Rockhurst Bolsters ROTC Program

Rockhurst University has long welcomed participants in the Army’s ROTC program.

But starting next year, the program that offers educational opportunities for outstanding students in exchange for a commitment to military service will be even more visible on the Rockhurst campus.

According to Rick Graham, associate dean of the Helzberg School of Management, ROTC classes at RU have been run as part of a regional program based at Missouri Western State University, alongside several other area schools like the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Courses have been offered at both Rockhurst and UMKC campuses, but information about the ROTC curriculum in the Rockhurst course catalog was limited to a short paragraph about the program. As a result, Graham said students interested in ROTC sometimes had a hard time finding what courses they needed to take.

“Because I was retired military, I had been the unofficial liaison, answering questions when students had them,” he said.

That might be about to change. Graham said the ROTC is hoping to strengthen its presence in Kansas City, moving some of its activities to a facility near UMKC’s Hospital Hill campus. All available courses will also be listed individually in Rockhurst University’s course catalog, giving the program and its benefits more visibility to students as they sign up for classes. Graham added that students will also likely see more informational booths at University events as a result of the visibility effort.

“It makes it a lot easier for students who are thinking about ROTC to see what we have to offer,” he said. “And it gives Rockhurst University a better chance to attract the high-caliber students who earn ROTC scholarships.”

The University currently has two students earning ROTC scholarships, which are awarded to top achievers who commit to two or four years of military service in return for their education. Graham said higher visibility of the ROTC offerings at Rockhurst means the University could attract more of those high-achieving students. Graham, a retired officer in the U.S. Army himself, said in some ways the philosophy that inspires members of the military echoes the Jesuit core values.

“Being an officer is all about caring for the whole person and the whole unit,” he said. “It’s that notion of selfless service and serving others.”