Support a Student, Change a Life!

Providing resources to support the educational aspirations of people in our community is more than than a generous act, it can change a life! There are many ways to support students as they consider their education and career options and seek to advance their education and training:

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• Get to know our community's higher education institutions: 

  • Highland Community College: Comprehensive 2-year community college with main campus located in Freeport with satellite offices throughout northwest Illinois. Offers comprehensive academic programming with over 60 degrees and certificates. 

  • Northern Illinois University: Four-year institution with main campus in DeKalb, and satellite locations throughout northern Illinois. Offers more than 100 undergraduate programs.

  • Rockford University:​ Four-year, co-educational institution offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. Offers approximately 80 majors, minors and concentrations, including the bachelor’s degree completion program for a B.S. in Management Studies, as well as three graduate studies programs.

  • Rock Valley College: Comprehensive 2-year community college with main campus located in Rockford offering more than 100 courses for transfer, career programs and certificates.

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• Mentor a student: 

  • Alignment Rockford: Volunteers are needed to support their work to align community resources to the greatest strategic needs of Rockford Public Schools.

  • KFACT: Volunteers are needed to provides mentoring and support to middle and high school aged girls and ongoing support to program "graduates" as they pursue higher education.

  • Rockford Promise: Volunteers are needed for mentoring, advocacy, and more, to help ensure post-secondary education is affordable and expected for all students in the community.

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• Provide job-shadow, internship, or career exploration opportunities at your workplace:

  • CareerTEC: ​Coordinates and delivers Career and Technical Education preparing students for careers and college after high school providing dual credit and industry recognized certificates. Serves six high school districts in northwest Illinois:  Dakota, Durand, Freeport (incl. Aquin), Orangeville, Pearl City, and Pecatonica. 

  • CEANCI: Career Education Associates of North Central Illinois (CEANCI) provides regional career and technical programming and supports career and technical programming at member high schools. Career and technical programming in the region is provided in the occupational clusters of agriculture, business and information technology, family and consumer sciences, health occupations and industrial/technical occupations. Serves: Belvidere CUSD 100, Harlem UD 122, North Boone CUSD 200, Rockford SD 205, Hononegah CHD 207, Oregon CUSD 220, Meridian CUSD 223, Byron CUSD 226, South Beloit SD 320, and Winnebago CUSD 323.

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• Support an existing scholarship fund OR create a new fund: 

  • Community Foundation of Northern Illinois: Public foundation housed in Rockford and serving Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties. Manages nearly 100 unique scholarship funds as well as designated and advised endowments which support educational institutions, among other philanthropic programs. 

  • Highland Community College Foundation: Coordinates giving to HCC including gifts to existing scholarship programs or gifts to establish new funds for the benefit of HCC students and programs. 

  • Northern Illinois University Foundation: Coordinates giving to NIU including gifts to existing scholarship programs or gifts to establish new funds for the benefit of NIU students and programs.

  • Rockford University Office of Advancement: Coordinates giving to RU including gifts to existing scholarship programs or gifts to establish new funds for the benefit of RU students and programs.

  • Rock Valley College Foundation: Coordinates giving to RVC including gifts to existing scholarship programs or gifts to establish new funds for the benefit of RVC students and programs.