Cindi ‘73 and Earl Rachowicz, ’73, have a long history with Northern Illinois University. It’s where they met and fell in love; it’s where they each earned a degree that paved the way for successful careers.
It’s where for the past three decades, they’ve been giving back.
In 2021, the couple established the Cynthia and Earl Rachowicz Fund for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Training in Nursing. The new curriculum, an approach that uses FDA-approved pharmacological treatments to address the opioid epidemic, will allow Northern nurses to graduate on the leading edge of patient care, using evidenced-based treatment options.
For Cindi, supporting NIU’s School of Nursing request was personal. 
“The reason this program appealed to me is that my mother suffered from spinal stenosis,” Cindi said. “She was in constant pain, and ultimately she became addicted to her pain medication.”
With the opioid crisis growing, the Rachowicz’s investment in MAT training will have a significant impact.
“I have personal experience in seeing what addiction can do to an individual, and have seen what it does to families,” Cindi said. “There are so many different aspects of treating addiction, and nurses need to be aware and be able to offer options and resources. It may result in changing or saving a life.”
Dr. Susan Caplan, chair of NIU’s School of Nursing, agreed.
“There is a crisis facing the United States currently in the form of the increasing prevalence of addictive disorders, especially related to opioid dependence,” Caplan said. “This crisis is worse in rural communities where there is a major shortage of available mental health professionals who are competently trained in evidence-based prevention and treatment of addictive disorders.”
Caplan said to address the opioid crisis, it’s important to provide training in evidence-based prevention of addictive disorders. The Rachowicz’s support will help NIU do that.
“Prevention and treatment of substance abuse is multi-faceted and would require an interdisciplinary approach and academic and clinical partnerships,” Caplan said.
Cindi has a great appreciation for nurses and how they care for people, often in challenging situations. Because of that, the couple has included nursing as one of several programs they’ve supported over the years.
“Supporting NIU is something that’s important to both of us,” said Cindi, who graduated with a degree in secretarial administration. “We value education, and ours has served us well over our lifetime.”
Earl shared the sentiment.
“We both really enjoyed our time at NIU,” said Earl. “It’s important for us to give back. NIU provided me with an awful lot of opportunities, and I had tremendous support from faculty when I was a student there.”
The College of Health and Human Sciences at NIU is nationally recognized for quality and impact of research, teaching and service. Donors enable the college to prepare leaders to enhance the lives of individuals, families, and communities across the lifespan. To invest in this effort, click here to make a gift or contact Ray Earl-Jackson, Executive Director of Advancement, to learn about endowed and expendable funds.
