Gies College of Business

The Always-On Professor: How Gies Business uses AI avatars

Sep 16, 2026

Gies College of Business has best testing AI-generated faculty avatars for four years to update lectures quickly, translate content, answer course questions, and provide interactive practice and coaching. The goal is to give students current, accessible, around-the-clock support while freeing professors to focus on advising, research, and personal interaction.

Accountancy Business Administration Faculty Finance Student

PODCAST: How Gies Business scales experiential learning to every student

Sep 15, 2026

Dean Brooke Elliott joined the Changing Higher Ed® podcast to discuss how Gies Business scaled experiential learning from a selective offering into a curricular requirement across every program, and what it cost on the staffing, funding, and governance side to make it hold.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Podcasts Student

PODCAST: When Influencers use AI to interact with fans and consumers

Sep 15, 2026

A study of 225 prominent Weibo influencers found that clearly labeled AI-generated replies encouraged users to comment on later posts, including sponsored content. They worked best when they matched the influencer’s voice, addressed the specific comment, arrived after a believable delay, and were used selectively.

Business Administration Faculty Podcasts Research

Gies Business alumnus Ibeabuchi named to Crain’s New York Business 40 Under 40

Sep 14, 2026

Chidozie Ibeabuchi, a Gies Business iMBA alumnus, leads programs supporting more than 5,000 active and former professional soccer players

Alumni Business Administration

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.

Business Administration Faculty Research

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.

Business Administration Faculty Research

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.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Podcasts Student

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.

Alumni Business Administration iMSM Student

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 Business Administration iMBA Student

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.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Student

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.

Alumni Business Administration Student

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.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Student

Two Big Ten business deans on AI disruption of higher ed: It's not just about the tools

Aug 03, 2026

Gies Business Dean Brooke Elliott and Nebraska Dean Kathy Farrell recently discussed how business schools should evolve over the next decade. The conversation ranged from AI's effect on classroom pedagogy to its murkier implications for academic research, energy costs, and equity.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Student

New Gies Business Research Says Going Green Pays Off – If You Do It Right

Jul 30, 2026

Research from Gies College of Business finds that firms that engage employees in environmental goals and plan for long term climate risks tend to outperform peers. Those efforts, however, only pay off when they are built on strong measurement and disclosure practices.

Business Administration Research

University of Illinois launches campuswide Entrepreneurship Minor

Jul 22, 2026

For the first time ever, students from across the University of Illinois can now pursue an entrepreneurship minor. Beyond core courses from both Gies Business and Grainger Engineering, the minor allows students to choose from more than 70 elective courses from within their respective colleges to round out the minor.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Entrepreneurship Faculty Finance Student

Testing the evidence: Revisiting research on soccer success

Jul 16, 2026

A Gies Business replication study confirms that coaches with multicultural backgrounds consistently outperform their peers in global soccer competitions. The findings held up across a much larger dataset, extended to women's football, and reinforced the value of multicultural leaders in diverse, international environments.

Business Administration Faculty Research

Elliott: The AI question colleges need to address now

Jul 14, 2026

In an article published by Crain's Chicago Business, Gies Business Dean Brooke Elliott argues that organizations that succeed with AI won't simply adopt new technology; they'll rethink how work gets done while keeping people at the center.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Student

A different kind of MBA, built for a different kind of career

Jul 14, 2026

Traditional MBA programs are facing growing pressure as AI reshapes hiring, salaries soften, and graduates take longer to find jobs. The Gies Business iMBA was built for this environment by focusing on experienced professionals who apply AI, analytics, and leadership skills directly at work while earning the degree.

Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance iMBA Student

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