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Bringing technology and business together

Program History

1994-1995: Contributed $1M to launch the Program
2000: Approved as a university minor
2003: Established Corporate Affiliates Program
2003: Initiated Hallene Lecture series
2003-2005: Contributed over $5.5M to partially endow the Program
2005: Launched International Immersion trip
2007: Launched International Business Plan Competition
2011: Launched domestic corporate affiliate site visits
2014: Launched international internships following immersion trip
2018: Program membership expanded to twice its original size

Leonard and Mary Lou Hoeft
Leonard and Mary Lou Hoeft

The program is comprised of two components:

Corporate Affiliates

#WhyHoeft

Current T&M students share why they joined the program and how T&M have enhanced their academic careers.

"The Hoeft Technology & Management Program has empowered me to develop as a decision-maker and young professional. The thing that sets the program apart is the curriculum: the classes are designed to be eye-opening while remaining entirely practical. The classes held for all students contain some of the most thought provoking and intriguing discussions I’ve experienced at the university, all focused on how we innovate. The curriculum for engineering students revolves around making informed decisions based on business insights. After classes, we have co-curricular events which are terrific chances to get to know industry professionals on a personal level and learn from their experiences. The mentorship within the program is also a powerful experience: the upperclassmen of the program are tremendous role models in efficiency, professional skills, and responsibility.  As a whole, the program is a terrific way to grow as a leader, student, and manager through hands-on experiences and networking."

Christina Garcia
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Junior, Class XXVII

Will Andersen
Computer Science
Senior, Class XXVI

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the T&M program because of the community. It makes a huge difference to be surrounded by classmates who will help me learn beyond my BIOE curriculum, who constantly strive for excellence, and who have so many professional experiences to share. It's inspiring. I've also enjoyed the alumni network. Alum are so willing to hold informational interviews, provide advice, and connect you to recruiters. I've grown in confidence with holding professional conversations and learned how to present my experiences in a way that adds value. Because of T&M, I feel fully confident in interviews, in interactions during my internship, and in envisioning my path to achieve future professional goals."

Sachi Goel
Information Systems & Management
Junior, Class XXVII

Abby Cabush
Bioengineering
Senior, Class XXVI

"As a student-athlete, it can sometimes be hard to find your place academically. The Hoeft Technology & Management program has allowed me to realise that there are no limits or boundaries to my capabilities outside of sport. They embraced my diversity, and this is emblematic of the program as a whole. For at the heart of T&M is its ability to champion diverging minds and the differing opinions that come with being from different majors.

As a business student specifically, this program has allowed me to connect with and develop alongside my talented peers in engineering – to see how they think and learn the importance of their function in the business realm. Additionally, the opportunity to network with corporate sponsors and attend various professional development events has allowed me to see a growth in myself both professionally and personally that I will forever be grateful for."

"T&M has encouraged me to rethink my understanding of business and challenge myself in new, exciting ways. As someone keen to pursue a career in environmental sustainability, the classes I have taken through T&M have taught me what it means to be a dynamic and successful leader in the ever-changing world. I feel more prepared to enter the workforce and to make an impact not only through my work but also my approach to solving complex and challenging problems and the relationships I build. The professional development offered for T&M students has allowed me to refine my networking through the endless unique opportunities we have to interact with corporate sponsors. And T&M alumni are always keen to give back to the program by connecting with current students. The alumni I was introduced to within days of joining the program, have now become some of my most valuable professional mentors. I have already received so much from this experience and look forward to paying it forward to future cohorts!"

Ashleigh Lefevre
Marketing
Senior, Class XXVI

Shivani Ramesh
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Junior, Class XXVII

Grace Klevorn
Accountancy
Senior, Class XXVI

Aditi Kumar
Accountancy & Information Systems
Junior, Class XXVII

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Read About Us!

25 Years in the Making

Since The Hoeft Technology & Management Program began in 1995, nearly 1,000 engineering and business students from the University of Illinois have completed the program, carrying with them Leonard Hoeft’s vision of merging two disciplines to better compete in a global marketplace. Leonard (B.S. ’47, Finance) and Mary Lou Hoeft's initial gift of $1 million helped launch the joint partnership between The Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business. Their subsequent outright gift of $5.5 million permanently endowed the program, which is now celebrating the completion of its 25th year.

Caterpillar’s Redzic shares insights at Hallene Lecture

On October 14, Ogi Redzic, chief digital officer and vice president of Caterpillar Inc., delivered the Fall 2020 Hallene Lecture on “Innovating for the Next 100 Years: The Power of Digital Technology to Shape the Physical World.” The lecture, which was sponsored by The Hoeft Technology & Management Program at the University of Illinois, was presented over Zoom for the first time. More than 220 people came to hear what Redzic had to share.

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