Attending Smith and Queen’s had a profound impact on Mike Murray’s life. So much so that he says, “Choosing to go there was one of the most important decisions I’ve made.”
After all, it was at university that he met his wife and fellow Smith Commerce student Heather Hackney. Queen’s is also where he forged some of his dearest friendships and developed foundational business knowledge and skills he’s leveraged throughout his career.
“My and Heather’s affection for Queen’s is so great that we decided to get married in Grant Hall,” he says.
Since graduating in 1996, Mike's affinity for the school has also been evident through his ongoing engagement with the university.
Mike, who is a co-founder and managing partner at Peloton Capital Management, returns to campus on a regular basis as a guest lecturer, sharing his expertise in private equity with the next generation of leaders. His firm also hires two Smith interns every summer and established a bursary last year to support Commerce students with demonstrated financial need.
More recently, Mike and Heather decided to make a personal gift to the school to further support undergraduate students with financial need in any year of the Commerce program.
“Our desire to give back just comes from our deep gratitude for the positive impact that the school has had on our lives. We want to do everything we can to help more students have the kind of experience that we had,” Mike says. “It's important to us that finances don't get in the way of that.”
Recognizing the role faculty instruction plays in that student experience, Mike and Heather have also established a teaching award, the Dr. H.G. Murray Leadership and Excellence in Teaching award in honour of Mike’s father, a retired university professor who dedicated his career to advancing the research and practice of teaching at the university level.
“We both recognize the impact that great teaching can have on learning and the student experience,” Mike says, adding, “My dad is also the one who strongly encouraged me to go to Queen's - in spite of being on the faculty at Western! Establishing a teaching award at Smith in his name couldn't be a better fit.”
With the rest of the Smith Commerce Class of 1996 galvanizing in advance of its 30th reunion during Homecoming 2026, Mike is hopeful his classmates, and others celebrating milestone reunions, will be inspired to give back in whatever way they can.
Mike has built strong relationships with the students he’s connected with through his ongoing involvement at Smith and says he’s observed students feel a great deal of pressure to have their futures figured out.
“I think this is creating a tremendous amount of anxiety and stress at a time when they should just be enjoying the experience and discovering what makes them tick,” he says.
Alumni engagement can play a significant role in helping them do that, whether it’s helping fund student initiatives, connecting one-on-one with students for coffee chats, or lending their expertise for events.
“Connecting with the Development & Alumni Relations office is a good place to start. I'd also suggest reaching out to the students directly to offer your time and support,” Mike says. “There are a lot of great student clubs and organizations at Smith and they are always looking for alums to get involved.”