KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Retired quarterback Peyton Manning has donated $1 million to the University of Tennessee to establish the John Haas Student Experiential Learning Endowment.
The donation honors John Haas, a longtime director and associate professor in Tennessee’s College of Communication and Information’s School of Communication Studies. Haas was Manning’s college adviser and one of his professors.
Manning said in a statement that “exceptional teachers transform your way of learning by challenging and motivating you while teaching more than just a subject.” Manning added that “for me and so many others, that teacher was Dr. John Haas.”
Manning, a five-time NFL most valuable player, quarterbacked Tennessee from 1994-97 and was the Heisman Trophy runner-up his senior year.