RnRI Scholarship Program

In Spring of 2017, we received a Scholarship application from a young man named Christopher Ruckman. His audition video was unlike anything we had seen. The Scholarship committee could not believe the level of musicianship that Chris possessed, the way his young hands made that guitar sing. He was truly a musical prodigy. Needless to say, he was awarded an RnRI Scholarship. A few months later, he tore down the Mendelssohn stage (figuratively, of course) with an amazing performance with his band Deadwood Bounty. Less than a year later, Chris and his little brother John “Jack” tragically left this earth, taking their talents and our hearts with them. We were blessed to have Chris as a camper and as a friend. And we were looking forward to eventually working with John as well, considering he was a phenomenal percussionist. Thanks to the generosity of our camper families, and friends and family of Chris and John, we received enough donations to start this Scholarship in their honor. The Ruckman Memorial Sholarship Fund is open to any and all applicants aged 12-20, any instruments. Scholarship is performance or needs-based, and is good for 1 week of summer camp, $399 value.

It is no question that our long-time officer and former president, Micky Rosenquist, has contributed immensely to the vibrant community of young musicians that we serve. Thanks to an anonymous donor, there are two scholarships available to honor Micky’s legacy. Micky is a multi-instrumental producer / composer / performer who has collaborated and toured with many artists throughout the country. Micky owns Underground Squirrel Studio, a music production studio based in Rockford, IL, where he teaches private music lessons and records/produces music of various genres. Along with helping other musical artists and students find their musical voice, Micky can also be found writing and performing under the stage name, Micky Torpedo. Micky creates everything from instrumental, ambient musical compositions to rowdy rock and roll with bands like Go Go Torpedo, Evil Zenith, and many others. Formerly an adjunct professor of music and audio engineering for Rock Valley College, Micky has given many presentations on songwriting and audio engineering at Rock Valley College, Rockford University, and Keith Country Day School, to name a few. He holds A.A and B.A. degrees in music and is a graduate from the Northern Illinois University Music Program. The Torpedo Scholarship is open to any and all applicants aged 12-20, any instrument. Scholarship is performance or needs-based, and is good for 1 week of summer camp, $399 value.