At a Glance: September 21
Announcements
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!
Help Others Discover the Power of a Gies Graduate Education
You know how life-changing a Gies online graduate program can be—whether it’s the flexibility to learn on your schedule, the support of a global community, or the career growth that comes from real-world learning.
Now, you can help others experience that same transformation. We’ve launched a simple referral form where you can share the name of someone who would thrive in a Gies graduate program. Your referral helps us connect with professionals who share our passion for lifelong learning and for using business as a force for meaningful impact.
Submit a Referral
Thank you for being such an active part of our global Gies community. Your support, encouragement, and enthusiasm help make this network so special—and we’re excited to welcome new learners because of voices like yours.
Gies Events
LinkedIn Live with Gies Online
Thursday, September 24 | 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.
Accounting in the Age of AI with Gies
Wednesday, September 30 | 6:00 - 7:00 pm CT
Artificial intelligence is transforming accounting functions across industries. Join Gies' Clinical Assistant Professor of Accountancy and Academic Director of BSA/MAS, Ed Rogowski, as he hosts a conversation with alumni from Gies Business’ three master’s degree programs in accountancy: Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA), online MSA (iMSA), and Master of Accounting Science (MAS). They will discuss how accounting professionals are leveraging AI, automation, and analytics to create business value and why human expertise remains essential. Learn how graduate education can prepare you for the future of the profession.
Accounting in the Age of AI Registration
Using AI to Make Networking Easier (and More Human)
Thursday, October 1 | 12:00 - 1:00 pm CT | GiesConnect Live Event
Join us for a virtual live event hosted by current iMBA learner Mark Lenz, featuring Adam Newman, founder of Value-Based Networking,™ a human-centered approach to building meaningful professional relationships. Drawing on his own experience navigating networking as an introvert and helping students with their career journeys, Adam offers a practical approach to making networking feel more authentic and manageable.
The ease of AI tools like ChatGPT is increasingly filling people’s inboxes with “AI slop,” which is, at best, ineffective and, at worst, counterproductive. This session focuses on balancing the obvious efficiency gains from AI tools with the much harder goals of quality and capturing the participant's unique voice. Participants also learn how AI can help with the parts of networking that often prevent people from getting started or paralyze them during the process, allowing them to focus more energy on the human parts of the relationship.
Interested in following similar topics and live event opportunities? Join the Career & Professional Development Channel in GiesConnect.
Using AI to Make Networking Easier Registration
Founders Week 2026
Thursday, October 1 | 11:45 am - 2:15 pm CT | BIF
Registration is open for Founders Week 2026, happening September 30–October 3 on the Illinois campus. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to explore entrepreneurship through panel discussions, a pitch competition, networking opportunities, and a founders showcase featuring innovations from faculty and student research labs.
As part of the celebration, the Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship in Gies College of Business will host The Science & Practice of Pitching on Thursday, October 1, from 11:45 am – 2:15 pm. The event includes
- 11:45 am – 12:45 pm lunch in the Business Instructional Facility (BIF) Atrium
- 1:00 – 2:15 pm a panel in the Deloitte Auditorium in BIF. Hear from entrepreneurs, venture investors, and researchers about crafting effective pitches, capturing investor attention, and raising capital.
Gies News
Gies Alumnus, Chidozie Ibeabuchi, Named to Crain’s 40 Under 40
Gies alumnus Chidozie Ibeabuchi (iMBA ’19) has been named to Crain’s New York Business 2026 40 Under 40 class for his leadership in professional sports and player development. As vice president of player engagement at Major League Soccer, Ibeabuchi leads initiatives focused on education, career development, financial literacy, and supporting players’ lives beyond the field. His work includes expanding educational opportunities through partnerships with Syracuse University and the University of Florida, as well as career resources for more than 5,000 active and former players. Ibeabuchi says the strategic and organizational leadership principles he developed through Gies’ iMBA continue to inform his work building scalable systems at MLS. Read the article here.
The Always-On Professor: How Gies Business uses AI Avatars
Gies College of Business has best testing AI-generated faculty avatars for four years to update lectures quickly, translate content, answer course questions, and provide interactive practice and coaching. The goal is to give students current, accessible, around-the-clock support while freeing professors to focus on advising, research, and personal interaction. Read more about this testing 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.
LinkedIn Live with Gies Online
Thursday, September 24
In Case You Missed It...
Previous At-a-Glance issues are available for viewing via the Announcements section of the Online Programs website.