HOUSTON — Southern Illinois University Carbondale announced a $2.1 million gift from alumnus Harvey N. Michaels and his wife, Collie, to establish the Harvey N. Michaels Center for Academic Success and Engagement in the College of Business and Analytics. The announcement was made on the evening of Nov. 13 during the Chancellor’s Reception in Houston, the final stop of the 2nd Annual Saluki Takeover Tour Texas.
The gift, which includes a matching contribution from the Deloitte Foundation, will create a centralized hub dedicated to academic support, career preparation and wellness resources for SIU business students. Known informally as “The Harv,” the center will be located on the first floor of Rehn Hall.
Michaels, a first-generation college student raised by his Ukrainian immigrant grandparents in Chicago, earned both his bachelor’s degree in accountancy in 1980 and his MBA in 1981 from SIU. During graduate school, he worked for AC Nielsen and set his sights on a future in consulting. After applying to the Big Eight professional services firms (now the Big Four) in Dallas, he accepted an offer in management consulting with Touche Ross, which later merged with Deloitte. Michaels went on to spend 38 years with the firm, becoming a partner, holding multiple leadership roles and working with major companies around the world.
“I am humbled to give back,” Michaels said. “I want parents and students to walk in, see modern technology, feel the change underway at SIU and know this is a place that supports students and helps them get jobs.”
Dr. Marc Morris, dean of the College of Business and Analytics, said the center will strengthen the college’s position as a national leader. SIU’s business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, placing the college among the top 5 percent of business schools worldwide. SIU’s online business and administration program recently ranked within the top 25 percent in the U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Online Programs.
“This center will give our students the training, support and development they need to thrive academically and professionally,” Morris said. “It will remove economic and educational barriers and prepare students to become the leaders our world needs.”
Chancellor Austin A. Lane said the gift reflects the momentum driving SIU forward. The university is one of only 21 institutions in the nation to hold both Research 1 and Opportunity University designations from the Carnegie Classification.
“Gifts like Harvey’s accelerate our momentum, strengthen our business programs and expand opportunities for students. This is Saluki pride in action,” Lane said.
The Michaels gift contributes to Imagine SIU 2030, the university’s comprehensive fundraising campaign with a goal of $500 million. To date, the SIU Foundation has raised more than $435 million, making it the fifth-largest fundraising effort in Illinois higher education.
In the most recent fiscal year, the SIU Foundation awarded more than $5.6 million in scholarships to 2,111 students, representing 17 percent of SIU’s student body.
For more information about supporting the College of Business and Analytics, visit siuf.org/business.