Gies News Articles
May 28, 2026
Agritourism hub Agrivoy claims Voitik Prize at Cozad New Venture Competition
Jeff and Forough Haskel, two University of Illinois iMBA students from Texas, turned a frustrating search for a Wyoming ranch vacation into a startup idea called Agrivoy — an “Airbnb for agritourism.” After developing the idea through the Cozad New Venture Competition, Agrivoy won the $3,000 Voitik Prize for online MBA-led teams.
May 27
Healthcare Innovation: How one iMBA student is improving the birthing experience
Galina Mihalkina, a Gies iMBA student, helped develop PeriAssist, a medical device aimed at reducing trauma during difficult childbirths by filling a gap between existing tools. As the project’s business lead, she handled strategy, stakeholder mapping, and commercialization, helping the team win awards and move toward funding and patents.
May 12
How Ibeabuchi (iMBA ’19) is building scalable legacy at Major League Soccer
Chidozie Ibeabuchi’s career has evolved from supporting individual athlete transitions in the NFL to leading large-scale, proactive player engagement initiatives as Vice President at MLS, guided by his “Human First” philosophy.
Apr 01
Life in Parallel: How Gies Business iMBA program helps women lead without putting life on hold
Gies Business' fully online iMBA program enables women to advance their careers while balancing family and personal responsibilities, allowing them to learn and apply skills in real time.