We provide the support students need, exactly when they need it. In the Office of Undergraduate Programs, we want young people to feel empowered to build the kind of future they believe in, so we’ve dedicated ourselves to creating a transformational experience that gives them the tools and confidence they need to do it. We center all our work around the student’s journey: where they’ve been, what’s happening in their lives now, and where they’ll go next. We designed our programs to be accessible for all learners, no matter where they’re starting from. The kinds of supports, opportunities, and resources we offer are built for a learner population with wide-ranging needs and interests. This breadth of opportunity is what allows our College to offer highly personalized educational experiences, even to a growing undergraduate student population. It ensures that each student at Gies Business has the flexibility to choose their own destination and the path they’ll take to get there. We don’t do this work in a vacuum. We don’t just think about what students might want or need. We engage directly with our learners. In doing so, we not only learn about their lives and how we can better serve them – we also build trust and community with students, modeling the kind of leadership that we hope they aspire to. Because our work touches every part of the undergraduate learner experience at Gies Business, we also rely on strong partnerships with other College units and our alumni network to guide students along the road to success. Chances are good that if you’re reading this, you’ve been an essential part of helping us ensure that every student at Gies Business finds their way to the right support at the right time. While this report details the impact of work led by the Office of Undergraduate Programs, it is also a kind of thank-you letter. I hope that what you read in this report reveals the intentionality we put into our programming – and how your contributions to these efforts have made a difference, too. Sincerely,
Tiffany White Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs Gies College of Business
WE DRIVE EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY What the student is experiencing: The student may not know much about Gies Business yet, but they’re curious. They are looking into the programs we offer and comparing us to peer institutions to determine if they will apply to our College. How we address students’ needs: Whether students learn about Gies Business at a college fair or classroom visit, through an advertising campaign, or from a family member who is a part of our alumni network, they’re encountering the direct result of our intentional recruitment strategy.
First impressions matter Many students’ first encounter with Gies College of Business happens during application season. The Office of Undergraduate Programs facilitates some of the College’s earliest interactions with prospective students, ensuring that they understand how the Gies Business Experience will set them up for academic and career success.
Expanding brand recognition The Office of Undergraduate Programs uses a range of tactics to establish Gies College of Business as a household name in diverse markets.
4,883
students and guests participated in our on-campus recruitment programs
20% increase in first-year applications from Fall 2024 to Fall 2025
188
on-campus recruitment events held in 2025–2026
3x
number of off-campus recruitment events compared to 2024–2025
LEAD DEVELOPMENT The admissions team identifies target markets where expanding access to the Gies Business Experience would have the greatest impact in communities. AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS We collaborate across campus and with the Gies Business Marketing & Communications team to develop ads and communications that attract applications. ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT Testimonials from graduates generate powerful word-of-mouth advertising. We partner with Gies Business Advancement to give our alumni more ways to share their stories.
“My favorite part about the visit was students sharing their experiences at Gies, talking about the challenges they’ve faced and the ways they’ve grown both academically and personally.” – PROSPECTIVE STUDENT
Gies Ambassadors Throughout the admissions season, prospective students can communicate with Gies Business faculty and staff through a variety of channels. But often, the voice that matters most to prospective students is that of their peers. The Office of Undergraduate Programs oversees Gies Ambassadors, a team of undergraduate students who represent the College at recruitment events, welcome activities, and more. Gies Ambassadors even visit their former high schools to talk about opportunities available at Gies Business. Gies Ambassadors provide an invaluable service to prospective learners, eliminating real and perceived barriers that can prevent students from asking critical questions and getting the information they need. The ambassadors also gain valuable networking and leadership experience they can carry with them the remainder of their college career and beyond.
“The small group was ideal for us when exploring a specific program. We got to hear about the current student’s path and he was able to relate to our son personally. That was a great feature of visiting a smaller university that we didn’t think Illinois really could offer. We were beyond impressed!” – PARENT/GUEST OF PROSPECTIVE STUDENT
WE HELP LEARNERS SEIZE OPPORTUNITY What the student is experiencing: The student has applied and been accepted to our College; they’re evaluating financial aid and campus fit to decide whether they will accept their offer of admission. How we address students’ needs: The Office of Undergraduate Programs coordinates activities that allow prospective students and their families to interact with our community and envision what their future will look like at Gies Business.
Attracting top talent Our College attracts strong applicants across the country and beyond. Many students that we accept also have offers from our peer institutions. It’s our job to make sure that learners who are interested in our programs feel a sense of belonging at Gies Business, even before they accept their offer of admission.
2,400 46 admission packages sent
on- and off-campus yield events held for admitted students
787
first-year Gies Business students enrolled for Fall 2025
19%
increase in first-year enrollment from Fall 2024 to Fall 2025
Business Pathways Academy Business Pathways Academy is a key program that enables Gies Business to expand opportunities for learners. Business Pathways Academy intentionally recruits and admits high-achieving learners from school districts throughout Illinois, and it provides robust structure for the students it enrolls, ensuring a strong start and continued success. While academic wellness programming is available to every learner at Gies Business, students enrolled in Business Pathways Academy must commit to the programming as a condition of their admission. Its cohort structure also reinforces students’ sense of belonging within the College.
DID YOU KNOW?
This fall, we welcomed our inaugural class of Business Pathways Academy learners, more than 85 percent of whom are first-generation college students.
Addressing unmet financial need Financial considerations are top-of-mind for many, if not most, of our prospective learners. Often, tuition costs can be the single factor tipping the scale toward acceptance or rejection of an admission offer. We rely on strong partnerships with our donors and Gies Business Advancement to ensure that we’re able to present students who’ve earned their place at Gies Business with an educational opportunity that isn’t accompanied by undue financial risk.
2/3
of Gies Business undergraduates receive some form of financial aid
$6,500
average renewable scholarship amount
Fulfilling commitments to access and excellence As the number of applications we receive each year climbs higher and higher, we are also trying to make more room for more learners. We’ve been able to enroll more learners, helping advance our College’s efforts to create access to business education. This effort must be backed by strong strategy and intraCollege collaboration. Changes to student population can impact course availability, budget allocation, teaching loads, and more. A key priority for the Office of Undergraduate Programs is building the roadmap for sustainable enrollment growth, ensuring that increasing the number of admitted students does not stress our ability to deliver an unmatched learning experience. As we expand to new markets, reach more learners, and grow our national footprint, we continue to work closely with units throughout the College to deliver the benefits of the Gies Business Experience at scale.
WE MAKE LEARNERS FEEL AT HOME
DID YOU KNOW?
Gies Business boasts one of the best-attended events for incoming students among all colleges at Illinois.
What the student is experiencing: The student has accepted their offer of admission. They are preparing for their transition to college and getting acclimated to campus life. How we address students’ needs: The Office of Undergraduate Programs crafts programming that helps learners start college with their best foot forward.
A meaningful start to the Gies Business Experience We assist all incoming first-year and transfer students as they prepare for their first semester of classes at Illinois. During New Student Registration, advisors help students strategize toward key opportunities and plan for a variety of outcomes. We also host a transfer student welcome event, where all incoming transfer students connect with returning students, faculty, and staff, to learn about the unique opportunities available to them. These experiences build camaraderie among students and College staff.
DID YOU KNOW?
Gies College of Business enrolled a record number of incoming learners for the 2025–2026 academic year.
871
students enrolled during New Student Registration
675
total hours spent advising students during New Student Registration
Welcome Week New situations can be challenging, and the transition to college is a major shift that can be daunting to incoming learners. The Office of Undergraduate Programs works to reduce that intimidation factor with intentional community engagement during the first week of the fall semester. BUSINESS QUAD DAY More than 1,400 students across campus explored business-related extra-curricular opportunities. ASK ME BOOTH College staff and students helped new and returning learners find their bearings by answering nearly 400 questions at an information booth in a high-traffic area. NEW STUDENT WELCOME Nearly 800 first-year and transfer students were celebrated with fanfare as they congregated in Foellinger Hall auditorium for this semester kickoff event.
Undergraduate Success Lab The Undergraduate Success Lab helps alleviate some of the undue burdens many college students face, increasing the accessibility of the Gies Business Experience. The Lab is a communal space where students help each other – and a conduit through which College staff can better evaluate and address students’ needs. The Success Lab provides a gathering hub for students throughout the college to make friends, build trusting relationships, gain confidence, and feel that they belong. Services and activities are available to all Gies Business students and include:
Print station
Space to study
932
•
Express advising appointments
Express advising
930
•
Skill-building workshops
•
Nutrition assistance
Peer tutoring and mentoring
370
•
Charging station
•
Starter packs for core business courses
•
•
Peer tutoring, advising, and mentoring
Top 3 Reasons Students Visited the Success Lab (2025–2026)
Total visits
Lending library for textbooks and technology
Study tables
student visits to the Undergraduate Success Lab in 2025-2026
Reason
•
•
3,600+
Small details can make all the difference The Office of Undergraduate Programs strives to maintain a welcoming environment for learners from the first time they visit campus, and even after they’ve crossed the graduation stage. The beverage bar we maintain inside our main office lobby creates a sense of comfort in our guests. This not only helps visitors feel at ease before they’re called back for an appointment, it encourages students to visit the office, where they can interact and become familiar with staff.
WE BUILD LEARNER CONFIDENCE AND SELFEFFICACY
What the student is experiencing: As they transition to adulthood and independence, the student has identified paths and opportunities they want to explore deeper. How we address students’ needs: The Office of Undergraduate Programs facilitates experiences that allow learners to visualize how to get from where they are to where they want to go.
DID YOU KNOW?
Course plans tailored to each student In a typical four-year degree path, the second semester is a pivotal milestone that can impact a student’s future success. Every first-year student at Gies Business must participate in our second semester planning program, where we help them understand their degree requirements, introduce them to important academic tools, and identify and plan to address any potential challenges in their degree path.
In 2025–2026, Office of Undergraduate Programs staff spent more than 2,400 hours advising students – the equivalent of about 320 workdays.
Enabling profound personal growth The Gies Business honors program develops motivated and high-potential learners from all communities into individuals who not only excel academically but also understand that with success comes responsibility to serve their communities. These experiences provide students with meaningful ways to engage with one another, as well as the Gies Business alumni network. JAMES SCHOLARS The James Scholar Honors Program is a campus-wide initiative that admits highachieving learners and encourages them to pursue advanced scholastic activities. At Gies Business, James Scholars have access to special professional development opportunities, and they give back to the community through volunteer service. GIES SCHOLARS The Gies Scholars program gives learners outside the James Scholar program access to honors-level coursework and opportunities. Gies Scholars build strong research skills and define their leadership style. They also develop intercultural competencies through a course that culminates in a study abroad experience.
22%
percent of Gies Business undergraduates participate in honors programming
750 80+ James Scholars
Gies Scholars
“This semester in [“First-year Gies Honors Seminar”] has pushed me to look at my personal and professional development in a more intentional way. One of my biggest takeaways was how much growth begins with self-awareness. . . . These assignments made me realize that success at Gies is not just about academics but about building healthy habits and showing how to support myself through challenges.” – 2025–2026 FIRST-YEAR GIES SCHOLAR
Celebrating every learner’s unique journey Choosing a major is a momentous occasion in every student’s academic experience, and nothing makes that clearer than the way we celebrate major declarations at Gies Business. Each year at Signing Day, we give students their moment in the spotlight as they announce to a room full of onlookers which degree(s) they have decided to pursue. It’s a day for students to reflect on the opportunities they have explored and take a purposeful step forward. As learners share their aspirations, they present College faculty and staff with a strong reminder about our own purpose: to provide our learners with the best educational experience possible.
200+
students crossed the stage at Signing Day
WE PROMOTE HOLISTIC WELLNESS What the student is experiencing: Circumstances outside the scope of academic life are impacting the student as they progress through coursework, explore College resources, and search for community. How we address students’ needs: The Office of Undergraduate Programs coordinates with teaching faculty to check in regularly with students about their academic, physical, and emotional wellness, and we provide numerous opportunities for rest, reflection, and recovery.
Embedded counseling services Beginning in 2018, the Illinois Counseling Center transitioned to an embedded model, where licensed mental health clinicians operate in a specific department or college at the university. Jennifer House, LCSW, currently serves as the Counseling Center embedded counselor for Gies Business. She is available for individual appointments and consultations, and she also runs outreach and prevention programming for Gies Business students. The Office of Undergraduate Programs helps facilitate these activities by providing operational space and developing communication strategies for directing students to these services.
293
students attended Illinois Counseling Center events at Gies Business in 2025-2026
Early intervention and success planning The Office of Undergraduate Programs coordinates with faculty and other units to check in with students who may be facing challenges that could interfere with their academic performance. Continuous engagement decreases the likelihood of students falling through the cracks and helps more learners get the help they need sooner, reducing the impact on their academic standing. When students are listed for academic warning – meaning their GPA has dropped below the requirement for their degree path – we work with students to help them understand the requirements and learn how to recover their status. Our College is able to offer robust success planning services because of the supportive infrastructure we’ve built to serve every student at Gies Business. For example, academic wellness programs are available to students regardless of academic standing; success planning incentivizes students to be intentional about participating in them.
“The entire process has helped me to feel supported in my academic recovery journey. No step felt meaningless, and I was guided with the proper resources as well.” – SUCCESS PLANNING STUDENT, FALL 2025
Supporting students’ social well-being A student’s college experience should be both enriching and enjoyable. That’s why we create signature experiences that balance academic rigor with personal well-being and social connections. The Office of Undergraduate Programs organizes a variety of activities that help our students unwind, build relationships, celebrate milestones, and create lasting memories as a part of the Gies Business family.
Impact on learner retention As the number of enrolled students at Gies Business has climbed steadily over the past five years, the number of students who have been dismissed from the College has decreased, and the number of students placed on academic warning has dropped significantly. Academic warning notifications and academic dismissals by semester (Spring 2022 – Spring 2026)
FINALS BREAKFAST We served more than 950 meals to learners during fall and spring final exams. FALL FESTIVAL Around 1,000 learners painted pumpkins, played games, and enjoyed fall treats at this annual celebration. BUSINESS FUN DAYS We planned events for more than 3,500 students to relax and recover during higher-stress times in the semester. PREVENTION WALK We organized a group of around 500 students to participate in a mental health awareness event.
Action
Spring 2022
Spring 2023
Spring 2024
Spring 2025
Spring 2026
Listed for Academic Warning
73
67
42
29
19
Dismissed from college/ university
19
10
11
6
9
WE EMPOWER STUDENTS WHO WANT TO MAKE AN IMPACT What the student is experiencing: The student is applying what they’re learning in the classroom to real-world scenarios. They may be thinking about life after graduation, searching for ways to connect their academic experience to their future career. How we address students’ needs: The Office of Undergraduate Programs provides outlets for motivated students to take meaningful action and make an impact in their community.
Leveraging the influence of registered student organizations Gies Business students view membership in registered student organizations (RSOs) as critical to their future success. The built-in mentorship and camaraderie of the RSOs help students set goals and make important decisions; access to industry networks through RSOs gives students a foot in the door upon graduation; and membership in business RSOs fosters a sense of belonging among learners. The Office of Undergraduate Programs intentionally engages with RSOs through the Council of Presidents, a growing alliance of students who represent business-related RSOs. Through the Council of Presidents, students hone their teamwork and leadership skills as they work with each other and College staff to make an impact on student life at Gies Business. They provide College staff with insights about the learners’ changing needs and advise on ways the College can address them. The Council also plans and co-sponsors multiple student engagement events each semester.
Platforms for students to use their voice We give undergraduate students an opportunity to influence the activities of our College by participating in its governance. Each year we select a group of students to serve on the College’s academic integrity committee, the College senate elections committee, the educational policy committee, the equal opportunity committee, and the undergraduate program advisory committee.
Promoting peer-to-peer mentorship Nearly 40 Gies Business students serve as peer advisors, mentors, or tutors for Student Success programs. Some of these students even create and deploy new programming, such as the emotional intelligence (EQ) skill-building series offered in 2025–2026. The Gies Business honors program also enables approximately 100 Gies Business student volunteers to mentor first-year and sophomore learners each fall. Through mentorship, students learn to lead with empathy and often have a direct impact on the success of their peers. They provide support, encouragement, and accountability to the learners they mentor, helping make Gies Business a place where everyone can thrive. In this video, four students discuss their experience helping others through the Undergraduate Success Lab. Watch the video
“My service helped me better understand both the needs of others and the value of giving back to the community.” – GIES BUSINESS HONORS STUDENT (2025–2026)
Fostering a culture of giving back STUDENT VOLUNTEERISM Through the Gies Business honors program, learners made a significant impact in the Champaign-Urbana community. Among other activities, students packed food and served meals at a local food pantry, volunteered at blood drives, wrote letters to veterans, and made blankets for Carle Health’s home-care program for new mothers and their babies. CLASS OF 2026 GIFT The Gies Business Class of 2026 came to us with an ambitious proposition: they wanted to raise $25K to start a scholarship fund. We threw our support behind them, helping them organize fundraising events and coordinating with other College staff who built the infrastructure for the campaign and promoted fundraising efforts. The students ultimately exceeded their goal by more than $8,000.
11,500+
volunteer service hours contributed to local communities
$33,000+ raised for scholarships through class gift initiative
600+
peer advising, tutoring, and mentorship sessions