| Announcements | | University Closed: Thanksgiving | The University will be closed Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28, to observe the US Thanksgiving Holiday. Please refer to your course syllabi for assignment deadlines and live session schedules. University offices will be closed, and responses via email will be limited during this time. We look forward to interacting with you on Monday, December 1 when the University reopens.
Please note: Academic advising services will be limited, with an adjusted Express Advising schedule, during the week of Thanksgiving.
We will have our regular Express Advising schedule today, Monday, November 24. On Wednesday, November 26, Express Advising will be available from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm only. There will be no Express Advising held on Friday, November 28.
If you need support this week, our Student and Academic Success Team is here to help! Email us at i-support@illinois.edu or stop by Express Advising. | | Help Grow the Gies Community | | As current graduate learners, you understand how our programs empower learners to grow personally and professionally. We invite you to help others take that same step by referring someone who would benefit from joining the Gies community through our graduate programs. Your referral strengthens our alumni network, builds on the legacy of excellence, and ensures that more learners can experience the power of business on purpose. Thank you for being an advocate for Gies and helping shape the future of our programs. Please submit a referral here. | | Apply to Be a Growth Group Facilitator for BUS 401 | | BUS 401 is hiring Growth Group Facilitators (GGFs) for Spring 2026! As a GGF, you will lead three 20-minute small-group sessions (10–20 students each), creating space for discussion, connection, and applying course concepts. GGFs also support the course by tracking student progress, grading assignments, and helping organize events and discussion guides. This is a great opportunity to build teaching experience and foster student growth in a dynamic learning environment! If you are interested in being a GGF for BUS 401, apply by November 30. | | Spring 2026 Ambassador Applications Now Open! | Are you passionate about sharing what makes the Gies Online learner experience special? We’re looking for enthusiastic current learners to join our Gies Online Ambassador Program for the Spring 2026 semester!
As an ambassador, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Engage in one-on-one conversations with prospective learners
- Serve as panelists during recruitment webinars
- Participate in office hours
- Host LinkedIn Live sessions
- Create and share quotes or social media posts
Applications are now open! We’re seeking learners who bring a positive, proactive, and professional approach and are eager to grow their leadership and presentation skills. Applications are due by December 5 at 11:59pm CT. Click here for the Ambassador Application. Questions? Email Kate Deering. |
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| Global Learner Coffee Chat | Wednesday, December 3 | 9:00 - 10:00 am CT
We invite all international learners in Gies Online Programs to our global learner coffee chat. Join a member of our recruitment team and several of our international current learners as they discuss their successes, answer questions and share advice and resources. This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow international learners, exchange perspectives, and share valuable resources that have enhanced your experience in the program.
| | Register for the Global Learner Coffee Chat | | Cape Town, South Africa Meet Up | Friday, January 9 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm SAST
Gies Business is looking forward to providing an opportunity for our iDegree learners and alumni in the Cape Town, South Africa area to gather for a meet up! Join Professor Steve Raquel and your fellow learners for an evening of networking and connecting. The event will take place at Grand Africa Cafe (1 Haul Road, V&A Waterfront, Granger Bay, Cape Town). Please register by Friday, January 2. Light food and refreshments will be provided. We look forward to connecting with you!
| | Register for the Cape Town Meet Up | | Champaign-Urbana iConnect | Friday, January 16 | 5:00 - 7:00 pm CT
Gies Business is looking forward to providing an opportunity for our iDegree learners and alumni in the Champaign-Urbana area to gather for an iConnect! Join your fellow learners for an evening of networking and connecting. The event will take place at Papa Del’s (1201 S Neil Street Champaign, IL). Please register by Friday, January 9. Light food and refreshments will be provided. We look forward to connecting with you!
| | Register for the Champaign-Urbana iConnect |
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| Platforms Launch Chatbots to Help Users ‘Socialize’, but Do They Work? | | In 2024, X (formerly Twitter) made headlines by utilizing a large language model (LLM) to launch the chatbot Grok with the goal to drive engagement. Before Grok, the Chinese microblogging social platform, Weibo, launched its social bot, CommentRobot, with similar intentions. With Weibo as its subject, a study led by Gies College of Business professor Yang Gao provides valuable insight into the behavior of users who interacted with both the social bot and their peers, guiding platforms on how to refine social bots. Read more about the study here. | | Too Much Media Coverage Can Have Adverse Effects on Startups | | In addition to perfecting a prototype and taking steps to move a product or service to market, startups often pursue validation and publicity. While there are many benefits to media attention, Junbeom Park notes that too much early attention can actually have an adverse effect. Park, a PhD student at Gies Business, and his advisor, Michael Bednar, an associate professor of business administration, presented their findings at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management. Read more about their findings here. | | Podcast: Short Trips, Big Shifts: E-Scooter Rollout Study Raises Mobility, Safety Concerns | | A small scooter can have a big impact. In this episode of the Gies Download, Gies Business professor Unnati Narang digs into the surprising ripple effect of Chicago's 2019 e-scooter rollout - from rideshare jumps to bikeshare dips and hidden side effects for consumer mobility and safety. Listen to the podcast here. |
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