About the Hoeft Gift

The Hoeft Technology & Management Program exists today because of the vision and generosity of Leonard (B.S. ’47, Finance) and Mary Lou Hoeft. With an initial $1 million gift in 1995, the Hoefts helped launch a groundbreaking partnership between The Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business. Their subsequent $5.5 million endowment ensured the program would thrive for generations to come.

The Hoefts believed that business and engineering students who could bridge both disciplines would be uniquely prepared to lead in a global marketplace. Nearly 1,000 University of Illinois students have since carried that vision forward, gaining a competitive edge through interdisciplinary learning, leadership opportunities, and real-world experience.

Today, the program attracts top students not only from engineering and business, but also from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Corporate partners, including Abbott, Anheuser-Busch, Boeing, bp, Caterpillar, John Deere, Motorola Solutions, Synchrony, and T-Mobile, play a vital role in providing mentorship, projects, and networking opportunities that extend across industries and continents.

The Hoefts’ investment laid the foundation for a program that transforms careers and builds lasting connections among students, alumni, and corporate partners. Their legacy lives on in every T&M student who graduates ready to innovate, collaborate, and lead.