Rockford University, city leaders celebrate expansion of tuition-free scholarship program

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Rockford Promise Scholarship Program just received an expansion that aims to keep graduates in the local workforce.

Initially, aldermen were debating whether to include private schools in the free scholarship program. Now that the tuition-free opportunity is official for any Rockford high schooler.

Beginning in the 2025 academic year, any Rockford high school student with a 3.0 GPA or higher and MAP and PELL grant-eligible can apply to attend Rockford University for free.

The President of Rockford University said the goal is to keep Rockford Promise graduates in the local workforce.

"The opportunity to have a Rockford workforce that is college educated has been absolutely embraced by the institutions that we work with," said Rockford University President Patricia Lynott. "Every time we talk about this happening the response has been overtly positive."

The City of Rockford has committed $500,000 annually towards the program through casino revenue. Any costs that exceed the contribution will be covered by Rockford University.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.

The president of Tuskegee University in Alabama announced Monday that the school is being closed to outsiders and that its security chief has been fired in the wake of a mass shooting Sunday on campus. Mark Brown, president and CEO of the historically black university, announced the changes as the investigation of the mass shooting continued Monday and the local sheriff warned those responsible for the shooting that "we are going to find you." "The Tuskegee University community is heartbroken by what happened on our campus Sunday morning," Brown said during a news conference Monday afternoon.