NIU welcomes 130 new Rockford Promise scholars this semester

DEKALB, Ill. (WTVO) — Northern Illinois University celebrates the success of some special students from Rockford.

NIU opened the doors to 130 new Rockford Promise scholars on campus this semester.

Those students' tuition and fees are covered after earning at least a 3.0 GPA in high school. The program has been sending students to NIU since 2021 and produced its first graduates last May.

Administrators said the students are thriving, but it is not just due to the financial help.

"Many community leaders, business owners are involved in that mentoring. So, they are giving back to the Rockford area community. And so again, when our students perform so well here academically they retain at a really high rate, strong average GPA," said NIU's Sol Jensen. "So, these students are just performing so well because of all the different resources and services we're able to provide to them."

In all, 365 Rockford Promise scholars are currently attending NIU.