In this episode of The Gies Download, Dean Brooke Elliott reflects on her first 18 months leading Gies College of Business. Dean Elliott discusses her central goal of expanding access to education, both by increasing enrollment and ensuring affordability, awareness, and opportunity for all students. She outlines plans to grow the undergraduate population significantly while maintaining financial support, and highlights efforts to make transformative experiences like study abroad and experiential learning more accessible. Dean Elliott also discusses Gies’ proactive approach to AI as a tool for learning, efficiency, and innovation, stressing the importance of integrating it thoughtfully into the curriculum while preserving foundational skills. She also shares her vision for strengthening entrepreneurship across campus through new programs and partnerships, alongside revitalizing areas like real estate education.
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Check out our previous episodes:
February 12, 2026 – Marketing alum and Illini football standout Hank Beatty
December 4, 2025 – Assistant Dean Andrew Allen talks Experiential Learning
September 29, 2025 – Gies Business alum and Culver’s CEO Julie Fussner
August 19, 2025 – Gies Professor Tatyana Deryugina
July 21, 2025 - Gies Business Chief Marketing Officer Jan Slater
June 16, 2025 – Former White House Chief of Staff Sam Skinner
April 1, 2025 – Gies alumnus, accounting pioneer Lester McKeever
February 11, 2024 – Professor Oscar Ybarra on workplace wellness, psychology in business
January 24, 2024 - Alumnus and longtime Gies supporter Tony Petullo
December 6, 2024 - Director, Health Care Research Initiative David Molitor
November 6, 2024 - Associate Dean for Equity Denise Lewin Loyd
August 21, 2024 – Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs Nehemiah Scott
April 18, 2024 – Dean Jeffrey R. Brown
August 16, 2023 – Gies Chief Disruption Officer Robert Brunner
July 5, 2023 – Gies alumnus and namesake Larry Gies
June 2, 2023 – Gies professor and travel expert Mark Wolters
Mar. 30, 2023 – Gies alumna and CTS Impact Founder Julie Scott
Dec.19, 2022 – Poets&Quants Founder John Byrne
Dec. 2, 2022 – Dean Emeritus Larry DeBrock on his long career, passion for teaching
Oct. 31, 2022 – Undergraduate admissions at Gies with Kelly Janssen
Sept. 14, 2022 – Executive Associate Dean Brooke Elliott on online education, gender barriers, and more
July 11, 2022 – iVenture Director Manu Edakara on entrepreneurship at Gies
May 26, 2022 – Gies professor Don Fullerton on environment and economy
May 4, 2022 – Secret Service agent turned iMBA student Lucy Chang Evans
March 28, 2022 – Accounting professor Nerissa Brown
Feb. 18, 2022 – Former Olympian Brock Kreitzburg
Feb. 8, 2022 – SAA Executive Director Jackie Price-Osafo
Nov. 19, 2021 – Marketing professor Tiffany White
Oct. 21, 2021 – Super Bowl champion Nick Allegretti
Sept. 8, 2021 – Dean Jeff Brown
Aug. 24, 2021 – Athletic Director Josh Whitman