Following graduation from Kramer High School, she earned her BS in Nursing from UNMC College of Nursing and taught nursing students. She continued her education by earning her MA and Ph.D from UNL.
Then switching professions, Dr. Rockwell became internationally known for Targeting Outcomes of Programs, co-authored with a colleague from USDA. She is currently Professor Emeritus at UNL. Dr. Rockwell volunteered for the Farmer-2-Farmer Program in USAID and taught subsistence farmers in Kenya, East Africa, to work cooperatively with their neighbors to obtain top dollar for their commodities. Through the Protestant Inland Church, she arranged a partnership with one congregation to build a preschool and a public library, and to establish the Goats for Voo Initiative where 1 billy goat and 3 ewes were given to about 1,000 HIV+ orphan families.
The initiative increased the family's income sufficiently to purchase clothing and shoes, and other supplies required for all children in the family to attend public school.
In 2023, a demonstration classroom was funded for the community to respond to the President's mandate to Harvest the Skies so Kenya, a water deficit country, will have sufficient water to meet future needs.
