Award recipients, including NIU’s Vice President of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications Sol Jensen (sixth from right) and Executive Director of Rockford Promise Kaylene Groh (fifth from right), gather at the annual Innovation Awards Program at the Eduventures Summit 2024, held recently in Chicago.

The Rockford Promise at Northern Illinois University program—launched in 2021 to create opportunities for hundreds of students from Rockford to earn degrees without paying tuition or fees—is gaining national attention for innovation. 

Encoura, a well-known educational data science and research organization, saluted the program  as among the four winners of its annual Innovation Awards Program at the Eduventures Summit 2024, held last month in Chicago. 

Now in its eighth year, the Innovation Awards Program was created to recognize and showcase the achievements of individuals and organizations that share Encoura’s vision for innovating to improve outcomes in higher education. The award winners were selected from a record number of entries by a jury of higher education leaders and advisors. 

Other awardees honored included Indiana University Online, Harvard Division of Continuing Education and the University of Texas at San Antonio. 

“After successive years of challenges for higher education, it is important to recognize institutions who are still looking beyond their own operations to transform lives and communities,” said Cara Quackenbush, Encoura’s executive vice president of research. “We are delighted to honor colleges and universities who are creating important, innovative programs that promote student success, equity and a stronger future for education.” 

The Rockford Promise at NIU was selected for its success in championing access. The program involves university partnerships with the City of Rockford, Rockford Promise organization and Rockford Public Schools.  

For eligible students who live in Rockford and graduate from one of its public schools with a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0, the program guarantees that tuition and general fee costs will be met by gift aid such as grants and scholarships for up to four years at NIU. 

“Our program really showcases the power of collaboration, and it benefits the Rockford region by nurturing the future workforce,” said Sol Jensen, NIU vice president for Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications, who accepted the award on behalf of the university. 

Despite launching the program during a difficult stretch in higher education brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rockford Promise at NIU has flourished. Since its inception, freshmen enrollment from Rockford Public Schools has surged, increasing more than sixfold compared to the three years prior to the program’s launch. Notably, Rockford Promise scholars exhibit better re-enrollment rates than the university average and higher GPAs. 

“The NIU’s Rockford Promise Program aligns perfectly with the mission, vision and values of our community,” Jensen said. “It contributes to diversity, equity and inclusion, with a substantial proportion of Rockford Promise scholars being first-generation students, Pell Grant recipients, and individuals of color.” 

Participants have praised the initiative (see accompanying video) for its financial assistance and comprehensive student support services, including mentorship programs and academic advising. And Rockford leaders view the program as a strategic investment in the community’s future, recognizing the program’s role in fostering educational attainment, economic prosperity and driving regional development. Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara recently touted the program in the Chicago Sun-Times. 

“The innovative Rockford Promise at NIU continues to grow,” Jensen added, “and most importantly, these students are thriving.” 

Encoura, LLC, the organization giving out the innovation award, is a wholly owned subsidiary of ACT. The educational data science and research organization serves over 2,000 member institutions comprising public and private colleges and universities across the nation.