providing full-tuition scholarships to both RVC and NIU. However, the nationally recognized program at NIU was previously open only to college freshmen who were Rockford residents and new graduates of Rockford public high schools with a 3.0 GPA or better.

“We are delighted to build on the success of the Rockford Promise Program by expanding access to include qualified RVC transfer students. We want more students to be able to take advantage of the program and the impactful experiences that come with earning a life-changing NIU degree,” NIU President Dr. Lisa C. Freeman said. “We’re also thrilled to increase the scope and success of our collaboration with trusted partners at RVC and the Rockford Promise organization.”

NIU and RVC notably also collaborate on engineering degree-completion programs. NIU began its partnership with the Rockford Promise organization in 2021. That fall, the university welcomed its first cohort of freshman Rockford Promise Scholars. The program now has more than 340 scholars enrolled at NIU.

RVC students who qualify to take advantage of the NIU program should complete an NIU application for admission and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid by the appropriate deadlines.

I am thankful for this new partnership so that I may continue my studies at NIU in finance. This partnership will bring many blessings to current and future Rockford Promise students who start at RVC. It is providing us with additional opportunities that we did not have before. For this, I am thankful.

Camila Marquez, RVC Rockford Promise Scholar

About Rockford Promise

Rockford Promise is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and location-based scholarship program that enhances the economic vitality in the Rockford region by providing access to post-secondary education for local graduates. The organization removes financial barriers by offering full-tuition scholarship opportunities and providing multiple levels of support to increase student success and persistence.

Rockford Promise is based on Promise programs throughout the nation, most notably the Kalamazoo Promise in Kalamazoo, Michigan. One of the longest-running Promise programs, Kalamazoo Promise has positively impacted high school graduation, college attendance, property values and public-school enrollment. Local leaders seek to replicate the initiative in Rockford.  Through Rockford Promise scholarships, financial aid, and partnerships with Rock Valley College, Rockford University and Northern Illinois University, Rockford Promise Scholars attend college tuition-free.

Currently, Rockford Promise has 448 students attending college on full-tuition scholarships. Rockford Promise applications are open from January 1 - March 1, 2025.

About NIU

Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. The Wall Street Journal and CollegeNET recognize NIU as a leading institution for social mobility, or helping its students climb the socioeconomic ladder. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago, Naperville and Rockford, NIU offers more than 100 areas of study while serving a diverse and international student body.