Rockhurst News

Rockhurst University’s civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering programs are now fully accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.

ABET accreditation assures that programs meet standards to produce graduates ready to enter critical technical fields that are leading the way in innovation and emerging technologies and anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public.

In the middle of Kansas City’s bustling Crossroads Arts District is an unexpected patch of prairie. And in the middle of that, you’ll often find junior Gavin Schaefer.

“It’s really serene, but it’s in the middle of the city,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know that this place exists — I grew up here and walked by it so many times on First Friday without knowing it.”

Nearly every nurse has a story of why they got started in the profession, and almost all involve a nurse providing care and comfort to them or a loved one.

For Addie Griffith, it was after breaking her orbital bone, face, nose and suffering a severe concussion when getting in a nasty collision on the soccer field at Shawnee Mission East High School. It took a lengthy hospital stay and nearly three years to fully recover.

Once a year, Rockhurst University alumni are invited back to the classroom, this time as teachers.

The annual Leadership and Ethics Day has become a tradition in the College of Business, Influence and Information Analysis at Rockhurst — a one-day marathon of guest lectures from alumni, who bring their own experience into the classroom on everything from statistics to leadership, with many touching on the difficult ethical challenges they have been faced with and how they’ve navigated them.

Remember the first time you set foot on a college campus?

Hopefully, that experience was a positive one. Maybe it was at Rockhurst at tulip time in the spring, or perhaps the fall, when the leaves turn color. You might have had an interaction with a faculty, staff member or student that really made the difference in your college decision.

Today’s workplace is diverse in both its composition and responsibilities. Interdisciplinary classes, minors, and majors encourage students to think critically and creatively to properly prepare individuals for this evolving professional world.

Rockhurst’s College of Arts & Sciences built a multi-disciplinary approach and team-teaching into its 2020-2025 strategic plan to incorporate two or more areas of study to prepare students for the more varied careers in today’s global job market.

Just a few years ago, Hasina Lokhandwala Siraj was working as a senior human resources executive in her home country of India. Today, she’s a wife, mother and professional living in the U.S. as a Rockhurst MBA student.

In a life filled with big changes and important decisions, Lokhandwala calls her choice to pursue an MBA a Rockhurst after starting a family “one of the best decisions of my life.”

Nhukha (’21) and Nhukim (December '22) Nguyen are many things, but first and foremost they are sisters and best friends. Born two years apart, they are also the daughters of Vietnam immigrants, as well as student and community leaders, Buddhists, and Rockhurst Hawks.

The University prides itself in living out the slogan “A Home for All,” which includes different faiths and diverse backgrounds. Its faith tradition is “one of invitation and inclusion, not of expectation or requirement.” 

Rockhurst University and William Jewell College, located just 21 miles from each other, have enjoyed a healthy rivalry since the 1900s, and since 2011 have been Great Lakes Valley Conference opponents, as well.

This year, the two insitutions have a new prize to play for, as the two schools have agreed to create the Kansas City Crown, presented by Mammoth Sports Construction, with the inaugural competition set for the 2022-23 season across a dozen sports.

The NCAA reminds us that most collegiate student-athletes will turn professional in something other than sports.

Two Hawks, Tera Reberry (volleyball) and Parker Esparza (men’s soccer), are well on their way to living that dream as medical professionals, while still being key contributors to their respective teams.