How a Film Industry Professional Decided to Pursue the Gies iMBA
When Ines Weitgasser first started out, her passion for storytelling and creativity led her to Los Angeles, where she began working for TV and film studios doing post-production. “I was always interested in creative work and working with a team of motivated professionals,” she said about her time in Hollywood. But after ten years, she…
Exploratory learning that counts and professional networking that matters
The Master of Business Administration (iMBA) from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) is a great option for learners like Molly Johnson who want to explore continuing their education by first completing stackable courses on Coursera. With these courses, learners can build their skills into a master’s degree. The iMBA…
Mastering the Code of Business: A Seasoned Software Engineer’s Journey to the iMBA
Over the course of your career, you may find that the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve your goals often change. After all, different goals require different abilities. Mateu Batle, a software engineer based in Lima, Peru, discovered as much when he launched the fintech start-up Rextie. Batle had a wealth of experience in software…
Balancing Act: How Angela Mastered the iMBA as a Working Mom
Leveraging Flexibility and Innovation to Achieve Educational Goals Angela Huwe’s journey through the online Master of Business Administration (iMBA) program from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a testament to the power of the program’s flexibility. As a working mom, Angela chose the iMBA program to enhance her business acumen and strengthen her problem solving…
Gies College of Business partners with Coursera to offer scholarships to degree students
Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of a global scholarship program for the Master of Business Administration (iMBA), Master’s of Accounting (iMSA), and Master’s in Management (iMSM) graduate programs on Coursera. Together, Coursera and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Gies College of Business will provide a limited number of scholarships per year, covering 70% of…
From Chemistry to Strategy: How Ishpinder Kailey Used the iMBA to Expand Her Impact...
When Australia-based learner Ishpinder Kailey reflects on her journey—from teaching physical chemistry in India, to leading global R&D teams in Canada, and now co-founding her own advisory firm in Australia—her path tells a story of unwavering resilience, shaped by bold decisions, reinvention, and a deep commitment to education and personal growth. With a foundation in…
From Coursework to Career Impact: How Tom Fail Turns Gies iMBA Coursework into Real...
Tom Fail’s journey through higher education is deeply personal and rooted in a clear sense of purpose. With two degrees already under his belt and a successful career in Ed Tech, Tom explains why he made the decision to pursue his third degree credential. His story explains his personal connection to higher education and how…
Stack your way to an MBA
We are excited to announce that when you complete the 1-year online Master of Science in Management (iMSM) program from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, your credit hours can be applied directly toward the online Master of Business Administration (iMBA) program if you are accepted to the program. This is…
From Specialization to MBA — A Learner’s Path Through Gies College of Business
Abubakar Abdullahi has been learning for years on Coursera from Abuja, Nigeria. When he decided to enroll in the Strategic Leadership and Management Specialization from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), he set himself on a path towards acceptance into the Master of Business Administration (iMBA) program. Abubakar started the…
Gies College of Business Wins the Coursera Trailblazer Award for Online Education: Voices of...
Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois has been honored with the Trailblazer Award at the September 2025 Coursera Connect conference, recognizing its bold leadership in reshaping online education. From launching the very first degree with Coursera to pioneering tools like Coursera Coach and AI avatars, Gies has consistently pushed the boundaries of…
