To recognize the importance of alumni service and engagement, the University Honors Program has established the Earl Rachowicz Honors Service Award. The award’s first recipient, very appropriately, is Earl Rachowicz, who received this recognition at the spring 2024 Honors Day ceremony in April.
Earl Rachowicz, along with his wife Cindi, have both been incredible supporters of NIU. The University Honors Program is lucky to be among the beneficiaries of their support. Earl graduated with his degree in Accountancy and was a member of the first Honors graduating class in 1969. Earl and Cindi have supported many endeavors in the University Honors Program, including helping refurbish the Honors computer lab, which they founded originally. Earl reviews Honors scholarships each year, and the Rachowiczes made a multi-year commitment to fund several Honors Seminars. Most recently, Earl and Cindi have made it possible for the Honors Program, in partnership with the College of Health and Human Sciences and the Office of Student Engagement and Experiential Learning, to purchase an electronic platform that will help students connect with faculty mentors to engage in research experiences. These sorts of experiences are crucial for students when entering competitive graduate programs and careers.
What may be most admirable about Earl and Cindi’s engagement is that they have aimed to have a ripple effect. From the initial Rachowicz Challenge in 2012 when they invited other alumni and friends of the program to contribute to student success, the theme has been consistent: the desire to invest in our students and to do so as a beacon to inspire others to do the same. With this in mind, we named the Honors Service Award after Earl Rachowicz.
We are eager to recognize supporters of the University Honors Program each year.
