Staff Bios
Mike Hatfield
Associate Director of Development
"Over the years, having had the opportunity to represent and serve two groups who aspire to do great things for the Fighting Illini... both our student-athletes & our I FUND members... I can't think of anything more gratifying".
Now in his 28th year with the Fighting Illini, Hatfield plays a vital role in the recent and sustained success of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics fund-raising efforts.
After a number of years of front-line ticketing, donor relations and I FUND activities, Hatfield will now continue to build, maintain and steward the many long-standing relationships with Loyalty Circle members in the Champaign-Urbana community, along with continuing to share responsibilities for the Illinois Renaissance project suites and club seat sales. He will add regional fund-raising responsibilities in Arizona, Northern California, and the St. Louis area.
As the University of Illinois finds itself in the middle of the largest and most ambitious fundraising campaign in the history of the University of Illinois, "Brilliant Futures" aims to raise $2.25 billion for students, faculty, research, and the campus environment, Hatfield is part of the athletic development team that has placed strategic planning priorities on increasing the Athletic Endowment Pool, and the Capital Campaign for Athletic Facilities.
"It never ceases to amaze me when I meet someone and they tell me they always had this thought in the back of their mind to do something special to memorialize and honor the person who got them hooked on Illinois...how shocked they are when they realize how easy they were able to make that special gift, after we finally sat down and talked it through."
Since arriving on campus in 1981, Hatfield has served as Academic Counselor for the football and men's basketball teams, Director of the Athletic Ticket Office, and both Assistant Director and Associate Director in The Office of Athletic Development. Prior to arriving on this campus, he spent one year at Cal State-Fullerton as athletic ticket manager, home events coordinator, and head cross country coach.
A native of Hoopeston, Ill., Hatfield graduated from Parkland College and then earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Eastern Illinois University.
A former wrestler, Hatfield twice defeated the eventual state champion in a high school career that ended at Assembly Hall. He then grabbed four state track titles in two years at Parkland. After recovering from knee surgery his first year at Eastern Illinois, he was then a member of the Panther cross country team that won the 1977 NCAA National Championship. In 1979, he earned All-America honors after leading the nation with the No. 1 collegiate division time in the 3000-meter steeplechase, missing the all-time NCAA mark by less than one second while setting the EIU school record that stood for over 25 seasons. Then, in 1997, Hatfield was inducted into the Eastern Illinois University Athletic Hall of Fame.
He and his wife Carol ('78 UI alum) have two children, Angie Marker ('03 UI alum), and Nic, and reside in Champaign.
Hatfield can be reached by email at mhatfiel@illinois.edu, by phone at 217 333 6595, or by mail at the address listed below.
"There are volumes of people out there whose Fighting Illini experiences over the years have provided them and their families a tremendous amount of emotion and made for some great memories. After making arrangements to put a gift in place, many of those same folks tell me that being able to make that type of commitment was one of the most gratifying things they ever did... it really made them feel good"
