Announcements

Summer Courses Begin

The summer semester is officially starting this week! Summer courses begin on Wednesday, May 20. Please be sure to check your course start and end dates for the summer semester as some course start dates may vary. Online Programs utilizes dual learning platforms with Canvas and Coursera. Make sure to access your course in both platforms to be successful. 

Summer 2026 Drop and Withdrawal Refund Guides

For your convenience, the Office of the Registrar has created course refund guides that outline the specific drop and withdrawal dates for each course. You will need to select either "Drop Courses" or "Withdrawal" from the drop-down and then select the semester to find the appropriate refund guide. Then scroll down to “non-standard courses” and search by course number. 

Please refer to our Dropping Courses and Refunds page about the difference between a drop, withdrawal, and cancellation. As an additional resource, our event calendar posts the academic drop deadlines by course start date.

University Closed: Memorial Day

The University will be closed on Monday, May 25 to honor the lives of US military members who have fallen while serving in the armed forces. Please refer to your course syllabi for assignment deadlines and live session schedules. University offices will be closed, and responses via email will be delayed during this time. There will be no At-a-Glance newsletter sent that week. We look forward to interacting with you on Tuesday, May 26 when the University reopens.

Spring 2 Grade Release

Final grades for the Spring 2, 2026 semester are available to view in Student Self-Service on Saturday, May 23.

Access the Gies Online Programs Graduation Course

Graduating in Summer 2026? You have been added to the Gies Online Programs Graduation Course! This course contains helpful information about graduation and your transition as an Alum.  

• If you have already accepted the email invitation to join the course, be sure you are logged in to Illinois on Coursera, then click the link above to access the course.  
• To enroll in the course, make sure to accept your email invitation from Coursera. Search your Illinois email for "Join Graduation Course." Please confirm that you are logged in to Illinois on Coursera before accessing the course link. 

If you are scheduled to graduate in Summer 2026 and have not received an invite to your Illinois email, please email i-support@illinois.edu.

Goldie Initiative Scholarship Opportunity

Interested in a career in commercial real estate? The Goldie Initiative is accepting applications for its 2026–2027 Goldie Scholar Program, which supports female graduate students through scholarship, mentorship, and industry networking opportunities.

The award is up to $15,000 for eligible female graduate students with 1-2 years remaining in their program and an interest in commercial real estate. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2026 at 11:59 am CT.  Click here to view the scholarship application details and a recording of the Informational Webinar on Program and Application. Questions may be directed to Kelsey Cleland, Program Director.

Gies Events

Learn How to Get Started With GiesConnect

Wednesday, May 27 | 12:00- 1:00 pm CT 

Ready to make the most of your Gies experience? Join our Getting Started With GiesConnect webinar to learn how to navigate and use the Learner and Alumni Networking Hub (the Hub) on GiesConnect, powered by InScribe, your central online community for building meaningful connections with fellow learners, alumni, Gies staff, and faculty during your program and beyond.

Whether you’re looking to grow your professional network, connect locally, explore industry discussions, or stay updated on upcoming events, GiesConnect brings the entire Gies community together in one place. In this webinar, you’ll learn how to create your profile, join channels and topics, explore new features, stay organized with helpful tips, and start engaging right away. 
 

GiesConnect Webinar Registration

Midwest Healthcare Management Conference

Friday, August 21 | iHotel and Conference Center 
Join Carle Illinois College of Medicine and Gies College of Business on campus for the 6th Annual Midwest Healthcare Management Conference. This year’s conference will explore how digital technologies and AI can help build a connected healthcare architecture to ensure continuity of care across the entire continuum of care. You can review the agenda and more details on the Midwest Healthcare Conference website. We look forward to collaborating with you in shaping the future of healthcare! Please contact Emma Fellabaum with any questions.
 

Midwest Healthcare Management Registration

Gies News

The Future of Business Education with Dean Brooke Elliott & Poets&Quants Founder John Byrne.

What’s next for business education in the age of AI? In this unique conversation, Gies College of Business Dean Brooke Elliott sits down with Poets&Quants Founder John Byrne to discuss affordability and innovation in higher education, the future of MBA programs, online learning, artificial intelligence, global talent. Listen to the discussion here.

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. Read more about Ibeabuchi's legacy 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.

Summer Courses Begin
Wednesday, May 20

SummerLast Day to Add a Course (May 20 Start)
Wednesday, May 20

Military Coffee Chat
Thursday, May 21

Berlin Meet Up
Friday, May 22

Spring Semester Grades Visible in Self-Service
Saturday, May 23

Summer Drop Deadline for 100% Refund (May 20 Start)
Monday, May 25

In Case You Missed It...

Previous At-a-Glance issues are available for viewing via the Announcements section of the Online Programs website.

View At a Glance Archive