From a chance invitation to a lifetime of impact

Driven by personal passions and a belief in access, Susan and Mike Haney are strengthening Illinois and the students who shape its future.

Michael (Mike) Haney (GRAINGER ’81, ’85) leaned into the metal washing machine to throw in his last load of clothes. He shut the lid and ambled down the hallway, set to await the buzz of the machine’s completion. As he stepped into his apartment, he heard the metallic ring of his phone and picked up a call from his friend, Allan, asking him to go to the Champaign Public Library to watch a special showing of Star Wars. At first, Mike hesitated but then gave a quick confirmation that he’d be there. Mike darted out of the building, all thoughts of laundry forgotten.

Across town, Susan Torrance (now Haney) (GIES ’82) waited in line to check out her hard-sought-after books from the Champaign Public Library as she spied her good friend, Pat, entering the library. Happily surprised, Susan made small talk with Pat. By the time she was called to check out, she not only had two great books to take home, but she also had an invitation to that night’s showing of Star Wars.

In the auditorium, Mike bounded up to where Allan (Pat’s husband), Pat, and Susan were sitting, introduced himself to Susan, and took the seat beside her. Before the credits were finished, Mike had asked Susan for lunch the following day, and offered her a ride home. They’ve been together ever since.

Decades later, Susan and Mike Haney have remained close to their alma mater, serving as beacons of support for over a dozen efforts on the Illinois campus. Their generosity has reached from the Chez Veterans Center to the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, from supporting STEM in the College of Education to the construction of the new Japan House and Ogura-Sato Annex, as well as scholarships via the Lincoln Scholars Initiative. Their support of the School of Social Work has provided opportunities for countless students to pursue careers serving others. In a climate of increased pressure on higher education, Susan and Mike Haneys’ selflessness drives Illinois to achieve its core mission of educating a new generation of Illinois students who will shape the future in ways we cannot yet imagine.

While the magnitude of the Haneys’ philanthropy has been immense, it all started with a passion and a small spark.

As a student in the early ’80s, Susan’s hunt for an elective led her to ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. That single class sparked a deep interest in Japanese arts and culture, leading Susan to take subsequent courses such as sumi-e, the art of painting with brush and ink, and raku, the art of making Japanese pottery. She quickly developed an appreciation and love for the Japan House at Illinois.

Years later, when it was time to construct a new building for the growing Japan House, Susan knew she had to be a part of it. The Haneys’ first major gift helped to fuel that project. In addition to annual donations to WILL, they also began to support scholarships at Illinois. Inspired by Judy Ikenberry, they decided to assist someone who would likely not earn a lot of money with their degree. Having no ties to the School of Social Work but knowing they could make the most significant impact on one of the smaller schools on campus, they picked up the phone and called Dean Wynne Korr, telling her they were endowing a scholarship, the Susan and Michael Haney Social Work Scholarship. It marked the beginning of a profound relationship that directly supported students.

Inspired by Susan’s giving, Mike also leaned into his passions. As a graduate student at Illinois, he studied electrical engineering, earning master’s and doctoral degrees in the field. While earning his degrees, Mike was a student teacher and discovered a deep love for teaching. When the financial opportunity presented itself, Mike wanted to support educators in the STEM field; thus, the Michael and Susan Haney STEM Educator Scholarship was established, and now supports the College of Education.

Seeing the potential impact they could have, they then sought a project to fund at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, choosing to honor the Krannert Center’s 50th anniversary and visiting artists. From there it became easy to expand their giving to encompass support for Young Audiences, Lyric Theatre, Theatre, and the Krannert Center Debut Artist program.

The importance of those gifts led them to setting their sights on further increasing their aid to the Urbana campus and its students.

In addition to the doors opened to students to access education provided by the Susan and Michael Haney Social Work Scholarship Fund, the Haneys’ early gifts to Fund for Field purchased bus passes and tanks of gas to allow students to get to their required internships. This opened the Haneys’ eyes to how many students they could assist, leading them to helping students study abroad through the Haney School of Social Work Study Abroad Fund, and helping students in need, initially during the COVID-19 pandemic, through the Haney School of Social Work Student Support Fund. As for the first tanks of gas and bus passes via the Fund for Field, those have led to the Haney School of Social Work Field Education Fund.

The Haneys show us all how following your passions can help others do the same. Their continued and determined philanthropy has changed the lives of students at Illinois and enriched the lives of those who visit our campus.

Mike’s father was a professor at Northwestern University and would often invite students home for the holidays who were otherwise unable to spend the holidays with their families. That taught Mike the personal impact an educator could have on a student’s life.

“We have interactions with the departments and with the students in each of the areas that we support,” said Mike. “Whether it is at homecoming or a tailgate party, an open house, or an audition, I find a huge amount of joy seeing that we’re helping, that we’re doing something to make students’ lives better. It’s amazing.”