2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT Voices
That’s our goal at Gies—preparing future generations of business leaders who use their voices to bring value to society. One way we do that is by providing a collaborative, supportive environment where each student can find their voice and explore their purpose.
We also do it by listening to the voices of all our stakeholders, some of whom you’ll hear from in this annual report. Their words—and their actions—are a reflection of our intentional focus on delivering life-changing access to education and excellence in scholarship, teaching, and innovation.
Purpose is the heart of Gies. In March 2022, freshman David Hong and nine other Gies students proved it. Together with Gies leadership, they spent spring break in Clarksdale, Mississippi, learning firsthand how business plays a role in building a strong, diverse community. It’s just one of countless ways Gies helps students discover their passion and purpose.
Jeffrey R. Brown Dean and Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor in Business
Voices About the Cover:
It’s an ongoing conversation, one that leads Gies closer to our goal of being the best business school on the planet. I invite you to add your voice to the conversation. We’re listening.
As we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the naming of our College, we continue that commitment to advancing purposedriven leadership by thinking big and acting with intention. We do it by bringing more voices to the table, listening to each one, and making decisions based on diverse perspectives.
At this year’s Leighton Lecture on Ethics and Leadership, Larry Gies encouraged our students to trust their voices.
It’s young people, he said, whose new ideas move business and society forward and whose fresh perspectives alert organizations to problems.
talksschoolbusinessWhatabout purpose? We do.
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Larry Gies, ACCY ’88
“The iMBA program is built for purpose. As the COO of a global nonprofit, it’s made me a better leader who understands how to tap into the diversity of team members from 36 countries.”
“Here, students are encouraged to connect the dots between what they’re studying and what they envision as their higher purpose in life.”
Zoe Hannon, Supply Chain Management, Marketing ’23
Michael Gerba, MBA ’20
intopurposeaboutthatputsWhotalk action? We do.
From our first year at Gies, we’re encouraged to examine what’s important to us and challenged to use that knowledge to make a difference in business and society.”
“I came to Gies with an interest in marketing, and I graduated understanding that I can use my interest in business to be a catalyst for change.”
Markos Christoforou, Marketing, Information Systems ’21“I want to make a difference, so I’m building an app that will bring ag management information to farmers in India. My Gies classes and connections are helping me do it.”
“I’ve learned the importance of starting each project with purpose. That means answering one question: What part of the world am I seeking to make better?”
Kayla Gonzalez, Supply Chain Management, Marketing ’22 Voices
Nina Mitchell, FIN ’24 “The focus on social innovation and entrepreneurship in the Gies curriculum prepares us to envision and influence social change.”
Dhanashri Mandhani, FIN, Marketing ’23 “At Gies, I’ve learned to think of entrepreneurship as a way to start serving others’ needs and contribute to their well-being. Business is a tool that can change the world.”
Brian Oviedo, Marketing ’23
Lucas Dion, Marketing ’24
“Experiential learning and international experiences have allowed me to build a robust cultural mindset, strengthen my communication skills, and contribute to the diverse Gies community.”
Who intoprinciplesbusinessturnsvibrant learning Weexperiences?do. Creating relevant, robust learning experiences for our students is a College-wide priority, so we’ve invested in expertise and resources that support faculty creativity and collaboration.
“ The experience in Clarksdale gave me a more diverse perspective on the world outside of my small bubble. I was able to meet with local entrepreneurs and community activists, offer ideas for making a difference, and see firsthand the impact businesses can make in a community. I’ve always thought that business should have some degree of social responsibility, but to see that in action was powerful.”
Brian Hamm, Clinical Assistant Professor and Co-instructor of ACCY 517 with Professor Nerissa Brown
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“The big social problems of the day are front of mind for our students. That’s why in Business 101, we intentionally created a capstone project that challenges students to explore how issues like inequality, cybersecurity, and the environment impact business and how businesses respond. We want students to know how business benefits society, why that matters, and their responsibility to the social value of business. By reimagining Business 101, we are grounding it in business on purpose.”
David Hong, ’25, Mississippi Project participant
“Through the Mississippi Project, we created a unique opportunity for students to learn how business can be a noble profession and to appreciate how the skills they develop to enhance their own livelihoods can be used to impact the lives of others.”
Michel Watkins, Program Manager for Student Engagement and Formation Voices
Professor Larson pioneered a course in business analytics that I took three years ago. As a course assistant and associate lab instructor for the last six semesters, I’ve seen his commitment to constantly re-envisioning the course to meet the demands of the field and the needs of the students. It’s one of many reasons I nominated him for the Poets&Quants teaching award.”
Alex Kogen, ACCY ’22, MAS ’23
Eric Larson, teaching associate professor of business administration, earned the Poets&Quants Top 50 Business Professor Award, as did faculty members Aimee Barbeau and Kevin Jackson. It is the second year three Gies faculty received this prestigious distinction. Larson was also a recipient of the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for 2022.
“ As demand for Gies online degrees has grown, College leadership has encouraged faculty to collaborate on developing and delivering online courses. For me, who has had a 25-year career in industry, that provided an opportunity to partner with Nerissa Brown, a talented academician and researcher. By pairing these diverse strengths, students receive a rich blend of expertise and a holistic view of the course content. ”
Aimee Barbeau, Teaching Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Course Instructor for Business 101
To ensure that today’s business courses prepare to tackle tomorrow’s business problems, we prioritize innovation in curriculum design and
“Gies is an innovator in data science education. Not only do we integrate it into our existing curriculum, we are also offering two new interdisciplinary undergraduate degrees— ACCY + DS and FIN + DS—which pair our award-winning business education with a data science core taught by university experts from computer science, math, statistics, and information sciences.”
learners
Jessen Hobson, Professor of Accountancy and Director of the University of Illinois-Deloitte Foundation Center for Business Analytics
delivery. Who forwardcurriculumbusinessdrivesthrough purposeful innovation? We do.
Kevin Jackson, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Affairs, Professor of Accountancy, and founder of the Civil Discourse class “ All future business leaders need to understand how blockchain technology will influence their companies and industries. At Gies, we’re leading the effort by offering new courses, hosting webinars and summits, and even creating our own blockchain— iBlock—which is being used for teaching and research.”
“ Today’s educators should be providing students with intentional and integrated frameworks for confronting tough issues. Our Civil Discourse class is one way we do that at Gies. We want to broaden the lens through which they see the world and give them opportunities to appreciate and learn from different perspectives.”
This year, Gies launched two 12-credit-hour online graduate certificates: Accounting Data Analytics and Strategic Leadership and Management. There are plans to add up to six more within the next year in marketing, innovation, managerial economics, and more.
Robert Brunner, Professor of Accountancy and Chief Disruption Officer “The focus on experiential learning at Gies gave me the opportunity to make real decisions on real projects in real time. Before my data analytics practicum, I was a biologist. Now, I’m also someone who can build an algorithm. What I learned was immediately applicable, and I could build on it every day. I will carry these practical skills with me for my entire career.”
Voices
Whitney Smith, Senior Director of Academic Programs
Angela Alburei, MSBA ’22 Gies integrates real-world learning across the curriculum, from Business 301, a required course for juniors, to practicums in graduate programs. This year, nearly 1,718 students worked on 285 individual client projects as part of our innovative College-wide experiential learning initiatives.
“ Learners are demanding more flexible ways to build specific skills. For those with an undergraduate degree who aren’t ready to commit to a graduate degree program, we have built flexible online graduate certificate programs to meet immediate needs and offer credits that can be applied to a degree in the future. It’s an innovative approach that fits perfectly with the trends we’re seeing in workforce demands.”
Who imagines the future of business and knows how to build it? We do.
Plans for a new building have been drawn to support highly engaging experiences for learners both on campus and across the globe. The facility, adjacent to BIF, will include state-of-the-art classrooms and online teaching studios as well as collaborative spaces for group projects.
“The building is an investment in the future of education for learners who want a world-class business degree, including the students who actually walk the halls and those iMBA students like me, who aren’t physically on campus. The exceptional business education Gies delivers makes a difference in people’s lives. I know it has for me.”
Jeffrey Brown, Dean and Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor in Business
We have had unprecedented growth in the number of new faculty. Not only do they enrich the academic and research capacity of the College, they bring bold new initiatives, like the iVenture Accelerator and Disruption Lab, requiring additional space for them to connect with students.”
The College’s emphasis on project-based learning gives students real-world experience that prepares them for a successful career. But it also requires collaborative, flexible space where students can work in large and small teams and can meet and innovate with clients.
Steve Shebik, ACCY, FIN ’78
“ When I became dean in 2015, we had one online student. This year, we had more than 5,000. The increased demand comes from the reputation of our faculty, our high-engagement model, and our innovative and growing portfolio of programs. But meeting that growing demand requires expanded online studio space. Our new building will provide it and allow us to continue to lead in offering access to life-changing education.”
“There is a commitment to innovation in the College that continually puts Gies ahead of the curve. It’s built on a strong vision and a set of strategic priorities that move business and business students forward, and that is worthy of all of our support.”
Pete Cella, FIN ’79
Voices
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Megan and I are proud to support the College’s efforts to deliver experiential learning, which creates exceptional opportunities for students.”
Bria Purdiman, MBA ’20
Hayden Noel, Clinical Associate Professor of Business Administration “
Each learner has a different path and their own reasons for pursuing a degree. At Gies, we are focused on creating the innovative, high-quality programs and financial resources that open doors for learners across the state, the nation, and the world.
Anna Korkor Amegatcher, MBA ’24
“I had researched fulltime, residential MBA programs in the U.S. and realized I couldn’t afford them. I’d been hesitant about an online MBA but saw that Gies was offering a two-week virtual global immersion in Ghana and thought participating in this short, intense experience would give me a good sense of the learning environment at Gies. It did, and with the flexible fees and program structure, I am now an iMBA student using the strategies I’m learning to build African businesses.”
Who changeslives increasingby access to Weeducation?world-classado.
I know I made a great decision.”
Tina Holtz, MBA ’23 “To me, going to college seemed like a dream.far-fetched For our family, it was a choice siblingsforfoodensuringbetweenthereisonthetablemyyoungerorsending me to college, and the answer was obvious. But through the generosity of Gies scholarship donors, I had an opportunity to receive a world-class education and to show my sister and brother that it’s possible for them too.”
“In high school, I started By All Means, a business that combines fashion with performance as a form of personal expression. But to grow the business, I knew I needed to develop skills in accounting, marketing, entrepreneurship, and finance. So I left the Bay Area to come to Gies, one of the best business schools in the country. It’s given me a chance to learn while building my business.
Manmit Kaur, MSM ’22 Voices
Rebecca Chen, MSBA ’22
Anish Makkapati, FIN, Information Systems ’24 “I live in Germany and was looking to earn an MBA while working full-time and caring for my children. The Gies online checkedprogramevery box—it was flexible, top ranked, and had a variety of specialization options. Just one year into the program, it has already paid dividends. Not only does the flexibility fit my lifestyle, the coursework has expanded my skillset, made me a more strategic thinker, and developed my confidence.”
“During the pandemic, I decided to build business analytics skills to add to my master’s degree in accounting. I chose the Gies MSBA because of the exceptional academic reputation of the accounting program, and it’s been a perfect fit in terms of content, flexibility, faculty support, and alumni connection. Plus, it’s presented me with a clearer career path and a great internship opportunity.”
David Lopez, ACCY ’21
“I’m trained as an engineer and wanted a solid business foundation to build the skills needed to advance my career. I chose the iMSM for its flexibility, the high quality of the content, and the ability to apply what I learned in class right away in my daily work. From my research, I knew the iMSM had an excellent academic reputation. What I didn’t know was that this online program would be able to create an amazing sense of community with a network of peers all over the world.”
Gies faculty are collaborators who have built an international reputation for research excellence across all disciplines. Their work focuses on real-world issues and provides insights that guide business decisions today and help leaders prepare for tomorrow. Who throughvaluebringstosociety purpose-driven research? We do.
Jeffrey R. Brown, Dean and Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor in Business Gies and our Disruption Lab have been hired to collect and analyze data about the burgeoning cannabis industry in Illinois.
“ Great technologies can change the world, but their impact depends on understanding the market and configuring a great business around the innovation. DPI’s mission is to create solutions for such grand challenges, and a key part of Gies’s mission as an innovative business school is to help accelerate such economic development in Illinois. DPI is also creating a great educational ecosystem to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in our tech workforce.”
“ The results of this research will help guide public policies regarding disaster preparedness and response, helping to avoid or reduce the health impacts of future disasters and improving individual health resiliency ”
The initiative is designed to help shape the industry’s diversity, equity, and inclusion and social justice regulatory policies.
David Molitor, Associate Professor of Finance Molitor (far left), along with Associate Professor Tatyana Deryugina (front), Professor Nolan Miller (far right), and Associate Professor Julian Reif (middle) received a $1.6 million research award from the National Institutes of Health to study how natural disasters affect the health and health care needs of older adults and those living with long-term disabilities.
“ You often don’t see quantifiable benchmarks and rigorous analysis in the cannabis world, or in the world of diversity, equity, and inclusion. There’s an opportunity to use data we collect to bring analytics to bear on questions about diversity and equity, and for the cannabis industry to become an engine for building intergenerational Black and Brown wealth. My intention is to give Gies students an opportunity to get real-world data consulting experience in an industry that’s growing fast.”
Justin Leiby, PhD ’11, Associate Professor of Accountancy
“Cross-border collaborations with world-class institutions support excellence in research and education on a global scale. We’ve established such a collaboration with the Kyiv School of Economics in Ukraine this year as a way to demonstrate that we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our Ukrainian colleagues as they fight for their freedom.”
Deepak Somaya, Dianne and Steven N. Miller Professor in Business and Faculty-in-Residence at Discovery Partners Institute Voices
A commitment to excellence is a Gies guidepost. Each member of our College community strengthens that commitment through their individual work, which collectively enhances the Gies reputation and advances the profession.
Who fosters a culture of excellence that Weleaders?scholarsaward-winningproducesanddo.
The College honored Kraatz’s recognition as a national leader in the field of organizational behavior by naming him the Merle H. and Virginia Downs Boren Professor in Business Administration.
“I was really drawn to Gies by the top-ranked, diverse faculty as well as the breadth of research methods and topics available to study. I am most excited to collaborate with the faculty and dive deep into research projects.”
Brooke Elliott, Executive Associate Dean of Academic Programs and EY Distinguished Professor in Accountancy
Cory Ohms, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs
William Bernhard, Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Illinois
John Byrne, Editor-in-Chief, Poets&Quants Voices “Gies is committed to creating equal access to higher education for women of color who are looking to grow in their jobs or make a career pivot. We were honored to share Egretha’s Educational Diversity Impact Award with our alumna Dr. Airies Davis for our collaborative work in advocating for women in business through flexible, affordable education. ”
“There’s no shortage of deans who have grand visions, but it is a rare dean who makes a vision become a reality. That’s exactly what Dean Brown is doing at Gies and why he’s been named Poets&Quants Dean of the Year for 2021. He’s reimagining what the future of business education can be, and he’s delivering on it.”
“ Our goal is to be able to prepare students to follow their passions and make the world a better place. As Fulbright grant winners, that’s exactly what 2021 graduates Richard Chao, Michelle Dinh, and Banu Gulecyuz are doing. They’ve made us proud, and I’m sure will make a lasting impact on lives in Taiwan, France, and Turkey.”
Jessica Thornton, Recipient of an AICPA Minority Doctoral Student Fellowship “Matt Kraatz has pushed the frontiers of new thinking in how transparency,governance,and values influence the success of organizations. He has shared that knowledge with generations of students who can put it into practice as they move into the professional world.”
Who believes in the power of alumni engagement to Welearning?transformdo. $310 million Total raised. Original goal: $300 million
50+ Alumni speakers 100+ Magelli projects sponsored by alumni 120+ Board volunteers Campaign fundraising* 9,700+ Campaign donors 2,000+ First-time ever donors 27,000+ Campaign gifts 250+ Major gift donors during campaign 14,000+ Gifts between $1 and $100 170+ New scholarship funds created 35+ New fellowships and named faculty position funds created Alumni Engagement AY 2021-2022 *Preliminary campaign results through 6/30/22 ion “ The engagement of our alumni, through their donation of time and talent and their financial generosity, is transformative for our College and our students. Their loyalty and enthusiasm are points of pride and further build the College’s reputation for excellence and innovation.” Rebecca Pagels, Associate Dean for Advancement Voices
1206 South Sixth Street Champaign, IL 61820 GiesBusiness.illinois.edu217.333.2747
