Rockhurst News

Sometimes there are obvious clues left behind at a crime scene.

Broken glass can indicate a point of entry. Missing items point to a robbery, etc.

But there are less obvious clues, too — things left behind at the molecular level.

Meet the Expert

Patrick Mitchell, SHRM-SCP, ’05, ’09 MBA, is vice president for human resources, diversity, equity and inclusion at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. He is an enthusiastic people and culture leader with a passion for helping others become the very best version of themselves.

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.

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

On Saturday, close to 750 students will participate in Rockhurst University’s commencement ceremony — returning to Municipal Auditorium for the first time since the pandemic forced the 100^th commencement ceremony to the virtual realm in 2020.

Four members of Kansas City’s unique entrepreneurial landscape took the stage Thursday in the third annual “Meet the Makers” event.

And though they represented different focuses — socks, whiskey, coffee and ice cream — they shared an appreciation for the hard work it takes to be a business owner and for those who supported them along the way.

In 2018, Rockhurst University began offering college courses, taught by its own faculty, to a small cohort of 20 incarcerated individuals and 10 staff at the Chillicothe Correctional Center. Progressing through disciplines and a pandemic, they’ve continued to learn.

Two MBA concentrations from the Helzberg School of Business in the College of Business, Influence and Information Analysis have earned top 20 national rankings in U.S. News & World Reports’ 2023 Best Graduate Schools rankings.

The greenery around campus makes every spring a wonderful time on the Rockhurst University campus.

But there’s more to the tree canopy at Rockhurst than aesthetics — all that foliage helps make the campus a more livable, sustainable place for faculty, staff, students, biodiversity and our communities. And in recognition of continuing efforts to keep the campus’s trees healthy and vibrant, Rockhurst University has been recognized as a Tree Campus by the Arbor Day Foundation — the first institution in the Kansas City area to earn that distinction.

Rockhurst University’s campus is home to a new resource for those with disabilities, thanks to a partnership with the state of Missouri.

Inside Ignatius Science Center is the Missouri Assistive Technology lab, a place where the community can come and learn about available assistive technologies and how to use them. It’s a service provided by the state. The main facility for the region is located in nearby Blue Springs, but the University campus provided a prime location for a second site, according to Tammy Bruegger, OTD, assistant professor of occupational therapy.