Rockhurst News

When Greg Nicholas ('97, '00) and Amy Essner ('98, '01) met at Rockhurst as undergrads, little did they know how their lives would change…and how many kids’ lives around the world they’d change together.

After completing their undergraduate degrees, the two finished physical therapy school at Rockhurst and got married. They've spent a life in service ever since, though selflessness has always been a part of who they are.

“That’s why we chose RU,” Amy said. “The values we got from Rockhurst deepened that need for service.”

Don’t call it a comeback — when Caroline Campbell took over the position of director of alumni relations at Rockhurst University in May, it marked a return to more than just Jesuit education (she’s a graduate of Marquette University) — it’s also a chance to come back to an institution with which she is very familiar.

Don’t worry so much about climbing the ladder. Worry about whether it is leaning against the right building. You spend roughly one third of your life working. Make sure what you dedicate your time, energy and talents to matters … to you.

There was a unique addition to the Thomas More Dining Hall that may have caught your eye this year. Renovations to the dining hall during the summer of 2021 brought with it the introduction of a hydroponics grow room offering an alternative to soil gardening.

Hydroponic gardens produce more plants quickly with less space and less water than soil gardening. This system utilizes nutrient-rich water and recycled soda bottles as a mesh-type medium that serves as the soil alternative to support the roots of the plants in grow towers.

From performing in a film for the first time to starting a podcast from scratch to jumping at leadership opportunities, freshman Chidera Okafor has embraced what Rockhurst University has to offer.

But it could have gone another way — Okafor said she came to Rockhurst to be a nursing student after being waitlisted for medical school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She decided not to wait — instead choosing Rockhurst’s nursing program — but it has been anything but a backup plan.

Sean Lenihan was in elementary school when Rockhurst University Professor Nancy Donaldson started the Physics of Medicine degree at Rockhurst.

Sedgwick Hall is a milestone – started in 1910, the members of the Society of Jesus who founded the University had to wait until 1914 to complete the project. Despite that initial delay, the building has stood tall ever since. Its use over the years reflects its status as both a milestone and a workhorse, serving as a residence for Jesuits, for students, as both classroom space and recreational space, and until 2015 when Arrupe Hall opened, as the site of approximately 45% of the University’s undergraduate contact hours (and for many years Rockhurst High School as well).

In sports, teams are often so close they’re referred to internally as “families.” At an already tight-knit university like Rockhurst, because of the amount of time spent together and supporting each other, that can reach an extra level of inseparability that can lead to lifelong friendships.   

Of course, “family” is just a metaphor here… except when it’s not.

This past academic and athletic year, Rockhurst had six sets of siblings playing intercollegiate sports for the Hawks.

Rockhurst University has announced the dean’s list for the spring 2022 semester. This honor recognizes students who have achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or above.

The following students were named to the list:

Yasmeen Abutineh

Courtney Adams

Lauryn Adams

Nate Adamson

Peyton Aerni

Oscar Ahumada

Erica Akins

Mehdi Al-Amood

Shereen Al-Saoudi

Lucas Alaback

Balem Alamerew

Karen Alba

Le'Bonet Alfaro

Celeste Allen

Megan Allison

Drew Altic

Litzy Alvarado Islas

Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium was buzzing Saturday with loved ones cheering on the almost 750 graduates at Rockhurst University’s commencement ceremony.

The ceremony was the first in Municipal Auditorium since 2019, as the 2020 commencement was held virtually and the 2021 event outside, at Children’s Mercy Park.