Emerging Business Leaders Hero

Preparing tomorrow’s leaders – today

The Emerging Business Leaders (EBL) program at Gies College of Business is a summer program designed for high-achieving Black, African-American, Hispanic, Latinx/a/o, and Native American students entering their senior year of high school.

2025 Program Dates Coming Soon.

Program Activities

  • Interactive discussions featuring Gies Business staff, students, and alumni around career possibilities in business and the Gies student experience 
  • Work in groups to solve business problems
  • Learn about college admissions
  • Have fun and make new friends

Application Criteria

The EBL Program is open to underrepresented students entering their senior year of high school. You must have:

  • 3.2/4.0 GPA or higher
  • Demonstrated leadership through extracurricular, volunteer, or work experiences
  • Ability to attend the entire program 


Program Benefits 

All students who successfully complete the Emerging Business Leaders Program will receive a University of Illinois application fee waiver. Students who apply, are admitted, and enroll into Gies Business will qualify for a renewable scholarship up to $5000 to help cover their academic costs.

Admission to the Emerging Business Leaders program does not guarantee admission to Gies Business and/or the University of Illinois.

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Lunch and Learn: Gies Online Master's Degree Programs

This "bite-sized" webinar will provide an overview of the Gies Business online Master of Business Administration (iMBA), Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA), and Master of Science in Management (iMSM) programs. Meet with the recruitment team to learn more about the interactive curriculum featured in these credentials. We will explore the student experience and career outcomes students are able to achieve with graduate business education from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. If you have half an hour to spare, please join us!

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