At a Glance: September 15, 2025

Sep 16, 2025

Announcements
MOOC Launch for MBA 572
We’re excited to announce the launch of MOOCs 1 and 2 for MBA 572: Innovate- Healthcare Innovation process, part of a new course in the Healthcare Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship (HIDE) specialization, offered in October. Start exploring the MOOCs today:

MOOC 1: Understanding the Healthcare Innovation Process I
MOOC 2: Understanding the Healthcare Innovation Process II
Schedule an Advising Meeting With a Specialist
Have any questions about your degree program? Now is a great time to meet with a specialist to prepare for Fall 2! The Student and Academic Success Specialists provide academic advising and support for all students in Gies Online Programs. Whether you need assistance with registration, course selections, dropping or withdrawing from classes, degree planning, or accessing resources available to you - our team is here to help! We offer 25 minute one-on-one Advising Appointments and 15 minute one-on-one Express Advising sessions (first-come, first-serve). You can also email i-support@illinois.edu  at any time, with any question. We are here for you!
TEDx Gies: Share Your Story!
What brought you to Gies? What compelled you to pursue your MBA degree? Whether it was a pivotal life event, a career setback, or the passion to make an impact on those around you, we want to hear from you!

Gies has partnered with TED to help share your narrative. Be a part of a custom audio ad by sharing the obstacles and challenges you have faced and how Gies helped you overcome those challenges. If selected, you’ll spend time working with a TED producer to develop your story, which will be featured throughout TED Business, TED Tech, and TED Health Podcasts. Selected stories will be two to three minutes in length, and should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, highlighting a conflict you faced and how the iMBA resolved that conflict. Your submission will not only be a testament to your personal growth but will also serve as an inspiration to those who are looking for the next step in their journey and are ready to learn how the iMBA could help get them there.

To be considered, complete this form (https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1217030306) and submit a two-to-three-minute audio or video recording of why your story should be featured on TED. Applications should be submitted no later than Wednesday, September 17. Semi-finalists will be notified by September 22, and finalists will be notified no later than September 30.
Graduate College Professional Development Workshop
On behalf of the Graduate College, we are excited to share an upcoming virtual workshop that is available to our learners.

Strategic Storytelling: Interviewing 
An effective interview should demonstrate why you're a good fit for a role and leave the interviewers excited about the prospect of working with you.  But actually achieving this goal can be a challenge. In this workshop, we'll discuss strategies for preparing yourself for job interviews, and techniques for answering different types of questions by telling your professional story in compelling ways. The workshop will take place Thursday, September 18 from 4:00 - 5:00 pm CT. No registration is required. Click here to join the Zoom session for the Interviewing Workshop.
FSC MBA Strategic Case Competition Opportunity
The 2025 MBA Strategic Case Competition hosted by Florida Southern College in partnership with this year's client, Bank of Central Florida, is open for registration until Monday, October 3. Teams will spend about one month working on a real industry problem, have two opportunities to meet with the client via conference calls, and then submit a 20-minute presentation. A Q&A with judges will follow, and prizes will be awarded to the top three teams.

Space is limited to 15 teams, so if you’re planning to participate, now is a good time to pull your team together and get registered. The fee is $150 per team. You can register for the case competition here. If you have any questions about the case competition, contact kcaruthers2@flsouthern.edu
 
Gies Events
 
Ivy Exec Webinar: Leading Complex Organizations
Thursday, September 25 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm CT
Leading in today’s large, multi-level organizations involves knowing not just what different units are doing but also which units are considered most and least elite. Units’ status matters as employees can see themselves as part of a particular unit as much as, if not more so, than part of the organization as a whole. Join Professors Jeff Loewenstein and Raveh Harush for a discussion of recent research on leading in complex organizations.
 
Register for the Ivy Exec
Share the Benefits of Gies Online Programs
Friday, September 26 | 12:00 - 1:00 pm CT
Do you know someone interested in Gies Online but still has questions about our credentials? Share this event and invite them to learn more directly from our students and recruitment staff! The event will provide an overview of the available credentials through Gies Graduate Programs, feature insights from current ambassadors, and include a Q&A session. We would love to connect with anyone you know who might be interested.
 
Share the Registration Link
Salt Lake City Meet Up
Tuesday, October 14 | 6:30 - 8:30 pm MT
Gies Business is looking forward to providing an opportunity for our iDegree learners, alumni, and immersion participants in the Salt Lake City area to gather for a meet up! Join Assistant Professor Dawn Kink, Senior Lecturer Ron Guymon, Senior Assistant Director of Operations Rachel Ward, and your fellow learners for an evening of networking and connecting. The event will take place at Lake Effect (155 W 200 S Salt Lake City, UT 84101). Please register by Wednesday, October 8. Light food and refreshments will be provided. We look forward to connecting with you!
 
Register for the SLC Meet Up
 
Gies News
 
Deonette Lambert Examines Corporate Governance
Professor Lambert is a financial accounting archival researcher who specializes in corporate governance. She is no stranger to Gies College of Business, having been a distinguished postdoctoral research associate during the 2024-2025 academic year. And she plans to take advantage of that experience as she starts her teaching career as a faculty member. “I am thrilled to be joining the Gies College of Business as an assistant professor in accounting,” she said. Read more about Lambert’s research here.
Podcast: The Truth Behind Loving Your Favorite Food
In our latest episode of Research Reverb, Gies College of Business professor Maria Rodas, who teaches MBA 549: Multiculturalism in Management and the Marketplace, explains why "love" might just be blinding when it comes to taste. Her research explores how chocoholics, cheese lovers, and coffee fans often miss subtle flavor differences in their favorites—simply because their deep attachment leads them to rely on shortcuts in their perception. Listen to the podcast here.
 
This Week at Gies
 
Use the Event Calendar for information on upcoming events, such as iConverge and iDegree Convocation, as well as academic dates and deadlines for the semester. Click event titles below for details on the events happening this week.
Gies Global Learner Coffee Chat
Wednesday, September 17

 

In Case You Missed It...
Previous At-a-Glance issues are available for viewing via the Announcements section of the Online Programs website.