Gies News Articles
March 27, 2023
Adkesson leads Brookfield Zoo with Gies iMBA skillset
Growing up, Mike Adkesson thought he’d spend his career as a zoo veterinarian, but instead he now oversees more than 2,500 animals – from gerbils to gorillas to giraffes – as president and CEO of the Chicago Zoological Society and Director of Brookfield Zoo.

Feb 20
With iMBA, Moody earns long-sought-after promotion
“This promotion sets me on a career path where I will continue to take on more responsibility and oversee increasingly complex projects,” said Moody. “Thanks to the Gies iMBA, I now have a good foundation for how to articulate the organization’s needs, streamline processes, an articulate a vision for the best way forward.“

Jan 05
Gies iMBA named MBA Program of the Year by Poets&Quants
The fully online MBA from Gies College of Business has earned the coveted distinction of 2022 MBA Program of the Year by Poets&Quants. Gies’ MBA – known as the iMBA – is a full 72-credit-hour MBA offered completely online and at a price point that is almost unheard of anywhere else in the world.

May 31
Right time, right fit: Salvani uses iMSM to advance philanthropy career
Jon Salvani is a proud representative of the University of Illinois; but one thing was missing: he wasn’t an alum. Wanting to deepen his connection to the UIUC community and advance his career in philanthropy, Salvani earned his Master of Science in Management online at Gies.

Apr 21
Gies launches fully online, stackable graduate certificates
Furthering its longstanding commitment to break down barriers to business education, Gies College of Business is launching a pair of fully online, credit-bearing graduate certificates, the first ever offered by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Mar 15
Barnitt uses iMBA to bridge gap between technical and business expertise
Rachel Barnitt decided to pursue a Gies iMBA to achieve her long-term career goals of bridging the communication gap between technical experts and business leaders. She had always planned to go back to school for a technology-related advanced degree, and when the pandemic hit, she began exploring her options in earnest.

Mar 07
Gies builds iBlock, leading blockchain revolution in higher education
Gies College of Business is solidifying its place at the forefront of the blockchain revolution with the creation of its own blockchain, to be used for both teaching and research.

Mar 01
iMSM a matter of timing for Sindy
Omeed Kasim Adham Sindy always knew he wanted to get a master’s degree in business. For him, it was all about timing. He chose an iMSM from Gies because he could work at his own pace to earn an advanced degree from a top-tier business school in one year.

Dec 07
Retail credit exec discovers new opportunities with Gies iMBA
Evolving professional and personal goals led Denise O'Brien-Peterson - SVP, Partner Management, Citi Retail Services - to pursue an MBA fully online at Gies College of Business.

Dec 03
Why our MBA Program doesn’t require the GMAT
We’re committed to democratizing higher education, and we want to break down barriers instead of building them. The iMBA program, and the students within it, have thrived without a GMAT mandate.

Oct 25
Non-profit exec uses MBA skills to improve global food security
Gies College of Business alumnus Michael Gerba (MBA ’20), a graduate of the College’s fully online iMBA program, is an accountant turned Peace Corps volunteer turned social impact advocate.

May 06
Five years later: iMBA opens new doors for first cohort
New jobs, new titles, and a renewed sense of purpose are how the first cohort of the Gies College of Business iMBA describe what’s happened to them since they joined the program in 2016.

Jan 28
iMBA marks 5-year anniversary, posts exponential growth, diversity
In 2016, it was a disruptive, unproven educational model. Today, the iMBA program at Gies College of Business celebrates its fifth anniversary as an undisputed leader in high-quality online graduate business education at an affordable price.

Aug 13
Gies iMBA named #1 business school innovation of last decade
Poets&Quants ranked the Gies Business iMBA as the world’s #1 biggest business school innovation of the decade. Designed from the ground up and launched in 2016, the iMBA has grown to nearly 3,000 students while maintaining a 98% satisfaction rate.

Jun 30
Gies offers alternative to online MBA rankings
Gies Business has decided to publish a comprehensive collection of its own data and metrics of success, rather than participating in traditional online MBA rankings that are designed for different kinds of programs.