A Lifetime of Service and Leadership
Mike Hardy | Class of 1969 | B.A., History
Attending John Carroll during some of the University's most pivotal years of change has led to a deep and lasting relationship for Mike Hardy with JCU. His years of service and connection to where he "grew up" made a planned gift a natural choice.
JCU and Changing Times
Mike began his journey at John Carroll in the fall of 1965 as a history major at a time when it was strictly a men's university and against the backdrop of the Vietnam War.
During his time at JCU, Mike developed a unique camaraderie with fellow classmates and professors. Friday nights were spent at a British History professor's house where they would gather to talk about life and "solve all the world's problems."
The overhang of the Vietnam War was ever-present during those years. Every male student was required to participate in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) in the first two years. A natural leader with his sights set on law school after JCU, Mike not only trained in the ROTC program but also actively participated in Student Government, the History Association and the Honors Program. Feeling the call to go beyond the required two-year ROTC participation, Mike elected to join the advanced program where he became a commissioned Army Reserve Officer in the Transportation Corps and eventually served active duty years later.
Over the course of his four years at JCU, Mike also witnessed major changes as John Carroll transitioned from a men's university to a fully co-ed institution by his junior year: "It was a wonderful university when I started there, but it was improved dramatically by just the diversity of women. It was forced to change because the world was changing." Mike embraced the change wholeheartedly and welcomed the inclusion of female classmates as an improvement to an already excellent experience.
Legal Career
After graduating Magna Cum Laude from JCU, Mike moved on to attend University of Michigan Law School and set out to begin his legal career and start a family. Mike went on to become a leading and well-respected environmental litigator. During his career, he served as Partner-in-Charge of the Cleveland office of Thompson Hine LLP, Chair of the Environmental Law Committee of the Ohio State Bar Association, a Fellow of both the Ohio State and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Associations and Fellow of the prestigious American College of Environmental Lawyers.
Giving Back to JCU
Over the years Mike remained in touch with friends from John Carroll. Years after graduating, a fellow classmate, who was then employed as JCU's Director of Alumni Affairs, approached Mike about joining the Board of Regents. Mike accepted. From there, Mike's service to the University evolved into nine years serving on the Board of Directors, on which Mike remained active until 2018. Notably, Mike received John Carroll University's Alumni Medal in 2008 as a tribute to his professional and civic accomplishments, exemplary family and personal life, and dedicated service to John Carroll University post-graduation.
Mike's lasting connection and involvement with the University made his decision to financially give back a natural choice. Once he finished putting his own children through college, Mike began earmarking funds for John Carroll: "I was able to start sharing with the things that mean a great deal to me." Mike worked with his estate planning attorney to set up his planned gift and found the process to be "relatively easy and painless." His planned gift is in a trust made in appreciation of the History Department and the impact it made on his career. But in terms of its use, he has specified to wherever it can best be utilized with a preference to Student Aid.
Although he doesn't get back on campus as often as he would like anymore, Mike still maintains a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude for his time at John Carroll and all the University has afforded him: "I grew up at John Carroll. It gave me great opportunities. An excellent education. And a great opportunity to go to a leading law school. And a career. And the connections afterwards... I feel I was given a great opportunity and I want to pay it back."