(l–r) Brett Sean Connell ’14 MBA, Sherry Ruud, Sarah Connell, Michelle Podkowa, Carrie Burden ’97, and Aaron Potter ’98/’09.
Gala 2015 benefits athletics On Saturday, February 20, 2016, Rockford University held its annual gala, “Let’s Get Physical.” Approximately 240 alumni and friends experienced a high-energy evening inside a transformed Seaver Gymnasium. From the dance floor at center court to the golf simulator in the multi-purpose gym, there was not a lack of activity at the event. Many guests embraced the “athletic chic” dress code. What is athletic chic, you ask? Guests were encouraged to trade in stilettos for tennis shoes, top hats for ball caps, and/or give a nod to their favorite sport or team. They did not disappoint! More than $43,000 in Gala proceeds will be used towards the $6 million construction of a new athletics and event center. With record student enrollment pushing our 50-year-old Seaver Gymnasium past maximum capacity, offering facilities, practice space for our sports teams and an intramural experience for our student body is of great importance. The new building will also house additional event spaces for our campus and community to enjoy. Trustee Patti ’87 and Kris Tumilowicz were the honorary co-chairs for the event. The match was a perfect fit as Patti stated, “Kris and I have always maintained active lifestyles. We view sports and physical fitness as fundamental to a productive life. The lessons learned from intercollegiate and intramural sports are not only hard to replicate, but on a university campus they provide for a lively culture of competition Patti Tumilowicz ’87 and Kristyn King ’89 are dressed in “athletic chic” for Gala 2016.
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