4 , ▁allowing ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁high ▁school ▁classes , ▁and ▁college ▁classes ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁all ▁held ▁within ▁the ▁same ▁building . ▁The ▁first ▁Rock h urst ▁University ▁students ▁were ▁all ▁taught ▁by ▁ ▁Al phon se ▁Schw ital la . ▁The ▁first ▁class ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁Rock h urst ▁was ▁granted ▁acc red itation ▁by ▁the ▁North ▁Central ▁Association . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁all ▁divisions ▁of ▁Rock h urst ▁became ▁co ed uc ational . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Rock h urst ▁College ▁officially ▁changed ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁Rock h urst ▁University . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Rock h urst ▁officially ▁installed ▁its ▁four teenth ▁president , ▁Thomas ▁Cur ran , ▁a ▁Catholic ▁priest ▁and ▁the ▁school ' s ▁first ▁non - J es uit ▁president . ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Cur ran ▁took ▁his ▁final s ▁v ows ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁Jes uit . ▁ ▁Service ▁education ▁Rock h urst ▁University ▁ad her es ▁to ▁a ▁traditional ▁Ign at ian ▁philosophy ▁of ▁educ ating ▁students ▁not ▁only ▁in ▁academ ics , ▁but ▁in ▁leadership ▁and ▁service ▁as ▁well . ▁The ▁university ▁str esses ▁a ▁values ▁and ▁eth ics ▁based ▁education ▁with ▁an ▁emphas is ▁on ▁lif el ong ▁learning . ▁ ▁Gr adu ates ▁from ▁Rock h urst ▁University ▁receive ▁two ▁trans cript s : ▁one