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.

Bucheli wins Richard M. Hodgetts Award for work in management history

Sep 10, 2026

The award recognizes scholars who have made substantive contributions to scholarship, teaching, and service in the field of management history.

Research Business Administration Faculty

Study shows that AI can lower the cost and increase the speed of clinical drug trials

Sep 08, 2026

Generative AI models could help researchers use real-world patient data to identify promising treatments more quickly and potentially reduce the cost and time of clinical drug trials, while giving human experts a transparent way to validate AI’s reasoning.

Research Faculty Business Administration

PODCAST: Building a mission-driven culture of innovation

Sep 02, 2026

Dean Brooke Elliott joined the Higher Ed Geek podcast to discuss how a mission-driven culture, intentional innovation, and a commitment to expanding access have helped Gies grow its impact while preparing students for an increasingly dynamic workforce.

Podcasts Student Accountancy Business Administration Alumni Faculty Finance

How Yang teaches students to verify AI and trust their gut

Aug 24, 2026

Through live app building, gamified assignments, and real-world marketing exercises, Gies Business professor Nathan Yang emphasizes verifying AI outputs, recognizing hallucinations, data poisoning, and other AI limitations.

Business Administration Faculty iMBA

Changing the game: Gies MSM grad Sam Phillips advocates for LGBTQ+ athletes

Aug 20, 2026

Sam Phillips (MSM '26) transformed his experiences as a collegiate gymnast and LGBTQ+ advocate into a career with Athlete Ally, where he promotes inclusion in sports while applying the business skills he gained at Gies College of Business.

Student Alumni Business Administration iMSM

Gies Business alumna and Culver's CEO Julie Fussner named to Forbes 50 Over 50 list

Aug 18, 2026

The first woman to lead Culver’s, Fussner credits her broad University of Illinois education with helping shape her approach to leadership and problem-solving. Since joining Culver’s in 2017, she has helped drive the brand’s growth and evolution while maintaining its Midwest roots and people-first culture.

Alumni Business Administration

How Gies Business iMBA elevated Butrymovich’s career from a mountaintop

Aug 17, 2026

Olivia Butrymovich (MBA ’26) balanced a demanding role at Colorado’s Copper Mountain Resort with Gies Business’ flexible online iMBA program, applying what she learned immediately to lead projects and manage teams.

Alumni Student Business Administration iMBA

At 2026 Cozad Lecture, Kent Dauten shares insights on the investing field

Aug 14, 2026

Private equity veteran Kent Dauten drew on more than 40 years in investing to share career and leadership lessons with Gies Business students, encouraging them to approach networking with curiosity, seek early-career roles with steep learning curves, and value diverse perspectives when making major decisions.

Student Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance

Two Gies Business iMBA Graduates Named Poets&Quants’ 2026 ‘Best & Brightest’

Aug 10, 2026

Melissa Cummings and Patrick Surrett earned their spots by translating business theory into immediate results. Both used their studies to tackle complex operational challenges – Cummings in nonprofit workforce development and Surrett in defense healthcare systems.

Student Alumni Business Administration

Agentic AI Build-a-thon delivers systems innovation for Gies Business operations

Aug 06, 2026

The intensive 24-hour “build-a-thon” attracted 72 undergraduate and advanced degree students who formed teams to create agentic AI solutions alongside industry mentors.

Student Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance

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