First Generation Student FAQs

This is a common occurrence for students, not just our first gen students. We have a great deal of resources on campus to help you figure out what you want to do. If you are undecided about what career would suit you, connect with career services for an appointment to review your skills, interests and talents and find a major that aligns. You can also talk to your advisor about your interests and classes available at Rockhurst.

Students oftentimes feel overwhelmed during their transition to college, as it is a completely different way of learning from high school. You can talk to the success coach about ways to manage your time, and workload. In addition, your advisor can be a great person who can help listen and discuss available resources to work through this. Some other resources include the Aylward-Dunn Learning Center which provides tutoring as well as supplemental instruction. In addition, the Greenlease Library is a wonderful resource for those tough homework assignments and papers, and librarians are on hand to help you begin your research.

The registrar’s office is a great resource for sorting through your information regarding any transfer credits or dual credits from high school, whether it be making sure it is applied to your progress or if you are working to remove any holds!

You need to speak with your advisor to discuss your academic options and the process for withdrawing.

Work-study is a program from the federal government that assist students with employment to meet educational costs. If you were granted work study you should be notified and then can apply for work study positions by visiting career services to view the open positions.

The first thing you need to do is not panic. When a family undergoes a significant financial change, you should visit with the Financial Aid Office in order to discuss all of your alternatives. Together you and the financial aid counselor can discuss your options or come up with a plan.

Please contact student accounts for any questions you have regarding your bill, paying your bill or arranging any payment plans.

Fraternities and sororities both recruit primarily during the beginning of the spring semester each year, giving men and women a full semester to adjust to college life before making a commitment to a Greek organization. This is called deferred recruitment. There will be information sessions held in the fall semester to give you more information regarding this process. Potential new members are expected to have earned 12 hours of academic credit and a minimum 2.5 GPA before joining. Sororities have a fast-paced, formalized process, with events spanning four days. Fraternities have a more relaxed recruitment schedule in late January, starting with IFC Open House events leading up to individual chapter events.

At the beginning of the school year you have an opportunity to attend the Student Activities Fair to learn about everything RU has to offer. Don’t be shy to visit the tables and get more information. If you are unable to attend this event, please contact the Office of Student Life to hear more about ways to get involved.

If you are interested in creating a student organization on campus, please visit with the Office of Student Life to hear more information about the process.

Studying abroad can be a great way of broadening your education journey. Please visit with our study abroad office to get more information.

Life outside of the classroom can get very complicated and can impact your life within the classroom. If you live on campus your RA, RD can be great resources located in your building. We also have the Counseling Center, and success coaches who are available to help discuss and plan ways to make it through. These services are free to all enrolled students.

To be considered for ongoing accommodations please visit with the Associate Dean of Students located in Massman 3 to review the steps to receive these.

To park on campus you need to register your car online, and then you can pick up your parking pass from security. To park ANYWHERE on campus you MUST have a parking pass, without one you will be subject to fines. There is a fee associated with on-campus parking.

To receive any information regarding emergencies please sign up for Rockalerts which is our campus emergency notification system.

Our security officers are available to escort Rockhurst employees and students to their cars if they feel unsafe. They will also respond appropriately to suspicious persons or activities. So if you are feeling uncomfortable, even if it is not an emergency, contact security via the red or blue phones or by dialing 4010 from a campus land line. If you are off campus or using your cell phone, call 816-501-4010.

The red and blue phones around campus will connect you directly to security. Use these phones if you need to report an emergency, feel unsafe or notice something suspicious. The security officer will take the appropriate action to assist you. Red phones are located inside and outside campus buildings. Blue phones are located in the parking lots and along pedestrian walkways.

Please visit with the Center for Service Learning to learn more about how to connect community with the classroom through service.

This is something that many students experience. They have thoughts that they aren’t making friends and finding their group. Some may not believe that they are as smart, as talented, as experienced or even as worthy as others. This is natural. We have people that are very well versed in supporting students in this area. The success coach, counseling center, professors, advisors, and res life staff are all great resources for this. Talk about your feelings, we are all here to help students find their home here.

At Rockhurst, we value faith and spirituality as essential components of Jesuit education. We encourage all students to grow in their own religious faith during their years at Rockhurst. Celebrate, nurture and discover the richness of your faith, and encounter the religious diversity of others in this “home for all faiths.”

The Campus Ministry team would be happy to assist you in locating a local community of faith with which to worship.

Every fall there are service immersion interest meetings held, so be on the lookout for those. If you have further questions, or miss meetings please contact Bill Kriege in Campus Ministry for more information.

Housing assignment letters are emailed by the beginning of July for fall semester and in December for spring semester. We will also inform you via email if there are any changes regarding your assignment. You will receive your roommate's contact information so you can make arrangements about furniture and other room topics. This will also provide you the opportunity to share information about yourself before the start of the new year.

A Resident Director is an employee of the Rockhurst whose responsibility it is to support students in their transition to college, foster inclusive and equitable communities, report concerns in the communities, and assist students as they tackle the task of living independently. They are also responsible for creating a safe environment. They are a wonderful resource for students, as they live and work within the same building as you! They are also a personal resource for you to use when you need advice about stress management, academic stress, roommate conflicts or relationship stress. They are very knowledgeable about resources available on campus. A resident advisor is a student employee who is charged with providing programming, educational activities, support and advice to students within their building. They are student leaders who went through a competitive interview process selected for their level of support and ability to help students within our residence halls.

RU has a residency requirement that requires all full-time students to live with their parents or on campus. Please visit Housing Requirements for more information.

At the beginning of each new year, Residence Life asks all campus residents to complete a roommate agreement. This agreement enables new roommates to establish the "rules of the room," which is a valuable tool to help students live in close quarters with a roommate. If, after completing this agreement, you encounter roommate conflicts, you may meet with your RA or Resident Director. They will provide additional help in resolving the issues between you and your roommate. If the issues cannot be resolved, students are free to pursue room/roommate changes. The room change process is free of charge and is completed in the Residence Life Office.

You can always talk to your RA or RD with any concerns if you live on campus. Other campus resources include security, counseling center and success coach to name a few!

Printers are strategically placed throughout campus. To use you must be linked to papercut and have your student ID. Please contact computer services for more information!

We partner with HCA Neighborhood Walk-In Clinic, which is located on the ground level of the parking garage. There are also many urgent cares, emergency rooms and physician offices nearby.

The Liberal Core Curriculum is a major part of what makes a Rockhurst education so valuable. Many students choose Rockhurst because it has a reputation for being a strong school. What may seem like ‘extra’ or unnecessary courses will actually contribute greatly to your skills as a (fill in the blank here: accountant, engineer, manager, teacher, researcher, lawyer, health care professional, etc.). Courses in history, literature, philosophy, and theology contribute your personal and professional development and understanding of the world you live in. Rockhurst graduates will have strong skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and global awareness (hint: take a look at what employers are looking for). Be patient with studying subjects outside of your major. They are important. You may even learn more than you bargained for.

The Office of the Registrar maintains all your academic records and information: transcripts, classes, grades, credits, etc. You can contact them with questions like when is your registration date, how many credits transferred in, can I take credits elsewhere, how do I order my transcript or give access to my parents (FERPA).