Rockhurst News

Rockhurst University has been recognized in several categories as among the best in the country by Colleges of Distinction.

Each spring, a handful of students in the University’s criminal justice program are invited to be part of the Innocence Project course. This small group spends their semester reviewing a case where an incarcerated person has raised questions of innocence. Their goal is to review the case and report to the Kansas City-based Midwest Innocence Project whether they believe a case for innocence exists.

Recommitting itself to its students, staff, faculty and alumni, and redefining its place in higher education, Rockhurst University has unveiled updated branding and messaging including its new tagline, “Lead with Courage. Live with Purpose.”

Rockhurst University has announced the dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester. This honor recognizes students who have achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or above.

This week Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced $5 million in grant funding for 13 Missouri colleges and universities, providing additional resources for nursing education programs statewide. On the list is Rockhurst University, which will receive $630,000, the second-highest grant award for this round.

The world is about to get more Jesuit-educated health care, education and business professionals. That’s after a series of hooding and pinning ceremonies Saturday that marked the completion of studies for more than 200 students in several Rockhurst University’s graduate degree programs and its Bachelor of Science in nursing program.

For many years, lacrosse was life for Dominic Diaz, who is about to graduate with his Occupational Therapy Doctorate. He knows the history of the sport, its regional variations, and the strategy behind the game itself. He played at the collegiate level and coached at all levels up to high school.

Rockhurst University has received the NCAA Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence for achieving four-year Academic Success Rates of 90% or higher for the 14th consecutive year.

Jacob Scallorn, ’15, has a lot to be thankful for — and he’ll be the first to admit it. About 15 years ago, he was a deep in the cycle of addiction. He had lost seven jobs in eight months and wrecked his car twice. “God put me on the bench,” is how he puts it. But then something amazing happened — Scallorn said he entered rehab and it changed not just his physical health, but his mental wellbeing. He began to say “yes” to doing hard things and to devoting time and effort to accomplishing goals.

On Friday, leaders from Rockhurst University and Kansas City University signed a pivotal new agreement establishing and accelerated pathway for high school students and others to earn KCU’s medical and health care degrees.