About the Michael Hayes Scholarship Fund
Michael Hayes is a May 2004 graduate of Miami University where he earned his degree in Management Information Systems and Finance/Accounting. He was a member of Delta Sigma Pi Professional Fraternity, and was president of the chapter in 2003. He was also a student leader of Kairos, a student spiritual retreat program, and an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church during his time at Miami. Mike was known as a “go-to” guy and was a natural born leader. He strived for leadership roles in every phase of his life.
He accomplished all of this while battling Crohn’s Disease and small bowel cancer. The Crohn’s Disease was diagnosed when Mike was in his early teens and the cancer was diagnosed in March 2003 (spring semester of his junior year), but probably began at least a year earlier.
Mike came to Miami from Zanesville, Ohio where he was president of his high school class and president of the Key Club, a community service organization sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. During his high school years, Mike accumulated more community service hours than all of his classmates combined.
Upon his graduation from Miami in 2004, Mike got a job as Clinical Trials Coordinator in the office of Dr. Asher Kornbluth, a leading Crohn’s Disease researcher, in New York City. Being in New York City afforded him the opportunity to continue his cancer treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital, one of the foremost cancer treatment centers in America. He got an apartment with two of his Deltasig fraternity brothers and went to work. While getting oriented to living in New York City, Mike became active at St. Ignatius Loyola Church as a Eucharistic minister, joined Toastmasters International and signed up to be a Big Brother. He sought out the Deltasig alumni chapter in NYC.
Mike lost his battle with cancer on November 12, 2004, just six months after his graduation from Miami. The last two people from the Miami community that he saw were two of his Deltasig fraternity brothers who came to be with him for the weekend, just four days before his death. The Miami University community—and particularly his relationships with his Deltasig brothers—were very important to Mike. He lived and breathed Miami and Deltasig.
When the cancer was diagnosed in early 2003, Mike reluctantly took a leave of absence from school to recover from major surgery and begin the chemotherapy treatment. When Mike returned to school in autumn 2003, it quickly became apparent that he needed special assistance to support his return to school. Unfortunately, there were no organized services to assist Mike and students like him who lived on or near campus.
Before his graduation, Mike established The Michael Hayes Scholarship Fund. His hope was to create ongoing funding to provide those special services needed to support students battling life-threatening illnesses, and to assist students like him who were striving to stay in school and graduate with their class.
Mike believed that the scholarship should be available to any student, certified by the Miami University Student Health Service, who is fighting a severe or life-threatening illness. He realized that there are many students who need additional assistance to undertake these standard student activities. These services may include but are not limited to:
He accomplished all of this while battling Crohn’s Disease and small bowel cancer. The Crohn’s Disease was diagnosed when Mike was in his early teens and the cancer was diagnosed in March 2003 (spring semester of his junior year), but probably began at least a year earlier.
Mike came to Miami from Zanesville, Ohio where he was president of his high school class and president of the Key Club, a community service organization sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. During his high school years, Mike accumulated more community service hours than all of his classmates combined.
Upon his graduation from Miami in 2004, Mike got a job as Clinical Trials Coordinator in the office of Dr. Asher Kornbluth, a leading Crohn’s Disease researcher, in New York City. Being in New York City afforded him the opportunity to continue his cancer treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital, one of the foremost cancer treatment centers in America. He got an apartment with two of his Deltasig fraternity brothers and went to work. While getting oriented to living in New York City, Mike became active at St. Ignatius Loyola Church as a Eucharistic minister, joined Toastmasters International and signed up to be a Big Brother. He sought out the Deltasig alumni chapter in NYC.
Mike lost his battle with cancer on November 12, 2004, just six months after his graduation from Miami. The last two people from the Miami community that he saw were two of his Deltasig fraternity brothers who came to be with him for the weekend, just four days before his death. The Miami University community—and particularly his relationships with his Deltasig brothers—were very important to Mike. He lived and breathed Miami and Deltasig.
When the cancer was diagnosed in early 2003, Mike reluctantly took a leave of absence from school to recover from major surgery and begin the chemotherapy treatment. When Mike returned to school in autumn 2003, it quickly became apparent that he needed special assistance to support his return to school. Unfortunately, there were no organized services to assist Mike and students like him who lived on or near campus.
Before his graduation, Mike established The Michael Hayes Scholarship Fund. His hope was to create ongoing funding to provide those special services needed to support students battling life-threatening illnesses, and to assist students like him who were striving to stay in school and graduate with their class.
Mike believed that the scholarship should be available to any student, certified by the Miami University Student Health Service, who is fighting a severe or life-threatening illness. He realized that there are many students who need additional assistance to undertake these standard student activities. These services may include but are not limited to:
- door-to-door transportation to class
- transport to and from doctor appointments
- tutoring
- grocery delivery