What do you think this illustration is communicating? How does it relate to or comment on society or current events? Can you relate to it personally? What is your opinion of its message?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
The word peripatetic has appeared in 42 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on July 23 in “‘Time Bandits’ Review: A Flatter Adventure” by Mike Hale:
As it follows the peripatetic adventures of the bandits — from visits to the Maya empire and plague-ravaged medieval Europe to battles with dinosaurs and demons to confrontations with Pure Evil and the Supreme Being, the Mutt-and-Jeff deities of the “Time Bandits” universe — the show is unfailingly clever, visually interesting and at least mildly amusing.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word peripatetic in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
If you want a better idea of how peripatetic can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.
Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
Not knowing impacts buyers and vendors when discussing an LMS, LXP, and other platforms
Many are too long, but okay, a lot are.
Some request specific information that any vendor would have to spend an inordinate amount of time on.
Then the prospect (you) places a timeframe when the RFP has to be returned, ignoring the fact that by having an extensive RFP and many questions that are not honestly relevant to what you want OR are so vague, a vendor says, “yes” to everything.
Depending on your vernacular, it would be unreasonable for any vendor to spend more than a week on an RFP or RFI.
I wouldn’t do it regardless of who you are—the simple fact is that the vendor is not guaranteed to win the deal or provide you with a demo.
Nor is there any awareness from the vendor if you have already selected someone or are forced to by a higher-up—perhaps your conglomerate friends.
Section 2
Should the potential client provide any insight beyond what they present?
I say no, but with caveats.
When a vendor receives a lengthy RFI/RFP, I consider long to be anything past 10 pages.
I say this because you should have seen the demo already and asked extensive questions, with requested follow-up, before deciding whether to use RFP or RFI—depending on your vernacular for the type.
Thus, seeking additional insight with that RFP – the term I prefer – zeros in on more specifics.
That said, many people nowadays, okay, even in the past, blast away an RFP without seeing the system first.
This is how you get the 50-page, 200-page RFPs—as a vendor and then as the potential buyer spending all this time.
Who has that much time?
You can get your AI agent or use ChatGPT, but that would be a huge mistake.
In the meantime, a vendor is placed into a situation nobody should be in.
Complete or not.
This gets back to the “What you don’t know.”
I mentioned caveats in this situation.
It would behoove you to decide whether you want to waste your time and the vendor’s time if you have zero interest in seeing the system.
I never understood why people base their whole decision-making process on sites such as G2, whereas there are comments from others who may or may not have used the system.
Plenty of us – including myself, receive these “We will give you an Amazon gift card for X” if you leave comments.
I get them from Trust Radius all the time.
Another site with comments.
You shouldn’t buy anything, let alone inquire about a system like purchasing something from Amazon.
When I present my awards, I aim to say, “Check out these systems for further analysis.”
If you see a potential fit, then move forward.
The potential fit isn’t just talking to the vendor; it is seeing a system demo.
Not the other way around.
I recommend this same strategy when you use FindAnLMS (my platform) with the awards or any other insight.
You can skip FAL, read my analysis, and contact the vendor in this manner.
The time point is where I am going here.
Section 3
The Salesperson – how much do they know about the system?
This is the biggest misnomer in the industry, and so many vendors have no idea it’s happening.
However, some vendors are aware of this and are okay with it. Here is how it works – and surprise, it slides under what you don’t know.
You assume that the salesperson knows the system’s ins and outs—sans technical questions—because you think they have seen the entire system and asked questions to the product team, their head of sales, or someone in the company.
Fun fact – many do not.
When I say many, I am referencing the majority.
It is baffling how someone talks about the system in initial discussions if you ask but then lacks the information when you push deeper into the conversation.
If you are buying a house, the salesperson should know the ins and outs of the house.
Ditto on you taking your car to a mechanic.
A salesperson should be the initial expert here because you rely on them to present factual and accurate information.
This information will tell you whether to move forward and see the demo.
If not, you toss this system aside and look elsewhere.
How many times when you are viewing the demonstration, there is another person driving the system—i.e., showing you the system, following through on everything you ask, and knowing the system in detail?
If they do not know, they ask and tell you they will get back to you, which falls under the salesperson.
I can state the response rate for your inquiries that they do not know, and well follow-up is unacceptable.
I digress.
So someone is driving it. The term is often solutions consultant; however, a vendor will also refer to them in other terms.
The salesperson is on the call as well, I guess, seeing the demo and then answering any questions about X or Y.
Especially when it is the “I will follow up.”
I have been on calls where it is evident that the salesperson is doing something else rather than paying close attention to what you are asking.
This person, the salesperson, is your point of contact here.
The person who will impact you moving forward or not.
Is that what you want?
Section 4
The use case and getting back to the RFP will be huge factors.
I will bring back the RFP because the person completing the RFP isn’t always the salesperson.
I bet you didn’t know that.
Some vendors have another person who completes the RFP.
This person, you would assume, is more of an expert than the salesperson.
The vendor receives a lot of RFPs and they lack the time (remember above), so they have another person or multiple people handle it.
Many vendors see the same questions and then take a cut-and-paste approach.
Time here.
Let me ask you a question: What if the product management folks know more than the salesperson because new capabilities are being rolled out in short order or coming in, say, the next couple of quarters?
Do you believe the salesperson is aware of that?
The majority are not.
It is a silo game.
The same applies to the use case you present.
The more detailed you go – something I have written about and would happily send you an example to save you time.
A lack of details leads to a tornado of misinformation.
The vendor should have multiple people review that use case.
Yet, so many do not.
And that is a failure on their part.
You are unaware of this, or perhaps you never thought about it.
The team approach should be
Salesperson – the more they know about the use case, the better it is for everyone
Someone on the product team should know what is coming now and in the future because your use case may involve seeking items not yet available but in the pipeline.
A technical expert from the vendor. Many people ask technical questions about the systems they need to connect to the platform because it currently does not.
A support person—Many use cases fail to provide this as it relates to the impact of the current situation. If users are switching from another system or are new, they genuinely need to understand the process and mechanisms of a support department.
A review team – Pick an expert from the company to review all this information and make sure it is 100% accurate based on the use case you provided
Realize that your decision-making will be based on that use case.
The vendors themselves are pushing to show that the use case aligns with what they can offer.
The demonstration should be intertwined with that use case, something a vendor should do instead of following a script or proceeding first as if it were a list.
Never tell a vendor your budget.
They all want to know if your use case, follow-up questions, and demonstration will drive how they present to try to land you. Yes, in the use case, present the number of people you want in the system and whether you are going to roll it out to a few people and then move on.
Still, you are pigeonholing yourself into a box by providing the budget.
Section 5
The Price Game
Vendors go two ways about this: firstly, when it comes to the price they present to you.
It is either the assumption that you will further negotiate or the “discount” is a load of baloney because the price is a street price, which they never sell the system for.
I’m sure you have seen online ads or visited a site that offers a 25% discount on the retail price.
No, it isn’t.
Because that retail price point is magic beans, where the magic isn’t accurate – it’s just beans. . Now, consider that when a vendor says the system’s price is usually ABC, they give you a CDE discount.
They never pay attention to selling you the system at ABC unless they are just slimeballs, in which case, yeah, they will do it.
Then, other vendors go high, knowing or assuming that your procurement flows will negotiate or select a vendor at a lower price point.
Yet, they fail to recognize that you have procurement, but you are still the final decision maker.
Equally, there are companies where the decision maker isn’t the person who says they are the decision maker because, behind the scenes, there is a power struggle.
I’ve seen this with IT, who thinks the system is just another system like an ERP, and therefore, they should control it.
Plus, I have seen it where the shadow person has the CEO’s ear, and thus, even if you are running the department, that decision goes elsewhere.
The vendor is unaware of this.
This is especially true around you being the actual decision marker, regardless of IT, or you won’t have the power struggle or have procurement make the decision.
The procurement game is tricky because you may have the final say thus going high backfires.
As a vendor, you ask if the person you are talking to is the final decision-maker.
It can fail and irks the person.
Some people say they are the person who will make the final decision.
The vendor now knows.
Section 6
Pay Upfront, and we are buddies!
Don’t go into the active user angle.
It’s garbage.
Vendors either follow the long-time method of bundled pricing or go with range pricing.
Overwhelmingly, the vendors will require you to pay upfront.
Therefore, how do they know how many active users will be using the system?
I can count on my hands three times over to name vendors who invoice each month, and thus active implies – one is Eurekos.
I can count the number of vendors who will offset the cost with a semi-refund, but it goes into the second year as if you are dealing with a telecom.
It’s a shell game.
The idea that every vendor, and therefore the salesperson making this offer, should provide detailed pricing explanations is that they are psychic.
If they are, how come they haven’t won the lottery?
They are not knowledgeable about the active users when you pay upfront.
Too many people believe in focusing on the active user pitch, ignoring the final price they pay.
Did you know that?
Section 7
AI and your system to be or already your partner
Bottom Line
Knowing is crucial today.
A vendor should know what it is selling, how its salespeople are actually presenting it, and ensure that the salesperson is constantly being trained on the system.
For vendors who push the whole assessment piece in their systems or clients who want an assessment component in the platform, I often wonder why they do not test their salespeople on their knowledge of the system and its functionality.
Wouldn’t it be great to see their scores and ratings?
You can view all the salespeople at the company, read about their strengths and areas for improvement, see what content they are taking on product knowledge, and get a score.
Maybe Billy is outstanding in understanding the potential client’s needs and how to present them in a demo.
His score is 4.6
On the other hand, while polite, Steve never has the product team review the information you have presented. Instead, he relies on his gut to determine what is in the system.
Score? 3.5
The downside?
Steve works in your region, so you are stuck with him.
That would be a fantastic way to get to the truth.
At the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this week, over 2,500 canine contestants tried to measure up to a set of exacting breed standards and competed for the coveted best in show award. Did you watch?
What do you think of the winner, Monty, a dignified giant schnauzer, who beat out a whippet, a Skye terrier and the fan-favorite German shepherd for top honors?
Have you ever thought about entering your own pet into a similar competition? Why or why not? If so, which talents, abilities or skills — such as agility, obedience or adorability — would you want to showcase?
How would you feel if your pet won? What about if they didn’t?
Tell us in the comments, and then look at these behind the scenes photos to learn more about what it takes to compete for best in show at Westminster.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Have you heard of the “Super Bowl for Excel Nerds”?
Watch the video above about the Microsoft Excel World Championship, where 12 participants vied this past December to be crowned the world’s best spreadsheeter.
What do you think of this competition? How would you do if you were competing in it?
Is there a skill or talent you are so good at that you could win a contest?
Like soccer players taking the field in a giant stadium, the 12 finalists ran through a glowing “hype tunnel,” some wearing jerseys with sponsorship logos. As an announcer bellowed introductions and cameras captured their every move, they approached a neon-lit stage to raucous cheers.
Then the men sat down at desktop computers, opened their Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and began to type.
Excel, a program that does complex math on a human’s behalf, is often associated, rightly, with corporate drudgery. But last month, in a Las Vegas e-sports arena that typically hosts Fortnite and League of Legends tournaments, finance professionals fluent in spreadsheets were treated like minor celebrities as they gathered to solve devilishly complex Excel puzzles in front of an audience of about 400 people, and more watching an ESPN3 livestream.
Organizers call the event the Microsoft Excel World Championship. “Yes, it is a thing,” the official website says.
Maybe you can’t picture yourself winning this competition, but is there another skill or talent that you would like to learn or get better at?
I mean, I can swim. But what I do in a pool feels more like a battle for survival than a workout — especially after the first few laps. My legs are too long, my stroke is uneven and I constantly struggle to get a decent breath.
It’s not fun, which is why I rarely swim for fitness. Plus, swimming culture is intimidating, with its caps and goggles and rules about lane splitting.
But it’s great winter exercise, if you have access to an indoor pool. So I recently set out to become a better swimmer, with the help of my first lessons since grade school.
It turns out that you can get a lot better with just few lessons. And once you do, you suddenly have another option for an aerobic workout that’s easy on the joints.
Students, read one or both articles, and then tell us:
What is one skill you can do really well — something, for example, you might win a competition for if there were such a thing? How did you discover you had a talent for it?
How did you get so good at this skill? What expert tips could you share with someone who wanted to start or to improve?
What is a skill you’d like to learn or get better at? Why do you want to know how to do it? Who is someone who might be able to help you?
In general, do you like trying new things? Or, do you tend to stick with what you already know and do well? Why?
What is rewarding about getting good at something? What is challenging about it? Do either of these articles inspire you to want to try something new or to push yourself harder?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 examines anticipated challenges and opportunities facing economies from 2025-2030. It harvested the views of more than 1,000 who represent some 14 million workers worldwide.
Introducing the report, Saadia Zahidi, WEF Managing Director, commented that technological advances are “converging with a broader array of challenges, including economic volatility, geoeconomic realignments, environmental challenges and evolving societal expectations.”
The increasing cost of living is a key contributor to economic volatility. With over 5,500+ free online courses, Alison has equipped more than 45 million learners across 193 countries to compete in the job market, increase their skills, and achieve career growth and development.
Read on to discover how, as a trusted empowerment platform, we fully support WEF’s ambition to equip employers and individuals to meet the challenges ahead.
Demographic Shifts
Two demographic shifts are impacting global economies and labour markets: the ageing and shrinking workforce in higher-income economies, and conversely, the expanding workforce in lower-income economies.
As a result, WEF foresees an increase in demand for skills in talent management, mentoring, and motivation and self-awareness.
Young, Growing Workforce
Employers and trainers can equip staff to succeed through online learning. Online empowerment platform Alison offers training for apprentices in everything from caregiving to carpentry, providing theory teaching to complement on-the-job training.
Newcomers to the workplace can also develop soft skills like motivation and self-awareness through online self-improvement training.
With Alison, learners can master skills such as:
Ageing, Shrinking Workforce
In higher-income economies, ageing populations are driving growth in healthcare, nursing and adult education. Ongoing skills training is vital for professions such as nursing, where continued professional development is required to maintain registration. Alison’s teaching and adult education courses also support continuing professional development all over the world.
Alison Graduate Autumn D. commented on completing the certificate course, Facilitating Adult Learning Groups: “I really enjoyed this course! I am interviewing for a training manager position and this helped me skill myself to prepare for the interview!”
Click on the links for courses for:
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Cultural shifts and demographics have nudged equality issues up the agenda, particularly in higher-income economies. As a result, DEI training is highlighted by 47% of employers in The Future of Jobs Survey. WEF reports that 83% of employers have a DEI initiative in place, compared to 67% in 2023, rising to 96% in the USA.
Supporting employee health and well-being is expected to be a top focus for talent attraction, with 64% of employers surveyed identifying it as a key strategy to increase talent availability.
Individuals can take Alison’s free Workplace Wellbeing psychometric test to ascertain how they are doing and attain actionable insights.
Among the many testimonials about the benefits of the test is this from Luricelle P: “The assessment helped me become more emotionally resilient and it is a valuable tool for promoting self-awareness and proactive mindfulness. I highly recommend it as it is beneficial to an individual’s mental state.”
Political and Economic Turmoil
A third (34%) of surveyed organisations cited geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical tensions as issues driving business model transformation. Companies trading with the USA and China are expected to be most affected by restrictions on trade and investment, subsidies and industrial policies. They may consider relocating operations offshore or end previous offshore arrangements.
Jobs for the Future
The Industrial Revolution transformed the Western world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The ongoing Technological Revolution is moving farther and faster and will continue to alter the jobs landscape.
According to the Future of Jobs Survey the labour-market transformation is likely to generate 170 million jobs (14% of today’s total employment). An estimated 92 million (8% of current jobs) are expected to be displaced, “resulting in net growth of 7% of total employment, or 78 million jobs”.
Along with the technology and care economy sector mentioned above, frontline workers will continue to be in demand, WEF finds, and are predicted to see the largest growth in absolute terms of volume. Individuals and organisations wishing to upskill in these in-demand jobs can find free online courses on Alison.
Click on the links for courses for:
Jobs in Decline
The jobs facing the fastest net decline (%), projected by employers surveyed by WEF
Clerical and Secretarial Workers
Automation and AI are impacting the future prospects of many in administrative and secretarial roles. According to WEF, the largest decline in absolute numbers is set to impact Cashiers and Ticket Clerks, Administrative Assistants and Executive Secretaries, Postal Service Clerks, Bank Tellers and Data Entry Clerks.
“On average, workers can expect that two-fifths (39%) of their existing skill sets will be transformed or become outdated over the 2025-2030 period,” WEF comments. “However, this measure of “skill instability” has slowed compared to previous editions of the report, from 44% in 2023 and a high point of 57% in 2020 in the wake of the pandemic. This finding could potentially be due to an increasing share of workers (50%) having completed training, reskilling or upskilling measures, compared to 41% in the report’s 2023 edition.”
Support for Job Seekers
Alison’s free resources extend far beyond direct training and include:
A comprehensive Career Guide to facilitate those who find they are forced to migrate from one role to another. Once an individual has selected a career, they are then directed to the steps required to make the switch, including recommended courses.
For those in need of more guidance, Alison’s Aptitude Test provides assessments in verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning. These not only help the candidate identify their abilities but can also prove their capacity to potential employers by printing their report. On completing the aptitude tests, candidates are directed to courses that will help them improve where necessary.
Individuals can also take the Workplace Personality Test to ascertain what type of role they are most likely to succeed in.
Job-seekers can also avail of the free Resume Builder to create a professional looking CV.
Finally, they can prepare for the next stage of the recruitment process with comprehensive Interview Skills training.
Identifying Skills Gaps
If the world’s workforce was made up of 100 people, 59 would need training by 2030.” WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025
The differences between growing and declining job roles are expected to exacerbate the existing skills gaps, WEF warns. Along with resilience, flexibility and agility, programming and technological literacy mentioned above, other prominent skills gaps are anticipated to include resource management and operations, and quality control.
“Given these evolving skill demands, the scale of workforce upskilling and reskilling expected to be needed remains significant: if the world’s workforce was made up of 100 people, 59 would need training by 2030.
“Of these, employers foresee that 29 could be upskilled in their current roles and 19 could be upskilled and redeployed elsewhere within their organisation. However, 11 would be unlikely to receive the reskilling or upskilling needed, leaving their employment prospects increasingly at risk.”
The report continues: “Skill gaps are categorically considered the biggest barrier to business transformation by Future of Jobs Survey respondents, with 63% of employers identifying them as a major barrier over the 2025-2030 period. Accordingly, 85% of employers surveyed plan to prioritise upskilling their workforce, with 70% of employers expecting to hire staff with new skills, 40% planning to reduce staff as their skills become less relevant, and 50% planning to transition staff from declining to growing roles.”
Helping Employers Upskill Staff
Funding for – and provision of – reskilling and upskilling are seen as the two most welcomed public policies to boost talent availability. Alison is ideally placed to meet that need.
The platform’s groundbreaking Learning Management System empowers employers to tailor training to individual needs and to track learners’ progress.
Employers can:
Avail of 5,500+ courses for flexible & efficient learning
Enjoy an easy setup process in under 5 minutes
Assign certificates with CPD accreditation
Access pre-curated learning paths
Create their own learning paths
Get real-time analytics in comprehensive reports.
Chart Your Course to 2030
In conclusion, the WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025 provides a crucial roadmap for navigating the evolving world of work. By embracing lifelong learning, developing in-demand skills, and adapting to new technologies, individuals can thrive in this dynamic environment. Alison is committed to empowering learners worldwide with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the future of work. Its free online courses, combined with valuable resources like career guidance and aptitude assessments, provide a pathway to a brighter future for everyone.
Finally, the report predicts that curiosity and lifelong learning, are also expected to continue to rise in importance over the 2025-2030 period. Why not register for a free account with Alison today and get ahead of the (learning) curve!
*The World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Jobs Report 2025 project team is Till Leopold, Attilio Di Battista, Ximena Játiva, Shuvasish Sharma, Ricky Li and Sam Grayling, alongside the wider team at the Centre for the New Economy and Society. Read the full report or the report digest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are some of the top skills and roles that are expected to be in demand in the coming years?
A. The report predicts growth in roles related to technology, the care economy, and frontline work. Specific skills in demand include talent management, mentoring, self-awareness, digital literacy, programming, resource management, and quality control. Frontline roles like farmworkers, delivery drivers, construction workers, salespersons, and food processing workers are also expected to see growth. Additionally, soft skills like resilience, flexibility, agility, curiosity, and a commitment to lifelong learning are becoming increasingly important.
Q. How can individuals and employers prepare for the changing job market, and how does Alison support this?
A. Individuals can prepare by focusing on lifelong learning, developing in-demand skills, and adapting to new technologies. Alison offers a wide range of free online courses covering many of the skills and roles highlighted in the report, including courses in technology, caregiving, and professional development. Alison also provides resources like career guides, aptitude tests, resume builders, and interview skills training to help individuals navigate the job market. For employers, Alison offers a Learning Management System that allows them to tailor training to individual needs, track learner progress, and manage upskilling and reskilling initiatives within their organizations. This helps employers address skill gaps and ensure their workforce is prepared for the future of work.
Q. What are some of the job roles that are projected to decline in the coming years?
A. The Future of Jobs Report 2025 identifies clerical and secretarial roles as facing the fastest net decline. Specifically, the report highlights Cashiers and Ticket Clerks, Administrative Assistants and Executive Secretaries, Postal Service Clerks, Bank Tellers, and Data Entry Clerks as being significantly impacted by automation and AI. This emphasizes the need for workers in these areas to consider upskilling or reskilling to transition to more in-demand roles.
The word obliquely has appeared in 47 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on July 30 in Rebecca Makkai’s review of the novel “I Have Some Questions for You,” by Dinaw Mengestu:
To appreciate Mengestu’s work, you have to be ready to live in uncertainty, to find any truths obliquely, if at all. If you can accomplish that, the journey is well worth the discomfort.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word obliquely in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
If you want a better idea of how obliquely can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.
Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
For Dennis Harlow, higher education wasn’t just about earning a degree—it was about transforming his career, expanding his professional network, and immersing himself in a program that aligned with his life. From his early days as a high school bank teller to his extensive experience as a commercial banker, Dennis always had a keen interest in finance and helping his clients succeed. But it wasn’t until he started working alongside CPAs—analyzing financial statements, helping business owners allocate assets, and navigating post-acquisition strategies—that he realized he wanted to dive deeper into the field of accounting. That’s when he discovered the Master’s of Accounting (iMSA) at the University of Illinois Gies College of Business.
The Journey to Gies: A Perfect Fit
Dennis initially took online classes during COVID-19 to get back into the rhythm of school, having been out of the academic world for over 20 years. His first experience with online education was with his undergraduate alma mater, but he found the experience lacking—no interaction, no group work, no flexibility, and only pre-recorded lectures.
Despite already being accepted into his former undergraduate school’s master program master’s program, he was determined to find something better. He explored several options but the requirement for in-person presence was a dealbreaker, given his full-time job and other personal commitments. In Spring of 2023, just weeks before he was due to return as a full-time online student to his alma mater, he decided to continue his research for other online business programs, noting Gies consistently ranked among the best. With a strong reputation—including being a top-three accounting program in the U.S.—networking opportunities, and a robust online experience for master’s students, Gies stood out above all. Dennis quickly pivoted his plan, left his alma mater, and instead enrolled in the online iMSA.
A Dynamic, Engaging Learning Experience
From the start, Dennis found the recruitment and admissions team at Gies to be incredibly helpful. They explained the possibility of stacking course progress into the degree, the interactive live sessions, and the extensive networking opportunities. Unlike his previous experience, Gies provided a truly engaging environment. His classmates were diverse, coming from all over the world, and his professors included impressive leaders like tax attorneys or PhDs involved in writing tax laws.
“The professors were hilarious and engaging,” Dennis recalled. “They made even the driest material dynamic and exciting.” He specifically praised professors Matthew Hutchens and Danielle Green and their ability to bring real-world experience into the classroom.
He also appreciated the program’s structure, which allowed him to balance work and school. He created his own schedule, working intensively on weekends and completing projects during the week. The flexibility of the program enabled him to maintain a high GPA straight through to graduation.
Networking and Community: The Gies Difference
One of the primary standout aspects of Dennis’ experience at Gies was the strong sense of community and networking opportunities. He was blown away by iConverge, an annual event that brings online students together in person. “The sheer awesomeness of it all—the phenomenal speakers, the alumni connections, and the history of the school—was incredible,” he said.
Despite being an online student, Dennis felt deeply connected to his peers and the Gies network. He actively participated in iGBA networking opportunities, Chicago meetup groups, and even attended Cubs games with fellow students. Dennis noted, “The wonderful thing about the University of Illinois and the Gies program is that they try to keep you together and connected with the school,” he said. “We help each other. It’s a very cohesive community.”
The ability to connect with other professionals across industries and locations made the experience feel like more than just an online program. In fact, as Dennis noted, “it felt like family.”
Preparing for the Future: CPA Exam and Beyond
The iMSA program at Gies not only prepared Dennis for a career shift but also equipped him for the CPA exam, which he is scheduled to take in April. He appreciated that the program didn’t require an accounting background and that it was designed to ensure students were well-prepared for the CPA and real-world applications.
Beyond the CPA, Dennis is already looking ahead—he plans to return and complete the online iMBA program at Gies, further expanding his expertise in business and finance. He was namely excited about his ability to stack 24 credits from the iMSA toward the iMBA and complete a second credential even faster than his first one. His passion for working with clients, analyzing financial strategies, and helping businesses succeed has only grown stronger.
A Proud Graduate
Graduating in December 2024, Dennis celebrated this milestone by purchasing a commemorative brick at Illinois Memorial Stadium, marking both his journey and his family’s legacy. With his brother being a 2004 Illinois graduate, and with Dennis graduating from the same school 20 years later, he was excited to cement this lasting familial bond that he and his brother now share at the University of Illinois. Reflecting on his experience, he is grateful not just for the education but for the relationships, mentorship, and professional growth he gained through Gies.
With 15 years at his current firm and a deep passion for tax and advisory services, Dennis is eager to continue helping clients navigate financial decisions. His mantra remains the same: “How can we get you there?”—a perfect reflection of his dedication to guiding others toward financial success, and his dedication to bettering himself through higher education.
For anyone considering an online business or accounting program, Dennis’ journey is proof that Gies College of Business provides not just a top-tier education, but an experience that is flexible, engaging, and deeply connected to a thriving professional network.
Above is an image related to one of the news stories we followed this past week. Do you know what it shows? At the bottom of this quiz, you’ll find the answer.
Have you been paying attention to current events recently? See how many of these 10 questions you can get right.
Kendrick Lamar’s performance at Super Bowl LIX made him the first rapper to headline the N.F.L.’s biggest stage solo.
Did you watch the show? Were you already a Kendrick Lamar fan? What did you think of the performance? What specific aspects — whether the music, the staging, the dancing, the costumes, the symbolism or anything else — were most or least successful, in your opinion? Why?
Lamar made his Drake diss track “Not Like Us” the centerpiece of his set. What do you think of the ongoing beef between Lamar and Drake? Was the Super Bowl the appropriate stage to try to settle a vendetta?
Tell us in the comments, and then read the related review to learn what a New York Times critic thought.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
