Gies College of Business

Gies Business News and Stories

Explore the ideas, people, and impact shaping Gies College of Business. From faculty research and student experiences to alumni achievements and donor impact, these stories highlight how our community is advancing business knowledge and creating real-world change.

Fonseca named to Poets&Quants 2026 Best 40-Under-40 Business Professors

May 21, 2026

Fonseca is an economist focused on household, development, and labor finance. Much of her research examines how finance shapes labor, jobs, and mobility – where and how we work.

Faculty Finance Research

From AI tutors to simulations, Gies Business faculty reimagining how business skills are taught

May 20, 2026

Gies College of Business is using AI tutors and simulations to personalize learning, improve teaching, and shift focus from technical skills to communication and decision-making.

Business Administration Faculty Finance Student

Why review images help reduce online shopping returns

May 18, 2026

Customer review photos that show products in real-world use help shoppers make better decisions, significantly reducing return rates. Retailers can lower costs and improve customer satisfaction by encouraging more authentic, visual reviews instead of focusing only on ratings.

Business Administration Faculty Research

The future of business education with Dean Brooke Elliott & Poets&Quants Founder John Byrne

May 13, 2026

What’s next for business education in the age of AI? In this unique conversation, Gies College of Business Dean Brooke Elliott sits down with Poets&Quants Founder John Byrne to discuss affordability and innovation in higher education, the future of MBA programs, online learning, artificial intelligence, global talent.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Student

Driven by Experience, United by Purpose: Gies Business seniors launch lasting scholarship initiative

May 13, 2026

Four Gies Business seniors, whose friendships formed through case competitions, consulting organizations, and business fraternities, raised more than $33,000 to establish a need-based scholarship for incoming students.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Finance Student

How Ibeabuchi (iMBA ’19) is building scalable legacy at Major League Soccer

May 12, 2026

Chidozie Ibeabuchi’s career has evolved from supporting individual athlete transitions in the NFL to leading large-scale, proactive player engagement initiatives as Vice President at MLS, guided by his “Human First” philosophy.

Alumni Business Administration iMBA

Through Disruption Lab, clients are seeing AI projects come to life

May 11, 2026

Students gain hands-on experience building things like AI tools, 3D modeling systems, and chatbots, while clients get useful research and prototypes. The program has grown rapidly, especially in AI, and gives students practical skills, leadership opportunities, and strong career outcomes.

Accountancy Business Administration Finance Student

Do AI replies help influencers engage with their audience? New study says yes

May 07, 2026

Do AI-generated replies help influencers grow engagement? New research from Gies Business shows when and why AI responses actually increase audience interaction.

Business Administration Faculty Research

Richard Crandall receives Deloitte Foundation Doctoral Fellowship

May 06, 2026

Each year, students from over 100 universities are invited to apply, but only 10 are selected to receive the distinction and the $25,000 grant that comes with it.

Accountancy Research Student

Schumm to deliver convocation address on finding – and opening – doors of opportunity

May 06, 2026

The founder and CEO of Vestwell will share his journey from first job to fintech innovator at this year’s Gies College of Business convocation ceremonies on May 15, 2026.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Finance

PODCAST: Give or Get? The Science of Workplace Recognition

May 05, 2026

A study by Professor Alex Vandenberg shows that workplace leaderboards shape peer recognition behavior in different ways. In this episode of Research Reverb, he shows that ranking employees by recognition received reduces proactive compliments, while ranking by recognition given increases them compared to having no leaderboard.

Accountancy Faculty Podcasts Research

The Economics of AI Anxiety

May 05, 2026

Anxiety about AI-driven job cuts is everywhere – but badly misdiagnosed – says Robert Brunner, Chief Disruption Officer at Gies College of Business.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Student

Gies College of Business
515 East Gregory Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: 217-300-7327