Peyton Manning has given more than $4 million to his alma mater — the University of Tennessee — in honor of two of his academic mentors. The gift will be used to establish two separate endowments in the university’s College of Communication and Information.
The new endowments will honor associate professor John Haas and Faye Julian, a former dean of the college. According to the university, the endowments “will support student success initiatives, faculty research, and other activities” at the college.
John Haas joined the University of Tennessee in 1989, where he served at the director of the School of Communication Studies for 27 years. After stepping down as director in 2022, he has continued to teach graduate and undergraduate courses in organizational communication, interpersonal communication and research methods.
Haas founded the Public Speaking Center and inspired the John Haas Student Experiential Learning Endowment through a $1 million gift from Manning in 2018. “Exceptional teachers transform your way of learning by challenging and motivating you while teaching more than just a subject,” said Manning, when he made that donation. “For me and so many others, that teacher was Dr. John Haas.
Faye Julian earned the first doctorate from what was then called the College of Communications at the University of Tennessee. She became an instructor in the English department, where she taught English and speech courses and coached the debate team. Julian continued teaching and working as an administrator in the College of Arts and Science, including serving a term as head of the Department of Speech Communication. She was named the inaugural dean of the newly formed College of Communication and Information in 2002.
Manning said that Julian, who passed away in 2018, "was an incredible mentor and a steady source of encouragement during my time at Tennessee. One of the best parts of my college experience was the community of high-achieving students she helped introduce me to, students who challenged each other and constantly raised the bar. Being part of that group pushed me to grow not just as a student but as a person. I’m proud to honor her legacy and help ensure future students have the same kind of meaningful experience.”
“As a university, we have been vocal about our desire to be known for our unparalleled student experience — both in and out of the classroom,” said UT Chancellor Donde Plowman, in the university’s news release. “This gift will help ensure that generations of future Volunteers in the College of Communication and Information will have access to resources and programs that help them thrive. We are so grateful to Peyton, who has always been an incredible ambassador for UT and who has generously given back with his time, his gifts and his advocacy for decades.”
Peyton Manning graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1997. Considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, he led the Vols to an SEC football championship in his senior year and then went on to a legendary NFL career, playing 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with the Denver Broncos. He led both team to victories in the Super Bowl — the Colts in 2007 and the Broncos in 2016.
After he retired from the NFL, Manning, whose ability to take control of games earned him the nickname “the Sheriff,” started the entertainment company Omaha Productions in 2020. It’s probably best known for ManningCast, a television broadcast that features often humorous commentary by Peyton and his brother Eli about ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
Manning has made prior major gifts for academics at UT. In 1998, he established the Peyton Manning Scholarship, a competitive four-year award that has benefitted 65 recipients since its inception. In addition, Manning offers internships through Omaha Productions to UT journalism and media students. In recognition of his service to the college, Manning was given the 2007 Donald G. Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor the College of Communication and Information can bestow on an alumnus.
“Peyton Manning is one of the greatest athletes of our time, but he is also an outstanding communicator and a role model for everyone with whom he comes into contact,” said Mike Wirth, who was dean of the College of Communication and Information at the time.