The Gies Download: Recent Episodes
Gies College of Business
Robert Brunner is an astrophysicist with one of the coolest job titles in the world: Associate Dean for Innovation and Chief Disruption Officer at Gies College of Business. With a penchant for forward-thinking and for futuristic technologies like artificial intelligence, Chat GPT and blockchain, Robert is helping lead the College and its students into the unknown. It's a side of higher education that few other business schools even recognize, much less adopt.
From tutoring youth to starting a school in Chicago to a $150 million dollar gift to his alma mater, Larry Gies has always had a passion for making a positive impact on the world through education. The founder and CEO of Madison Industries, 1988 Accountancy graduate from Illinois, and the namesake of the Gies College of Business is today's guest on the Gies Download Podcast.
President, CTO and founder of CTS Impact Julie Scott joins Tim Sinclair on this episode of the Gies Download. For Julie, the idea of giving back to her community was instilled at a young age. Her degree from Gies College of Business not only served as education, but also as a foundation for doing so – and for helping others do the same.
John Byrne, Founder and Editor & Chief of Poets and Quants, joins Tim Sinclair in this episode of the Gies Download. Poets and Quants is the leading provider of MBA program information and rankings in the world, and John has spent a lifetime helping students and their families determine which schools are the best fit for them, Today, he explains exactly what you should be looking for.
Kelly Janssen has a big job. As Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment for Gies College of Business, Kelly provides strategic leadership and management to engage, recruit, and yield strong, diverse cohorts of students. And you might be surprised to learn that the criteria for admission is far more involved than just grades or test scores. Kelly joins host Tim Sinclair to talk all things “admissions” on this episode of the Gies Download podcast.
Larry DeBrock is the Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Finance at Gies College of Business, and today he joins host Tim Sinclair for the Gies Download. While some tend to meander, Larry's career path has been a 40-year-long straight line. And in December, that straight line will have come full circle.
It’s fascinating to compare what many people plan to do with their lives and what people actually do with their lives. For Brooke Elliott-- EY Distinguished Professor in Accounting and executive associate dean of academic programs--her dream wasn’t necessarily to break gender barriers in the highest echelons of academia but that’s exactly what happened. She's our guest today on The Gies Download.
The expectation was that Manu Edakara would become a doctor or a lawyer, but Manu's passion was for something far different. After testing pre-med and pre-law programs in college, Manu discovered that he was an entrepreneur at heart. And today, he heads up the iVenture Accelerator at the University of Illinois, helping other budding entrepreneurs follow their passions as well. Manu is Tim Sinclair's guest on this episode of the Gies Download podcast.
The iVenture Accelerator Program is powered by Gies College of Business. To learn more, visit: http://iventure.illinois.edu.
Author, researcher and Gies professor Don Fullerton joins Tim Sinclair in this episode of the Gies Download podcast. Don studies the effects of environmental policy on the economy and then presents his research to world leaders and decision makers. Is it even possible to save the environment and protect the economy at the same time? Don's research might surprise you.
As the Associate Professor of Accountancy and Academic Advisor at Gies, Nerissa Brown is charged with not just preparing students for graduation, but with helping them navigate a career path, overcome obstacles, and succeed in their chosen field. And few people know how to do those things better than her. A native of Jamaica and second generation college student, Nerissa blazed her own trail and is now helping others do the same. Don't miss Nerissa Brown and host Tim Sinclair on this episode of the Gies Download podcast.
Jackie Price Osafo is the Executive Director of the Society of American Archivists and she joins host Tim Sinclair in this episode of the Gies Download podcast. Though she never could have known it back then, the trying times Jackie experienced growing up perfectly suited her for the job of preserving history for anyone and everyone...regardless of color or creed.
Gies MBA alum Brock Kreitzburg has done it all. College football player. Olympic athlete. He even worked on a NASCAR pit crew for a time. But despite his background, Brock still felt like something was missing. On this episode of the Gies Download, Brock joins host Tim Sinclair to discuss bobsledding and business... and those super tight speed suits.
Medallion of Honor Award winner Tiffany White joins host Tim Sinclair in this episode of the Gies Download podcast. The Associate Professor of Business Administration shares why she came to the University of Illinois, what revolutionary insights she's discovered here, and how teaching has helped her become a better parent. Tiffany also discusses her role in helping student athletes responsibly manage their personal brands in this new era of collegiate athletics.
Gies College of Business Dean Jeff Brown has many stories to tell, including unbelievable, first-hand accounts from two of the most notable events in modern history. Jeff has taught at Harvard, studied at MIT, flown on Air Force One, and now leads one of the most successful and respected business schools in the nation. Jeff is Tim Sinclair's guest on this episode of the Gies Download podcast.
Super Bowl winning offensive lineman and 2017 Gies Accountancy alum Nick Allegretti joins host Tim Sinclair in this episode of the Gies Download podcast. The former Illini discusses his somewhat unorthodox game day rituals, passion for coin collecting, and dreams for the future. Nick also takes us behind-the-scenes of the NFL draft, including the uncertainty, the waiting, and the celebration after his name was called.
In the inaugural Gies Download podcast, host Tim Sinclair sits down with Director of Illini Athletics at the University of Illinois and Gies College of Business alum, Josh Whitman (FIN ’01). The former Illini and NFL tight end talks about balancing academics and athletics, celebrating with student-athletes after games, and navigating "one of the most transformative years in the history of college athletics." Josh also opens up about what makes him smile, what makes him cry, and the importance of keeping a secret.