Info Sessions, Mock Classes, Grad Fairs, GMAT Practice Exams, Career Counseling Webinars and more this Fall!

What prompted you to return to school to achieve your master’s degree?

I knew while I was an undergraduate student I wanted to return to school to get my MBA within a few years of graduating.  My undergraduate degree is in Education and I realized while going through the program that I was interested in educational issues and policy, but that teaching in a secondary classroom setting just was not for me.  During this time, I found I really like economics.  In the short term, I plan to use my MBA to gain a skill-set in financial analysis and eventually I want to lead a successful team.

What was the most important factor for you in choosing an MBA program (or factors you considered)?

My four main considerations were the areas of concentration, experience of the faculty, AACSB Accreditation, and the diversity of the student population both professionally and culturally.

Why did you choose UIC Liautaud for your graduate study?

I explored many of the programs within Chicago and also a few out of state.  UIC was the best fit for me.  A degree from UIC is recognized and valued throughout the world – there are students from twenty something countries represented in the incoming Liautaud class.  The faculty is very experienced and the flexibility of the curriculum provides me with the opportunity to tailor my classes to focus in on the areas of concentration that will propel me into the next phase of my career. 

What is your favorite aspect of the UIC campus and why?

Douglas Hall is great – it’s very modern and LEED Certified.  I love that you can look out of the windows and see both the trees next to the building and the top of the Willis Tower. 

I am currently working with KPMG as an Experienced Associate. My job profile is focused towards risk assessment and compliance to ensure organizations adhere to the regulations imposed by governing bodies. Being based out of Houston most of my projects are in the energy and healthcare domain.

What prompted you to return to school to achieve your master’s degree?

I started working with Infosys Limited after my under graduation and was involved in development of enterprise and CRM systems in the financial services area. After close to three years of experience, I was keen to learn about product management of these systems. I decided to pursue my masters to focus on the business of technology and learn why we build systems rather than how.

What was the most important factor for you in choosing the MIS program?

The most important factor for me was choosing a program that would give me the opportunity to leverage what I had learnt as part of my professional experience and to build on it as I learn new things. The MS-MIS program gave me the opportunity to choose the courses that had industry projects facilitating my learning in a professional environment.

Why did you choose UIC Liautaud for your graduate study?

For its diverse course structure which gives a individual opportunity to specialize in fields of Project Management, IT Strategy, Information Systems Management and even in technical areas for our techie counterparts.

We all know that people pursue graduate school to increase their business knowledge, but since you have started the program, what has been the most unexpected gain the program has given you?

My most unexpected gain as part of my program has been my network. Apart from working with individuals on group projects, there was also a lot I learnt from them on a personal front which has been one of my greatest takeaways from this program.

The UIC Liautaud professors are continuously involved in researching new business trends and innovations. How have you felt the professors have been able to integrate their theoretical knowledge into practical applications? 

The Information Strategy coursework by Professor Ranga and Capstone Project by Professor Liotine would be the best examples. Apart from working on various cases in class, we also had an industry project in each of these courses. We could apply our understanding in a real world scenario to create strategy for implementing health record system for a professional clinic in the IDS 515 coursework and re-engineered business processes for another prominent audit firm as part of the capstone engagement. It gives the students an opportunity to an additional internship experience apart from their summer activity.

Which class/professor has been your favorite thus far and why?

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to enroll in a few management courses in addition to the MIS courses. Personally, I found the strategic management coursework by Professor Chris Barlow to be one of the best. The takeaways from this course are beyond the three books and two case studies that we work on. As part of this coursework, we get an opportunity to restructure the operations of an entire organization considering factors like market trend, economic and risk analysis. It gave me a whole new perspective to the field of business management.

What is your favorite aspect of the UIC campus?

At UIC, you will have the opportunity to explore different paths and pursue experiences that are professionally rewarding. The best way to do that would be to network well with your peers and with students from other programs and work with the diverse work force that the university offers.

How would you define the Liautaud student?

One who takes the program seriously and puts an earnest effort towards his coursework and at the same time makes the most of every fun opportunity that comes his way. You will spend some time in Idea Commons library area and hit the places on Taylor Street on Friday evenings!  

What advice would you provide to incoming UIC Liautaud students?

The UIC Liautaud graduate program is a great place to learn and shape your career. As much as help the faculty and seniors can offer the final success, however, depends upon every individual. I would recommend the students to be extremely proactive and make the most of every opportunity that comes your way.

Remember: Every connection on LinkedIn is a job opportunity! So keep networking and make the most of your two years in school, don’t miss out on any fun!

The UIC Business Career Center invites current students and recent alumni to our semi-annual Resume EXPO Thursday, September 12, taking place at the UIC Student Services Building. This is a great way to network with employers and recruiters and learn first-hand what employers are looking in a resume.  

The Resume EXPO is open to undergraduate and graduate students. No registration is needed for this event - come as you are and bring multiple copies of your resumes. 

Here are some helpful tips for the Resume EXPO:

- Come prepared with questions

- Don’t forget to ask for the employer’s business card and send a thank you note/email after the event.

- Stop by the Business Career Center information booth before or after the EXPO

- Watch out for companies and positions posted on UICCareers and in your Career Alerts

Resume EXPO 

9am- 6pm (by major/degree)

MSA/Accounting: 9am-12pm

MBA Finance/MIS: 12:30pm- 3:30pm

MBA Marketing/Management & Entrepreneurship:  4pm- 6pm

We hope to see you there on this Thursday!

I receive a lot of questions from applicants about what we are looking for when we review a Statement of Purpose, also known as the application essay. As we approach the 2014 Admissions cycles, I thought I would give you a few tips to consider as you start the process.

1) The essay questions and word count guidelines are listed in the online application, itself. The word count limits for the essays are guidelines established so we can see how well you can communicate your points concisely and effectively.  It is acceptable for an essay to be a few words over the limit.  However, if an essay goes substantially over the word limit, it could be detrimental to your application. 

2) As an Admissions Committee, we are trying to understand what led you to apply to UIC Liautaud. How well-researched was your decision to apply to our program?  Are you highly motivated and enthusiastic about joining our program?

3) We are also looking to establish your fit with our program. Are your career goals and the areas you would like to study in line with our program offerings? Do you have a good sense of UIC Liautaud's culture?

4) The Admissions Committee is also looking to answer where have you been professionally, and how has this experience led you to apply to business school? What are your career goals and how do they align with our program?

5) Finally, your statement of purpose is an opportunity to help us understand where you can contribute and add value to our student population. This is your opportunity to tell us why we should admit you and help us understand the contributions you will make both inside and outside of the classroom.

To learn more "insider" details about our admissions process, I encourage you to meet our admissions team at one of our upcoming events:

ON-CAMPUS INFORMATION SESSIONS - September 21 & October 23

GMAT PRACTICE EXAMS with KAPLAN TEST PREP - October 12 & November 9

CAREER SERVICES WEBINARS with Jeff Wilson - September 26 & October 25

Find out what a Liautaud degree can do for you and learn about the career support we offer our students.

MBA MOCK CLASS with Professor Jelena Spanjol - October 29

This is a learning opportunity well beyond the typical classroom experience, designed specifically for prospective students. This exclusive MBA New Product Development class titled, Research, Ideation, and Prototyping, is one you don't want to miss.

Calling all UIC Liautaud students! Are you looking to strengthen your resume and give back to the community at the same time? Are you interested in helping a local nonprofit organization streamline its finances, create a new marketing strategy, or even improve its network security? 

Then UIC’s MBA Association InKIND Consulting Program wants you!

For only one to two hours a week, you can gain real world consulting experience and help strengthen a nonprofit organization.

Teams of students will each work with a different Chicago-area organization during the fall semester. A project leader will be appointed for each team and serve as the primary liaison between the consulting team and organization. Over the course of fall semester, teams will consult with the organization on the issue-area in order to craft final recommendations and deliverables. The projects will begin in October and culminate with a final presentation to each nonprofit client in January.

All interested students should attend an informational session on Wednesday, September 18, at 5:00pm in Douglas Hall 310 to get details on the application process and potential clients.

If you are interested in InKIND but unable to come to the info session, or have any questions about the program, please email Christina Wright, VP of Consulting Projects, at cwrigh24@uic.edu.

As a current student, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of classes, homework, networking with classmates, student organizations, events and more. While these activities do enrich your experience in graduate school, we at UIC Liautaud want you to stay focused on what’s next after you finish your degree: your career.

This September, we are offering business career events designed to help guide you in building the career path you are looking for. Connect with us at one of these great events!

UIC Business Career Fair

UIC Business Career Center invites current students and recent alumni to the Business Career Fair next week at UIC Student Center East. This is a great occasion for students to network with diverse employers and to get a jumpstart on internship and full-time opportunities. The event is free for UIC graduate and undergraduate business students. Take this career fair seriously and come prepared to meet with a potential employer. No registration necessary.

Wednesday, September 18, from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

UIC Student Center East

Event contact: Foluke Akanni

Meet the Firms

This is the accounting event of the year! Every September, UIC accounting students and recent graduates are invited to Meet the Firms, an event that kicks off the accounting industry's recruiting season for internships and full-time positions. Given UIC's phenomenal, historical and continued CPA pass rate, accounting firms turn to UIC to satisfy their hiring needs. Meet the Firms is open to undergraduate and graduate students in accounting.

Monday, September 23, from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

UIC Student Center East, Illinois Room A,B,C

Event Contact: Foluke Akanni

Career Services Webinar

Jeff Wilson, Director of Career Services at the UIC Business Career Center, will outline the comprehensive career support available to all students at the UIC Liautaud and will offer advice for how to leverage our programs to help you achieve a rewarding career. From individual career assessment and planning to workshops, job leads, and outstanding online research tools, the UIC Business Career Center can help guide you through the job search process.

September 26& October 25, from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Register at: http://go.uic.edu/events

Event contact: Erica Minix

UIC Business Career Center invites current students and recent alumni to the Business Career Fair this Wednesday at UIC Student Center East. This a great occasion for students to network with diverse employers and to get a jump start on internship and full-time opportunities. 

We have an amazing list of companies registered to attend, including: 

·          Bank of America

           C.N.A. Insurance

·         Caterpillar

·         CDW

·         Classified Ventures

·         College Pro

·         Cyberkorp Inc.

·         Enterprise Rent-A- Car

·         Financial Consortium International LLC

·         First Midwest Bank

·         Moblie Generation

·         The Effner Financial Group  (Northwestern Mutual)

·         The McTigue Financial Group (Northwestern Mutual)

·          National Futures Association

·         Office of Comptroller of the Currency

·         Plum Tree Group

·         PNC Financial Services Group

·         Prado & Renteria CPAs Prof. Corp.

·         Prestige Staffing

·         Primerica Inc.

·         Rivers Casino

·         Target

·         Viamedia Inc.

·         Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors

·         Walgreens Co.

The event is free for UIC graduate and undergraduate business students. No registration necessary. Students should take this career fair seriously and come prepared to meet with a potential employer. Here are some helpful tips on preparing for the career fair:

1) Research companies that you would like to visit.

2) Prepare and practice your 60 second elevator pitch.

3) Dress for success - look sharp! Business attire is expected.

4) Ask specific questions about the position and company. Don't forget to ask for the employer’s business card.

5) After the event, send thank you notes/emails to employers you meet at the fair.

6) Apply for their open positions on www.uiccareeers.com

We hope to see all of our UIC Business students on Wednesday at the fair! 

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UIC Business Career Fair

Wednesday, September 18th  from 11am-2:00pm

UIC Student Center East,Illinois Room

Questions about the UIC Business Career Fair? Contact Foluke Akanni, Recruiting Coordinator, at foluke@uic.edu.

On September 7, INFORMS hosted an Alumni Meet and Greet Bowling event in UIC Student Center East. This fall's first year students were eagerly waiting to connect with the alumni. The event was hosted by Nitin Agrawal, who welcomed the alumni and asked them to give some tips to the juniors.

The event started with alumna Shuchi Rana taking the stage. She recommended taking Professor Ranganathan’s and Professor Siddhartha Bhattacharyya’s courses. After her, Nikita Rath (May 2013 graduate) highlighted that MIS course at UIC are flexible enough to train you for your dream job. She recommended taking advantage of the various opportunities in UIC and Chicago. Neha Doshi encouraged juniors to take client-facing project, which will immensely help them. In the end Vishnu, reiterated the importance of networking at social and educational events.

The alumni asked the juniors to introduce themselves to break the ice. Alumni reminded juniors to go explore Chicago and have fun this year, and juniors cheekily asked the seniors to tell them where to have the fun!

Conversations continued in the bowling center where hot pizzas and sodas were waiting. It was nostalgic for the alumni to come and bowl again in the center. Juniors approached the alumni and asked for advice on individual problems. The atmosphere was electric when Professor Sid Bhattacharya joined the meeting and alumni were excited as students to exchange pleasantries with him. Teams were made and everyone enjoyed bowling the rest of the afternoon. It was a perfect Saturday evening filled with new friends, great bowling games, and awesome pizzas. INFORMS is grateful to the UIC alumni and Prof Sid for making this event a huge success. To view the event album, check the INFORMS Facebook page.

The UIC Chapter of INFORMS looks forward to hosting other social events this year!

Herra Iqbal          

Program: MPH/MBA, Full-time Student

Industry/Field of work: Behavioral & Mental Healthcare

Undergraduate degree in: BS Human Biology, BA Economics

Undergraduate School: University of California, San Diego           

Career Goal: Hospital Administration

LinkedIn Profile

What prompted you to return to school to achieve your master’s degree?

I decided to be a perpetual student and begin my master’s directly out of undergrad. I paved out a general road map of how I wanted to achieve my goal of entering the realm of hospital administration and decided that continuing my education was best for me. I was worried that I wouldn’t remain as motivated later on, and figured I had thought about my career path logically, so pursuing my master’s made sense…and because I value being in a constant state of learning and wasn’t ready to settle down in one setting.

What was the most important factor for you in choosing an MBA program (or factors you considered)?

When researching MBA programs, my mind was focused on dual MPH/MBA programs–I didn’t look elsewhere. My main focus was finding an accredited dual program that would fit what industry I wanted to land in—healthcare. Chicago is unarguably a central hub for hospitals and healthcare in the United States so the idea of being able to be in the program I wanted that happened to be placed in the perfect setting seemed to work in my favor.

Since you have started the program, what has been the most unexpected gain the program has given you?

The most unexpected gain I think I’ve observed is self-confidence. Being in a dual program that not many people readily know about, the program has taught me to be confident in my goals and be able to effectively communicate what I want to do and how I want to get there. Being a little ant in a big city, I’m slowly learning that I can catch myself when I trip.

Which class/professor has been your favorite thus far and why?

Finance 500– Randy Adams is the man! I really appreciated his “no nonsense” attitude. He kept things simple and to the point, eliminating potential gray area where students could be misinformed or confused. His approach was stern, but he was a very understanding professor who truly cared about the value of education he was giving his students and strived to push us to think critically rather than spit out numbers on a piece of paper.

How would you define the University of Illinois at Chicago graduate business student?

Diverse! Liautaud students come from far and wide in terms of professional background. UIC Liautaud students are really lucky that they’re in an environment where not only can they learn from the classroom, but can also learn from each other’s field of work and varying industries.

What advice would you provide to incoming UIC Liautaud students?

Don’t let anyone limit you. Be independent and work to your utmost potential. Take advantage of the incredible support system at Liautaud and don’t be afraid to ask questions and look for guidance. Chicago is a place full of opportunities for graduate students—push the envelope and strive to apply to opportunities that may be beyond your comfort zone. Be confident in your abilities and don’t expect anyone to hold your hand through graduate school! Graduate schools is all about making choices—make the choices that will help you navigate your career path however you see fit.

Blog Content Contributor: PJ Klapperich

The members of Innovation Incubator were given an opportunity to take a personal tour of Revolution Brewery by the owner and founder, Josh Deth, in early September. About 30 MBA students were in attendance. Josh, a UIC alum, is as unassuming as the front entrance of the brewing and canning facility. He was wearing shorts and construction boots and sporting a two-month long beard and a lifelong passion for beer. He not only gave a tour of the brewing process, but also answered questions about how and why his business has been so successful. He is highly involved with his business from many angles. As the founder, today was a typical day consisting of meeting with bankers, fixing the canning line, running forecast reports, giving a tour to UIC MBA students, followed by an interview with the press.

Revolution Brewery is Chicago's fastest growing brewery. They sprang up in Logan Square with their restaurant brewpub three years ago with a 15 barrel capacity. The one-year old facility we toured has a 200-barrel capacity, canning facility, and a tap room large enough to accommodate a raging party. They have more plans for growth as they struggle to keep supply up with demand.

The brewing process is definitely interesting and fun to see, and I recommend the tour to anyone interested in beer. What we as MBA students really wanted to know is how and why Revolution Brewery is so successful and Josh was definitely able to give us some insight. He may look like a normal every day guy, but he is really a very savvy businessman. 

A few take aways of insight from Josh Deth:

Right time, right place. Revolution Brewery did not put any money into advertising. It took them about a year and a half to open between finding funding and bureaucratic licensing and construction. The buzz surrounding the opening is entirely attributed to free social media promotion and word of mouth. Chicagoans were hungry for a good microbrew to call their own. 

Be persistent and don’t give up the dream. It wasn’t until the ninth bank Josh visited until Revolution Brewery found their financing partner. Even with all the government regulations surrounding the brewing process and licenses involved, the biggest triumph was finding a bank that believed in their vision. 

Pace the growth.They actually underestimated their demand in Chicago. If they had expanded their territory too soon, they would have been short of supply to many distributors and retailers in turn causing sour relationships. They plan to expand their capacity steadily to keep up with the demand in their current markets. As they experience more and more surplus, they will feel more comfortable expanding their sales and distribution territories.

Many thanks to everyone who made it out to Revolution Brewery. I’m looking forward to a fun and productive year with Innovation Incubators. See you around campus!

As New Year 2014 approaches, a lot of early career professionals will use this time to reflect and take stock of where their career is and where they would like to go professionally, moving forward. Much of this reflection often leads prospective students to the realization that if they want to move up in their careers or make a change, they will need an advanced business degree to help them maneuver this transition. If you find yourself in this same place, you don't need to put off these goals until 2014. You can start pursuing them today. 

If you want to start your MBA or one of our specialized master degree programs and you are a domestic applicant, you are in luck! UIC Liautaud is now accepting domestic applications for Spring 2014 admissions, with classes starting in late January. Our domestic deadline for Spring 2014 admissions is November 1, 2013. Applicants must submit the online application and $60 application fee on or before this date. However, the best news of all is that we do give an additional one month grace period to submit test scores, transcripts, and other required documents, which is December 1. So, you still have time to take your GMAT and start a program with us in the new year, if you act now!

Starting your program with us in January is also great timing if you want to participate in marque professional events right after the new year.  Some of the events you can look forward to in the new year include our Accounting Banquet, which is a major networking event for our Master of Science in Accounting students. For students interested in doing business abroad and in emerging markets, planning sessions for our summer Brazil and European study abroad programs start soon after the new year. I'll let you in on a little secret...I'm hearing from our staff that we might be launching a summer program in Vietnam this year!!! How exciting, right? 

This is just a small sampling of the exciting opportunities that await our students after the new year. If you are looking for a career game changer, don't wait. Take the first step. Learn more about how UIC Liautaud can help you take your career to the next level. 

Are you researching information about a company, industry, government or market sector? Looking for data and analysis on securities, investments or even a specific stock portfolio? Bloomberg is “your one-stop shop for all that information and more,” says John Miller, the new CME Group Foundation Market Training Lab Director in Douglas Hall.

Finance Professor Dale Rosenthal adds that “there really is something for everyone” when it comes to using the Bloomberg terminal.  You can find everything from financial, accounting, marketing, supply chain and real estate data, news and information all in one place.

UIC Business is excited to bring Bloomberg, one of the world’s leading providers of news, data and financial analytics, on campus.  We have installed 12 terminals for faculty, staff and students to use in the following locations:

• CME Group Foundation Martket Lab - Douglas Hall 170 (10 terminals for faculty & student use)
   
• Daley Library – Idea Commons (1 terminal for public use)
   
• University Hall (1 terminal for faculty research)
   

So, if you’re working on a paper or project and you’re spending way too much time doing Google searches for data that is not readily available on the web, take a few minutes to check out the Bloomberg terminal and see if you can find what you’re looking for! 

Ready to start using the Bloomberg terminal?  Contact John Miller at jpmill@uic.edu

And…there’s more to Bloomberg than just the terminal!  Here are some good things to know:

• Take the Bloomberg Aptitude Test (BAT) 9/27/13, 12:30pm-3pm, DH170 – is offered by the Bloomberg Institute.  The test is 2 hours and 100 multiple-choice questions covering such areas such as economics, math skills, analytic reasoning and financial statements analysis.  BAT allows students to compare themselves with their international peers and also showcase their strengths to potential employers.  After taking the BAT, you have the opportunity to enter your profile anonymously into the Bloomberg Talent Search, a tool that over 20,000 employers are using to find top new talent for financial employment opportunities. RSVP HERE

• Get Bloomberg Certified– Bloomberg Certification on your resume can set you apart from other candidates and give you real-world marketable skills that are used in the industry.  All you have to do is watch four core videos and one sector video from the Bloomberg Essentials Online Training Program and complete the online test.  Score at least 75% and you can be Bloomberg Certified.  Having this knowledge will also help you develop the competency to use Bloomberg effectively for course work and ultimately for your professional career.

• Stay tuned & Give Feedback!– John Miller and the Finance Department are working to incorporate the use of Bloomberg terminals and other financial analytics and trading technology software in the classroom.  Contact John about your needs and interests and take full advantage of everything Bloomberg has to offer.  The Bloomberg terminals also have thousands of industry contact information, many of whom are fellow alums.

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More About Bloomberg– www.bloomberg.com

Universities and colleges around the globe use Bloomberg to bring the real world of finance into the classroom, providing students with access to the same information platform used by leading decision makers in business, finance and government.

The BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL® service and BLOOMBERG TERMINAL® seamlessly integrate the very best in data, news and analytics. The Terminal is a 24-hour, global financial services system that provides transparent and reliable financial, economic and government information covering all market sectors. It features company financials, market data spanning more than 20 years, charts, statistics, a communications platform and current news reports.

More About John P. Miller, Ph.D.– jpmill@uic.edu

John is currently a clinical assistant professor of finance and director of the CME Foundation Market Training Lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Prior to joining UIC, Dr. Miller was a director of Quantitative Research at Citadel Investment Group in the fixed income arbitrage group; he has also served in different capacities at Greenwich Capital, Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns.  Dr. Miller received his B.A. in economics from Moorhead State University, and a M.S. and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Michael Popowits (left) during an improv exercise at Fall 2013 New Student Orientation. 

Do interviews get your palms sweaty? Do you gravitate toward the appetizer tray at networking events because the thought of introducing yourself to a stranger is as appetizing as leftovers? Does public speaking scare you? Have you been called upon in a meeting unexpectedly and had to speak ‘off the cuff’? 

If this has happened to you, take some comfort in that you are not alone. While I have been able to speak for the last couple decades, I cannot say that I have been able to communicate effectively. UIC Liautaud is offering a groundbreaking class titled Improv & Leadership that is destined to change the way students present themselves and connect with people, and not just in professional environments. 

Whether you are outgoing or introverted, there are fantastic lessons to be gleamed not only from the readings, but also from discussion and class exercises. Taught by Professor Michael Popowits, who also coaches classes at the famed Second City, the class walks students of all backgrounds and comfort levels through a series of progressive exercises to build confidence and comfort in a variety of professional settings and direct encounters.

For example, Week 1 featured a lesson on eye contact – the class practiced playing with different lengths of eye contact and expressing feeling through eye contact using other facial expressions. I felt about as weird and awkward as you could imagine – BUT the environment Prof. Popowits creates allows students to feel safe and comfortable in practicing without the natural fear of being judged. One of the homework assignments for the week was to play around with making eye contact with friends, family and strangers and report the results.  I will spare you the details, but I certainly left people feeling really uneasy with extended eye contact (try it, you will see what I mean!). The overriding theme is that it is okay to stumble and try things. The point is for students to develop and refine these skills and communication tools through practice and self-discovery in class. Practice makes perfect.

It is natural to wonder about the benefits if you are an interviewing ninja warrior. I would answer by saying that even though you might be comfortable with the “12 most asked interviewing questions”, or have no problem approaching strangers, you may not know how your answer or message is being received. When someone asks you to tell them about yourself, are you walking through your resume like a chronological history lesson? How do you avoid the “sleezy” types at networking events? Through practicing these interview questions and getting direct feedback from both Professor Popowits and fellow students, I have gained 2 valuable insights:

1) Identifying my own personal communication weaknesses

2) A greater appreciation of my fellow classmates. My classmates’ genuine and respectful feedback and constructive criticism is a testament to the collective student mindset that we are “all in this together.”  My classmates all genuinely want to help each other improve professionally. 

This is one of the most beneficial classes I have taken in terms of professional development (don’t get me wrong, the Accounting classes are enlightening).  Furthermore, if Prof. Popowits creates a Professional Development program that will be a permanent part of the business curriculum here for graduate students, the future will be bright for UIC Liautaud students.  

CURRENT STUDENTS: UIC Liautaud is offering experimental two-credit professional development courses this fall for ALLgraduate students (MBA, MSA, and MS-MIS programs). These courses are designed to prepare students to successfully navigate the transition to a new professional opportunity, and they are most valuable early in a student's experience at UIC Liautaud. 

Deadline to register for MBA 590 courses is October 25. Contact Liautaud Student Services to register or for more information on any of these exciting upcoming professional development courses. 

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Applied Consulting

Wednesday 10/23-12/11

Instructor: John Fyfe

The MBA 590 – Applied Consulting course, starting October 23, will be conducted as a guided workshop for students to work in a professional consulting role to address a real life client business issue. Each student will work on 4-5 member teams (depending on the number of students enrolled) as consultants to create, manage and execute a client engagement that addresses the business issue. Each week, each team will work on producing an interim deliverable, such as they would to a real client. Each team will then produce a final project report with recommendations, which they will present during the last class or at a time arranged with the client. Potential projects include:

-Development of a business model, marketing strategy and review of the technical requirements for a new initiative started by a member of the UIC entrepreneurship Hall of Fame.  The initiative involves the development of a web site and program to match business leaders as mentors for students and other mentees.

-This same member of the Hall of Fame also recently purchased an Oil/Gas distribution company.  This company is in need of a logistics strategy for how to most efficiently get their products to their customers.

-Design of a web site and development of strategies for incorporating the site into an integrated marketing campaign for a forensic auditing company which is owned by a UIC graduate who is a member of the CBA’s Business Advisory Council.

-Analysis of operations/business processes for a full-service moving and office relocation company, focusing particularly on the interfaces between the operations and invoicing functions in order to increase the speed with which revenue is collected.

-Assist an entrepreneur with developing a business model and performing a market analysis for a venture to allow environmentally conscious customers to lease electric cars with the option to use gas-powered cars for longer trips

-Development of an outreach and membership strategy as well as a review of alternatives and selection of a CRM application to support this strategy for a not-for-profit organization that promotes collaboration of architects and others to design and build out public spaces in Chicago

-Development of a business model and operating processes for a not-for-profit organization that serves as an incubator for aspiring performance artists to develop and bring to market their plays, dance programs, etc.

The list of projects will be finalized in the next week or two.

Contact John Fyfe for more information.

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Introduction to Business Analytics

Tuesday 10/22-12/10

Instructor: Murad Gharibeh

The tools of statistics and data analysis are increasingly more important for business managers, and this course is designed to provide those who have not previously studied in these areas with tools that they will need both for their MBA studies and in addressing analytical challenges in their work.  The course covers basic tools of statistics:  distributions and relationships, probability and sampling distributions,  hypothesis testing, regression, etc.  In working with data analysis, it covers collecting and organizing data, sort the distractions from the truth, find meaningful patterns, draw conclusions and predict the future, and present findings. 

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Social Entrepreneurs Leading Change

Monday 10/21-12/9

Instructor: Anna Lloyd

Nearly all business students today will be involved in social enterprise activities at some point in your career.  The integration of social enterprise tools into traditional business curriculum is essential: some of you will pursue direct employment in this area; others will remember this curriculum as you decide to join a nonprofit board or serve as the director or chief operating officer of a service delivery organization. And, some of you will earn your living, building a career, from serving as a social entrepreneur while encouraging others to do the same.

The integration of for profit management theory with nonprofit service delivery is a direct nod to our human interest in personal values and accountability. Our challenges are certainly economic as we return to the market with an MBA; however they are equally personal, as we consider how we best lead as entrepreneurs and change agents in our work places and communities. Social entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in developing present and future leaders required to ensure that business remains a force for good.

Jim Collins’ monograph, Good to Great in the Social Sectors, along with Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky’s work on adaptive leadership, Leadership On the Line, offer unique scholarship to review both the theory and personal leadership practice of social entrepreneurship. Integrative leadership, the development of business skills with public policy and philanthropy skills, supports our attention to cross boundary, multi sector, entrepreneurship and enhances our ability to build teams and attract investment. 

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Web Analytics

Monday 10/21-12/9

Instructor: Doug Lundquist

Modern firms rely heavily on the Internet to promote their products. Their own websites are especially important, since visitors can reveal their interests by their browsing behavior. Web analytics gathers and processes this information to learn more about their customers. This analysis allows assessing a website's effectiveness along metrics like web traffic and how long customers spend at pages. Web analytics offers a source of competitive advantage for both gaining new customers and keeping existing ones. This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of web analytics. Students will learn to use Google's online and offline software tools. The course will emphasize how these tools help inform marketing decisions. Course topics include:

There will only be a couple of InKIND teams that will each take on a project this fall semester. If you weren't chosen as an InKIND project, there are multiple other places to get pro bono consulting if you are a non-profit. Here are links to groups that have informed the creation of InKIND and are taking on different kinds of pro bono consulting throughout the year.

Taproot Foundation

Grant for Good

Junior League of Chicago's Project CON:CERN

Kellogg's Neighborhood Business Initiative

Kellstadt's DePaul Community Consulting Corps

Obviously, each one has a different goal, focus, and timeline, but all deliver great consulting that will make your nonprofit stronger and more capable of meeting its mission.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 -Ben Legg, CEO and Rebecca Reese, VP of HR of AdKnowledge, held an information session in UIC Douglas Hall for interested students. Desks were filled with green bags and goodies from AdKnowledge. Ben Legg started the session to a room overfilled with participants by giving an insight into the work that is done at AdKnowledge. It was interesting to know the different strategies and methods used by them in the digital marketing world. Some case studies about their clients explained by Ben Legg were enlightening.

After that Vaidyanathan, summer intern 2013 from UIC, spoke about the work he did at AdKnowledge and his contribution to the team. It was good abstract about his stint at AdKnowledge which helped prospective students looking to work with AdKnowledge.

Rebecca Reese continued the session by giving important professional tips about resume and interviewing sessions. She shared some dos and don'ts for an interview. She also stressed upon the importance of having a professional voice mail message and an up-to-date LinkedIn profile.

At the end of session, Simranjit Gill, President of INFORMS, thanked Ben and Rebecca with gift bags for the awesome session. After the event, students participated in an interaction session with Ben and Rebecca, who answered their questions and cleared their doubts. The event then ended with refreshments.

Overall, it was a great informative event held by INFORMS which will be of significant help to all the participants.

The UIC Chapter of INFORMS looks forward to hosting more of such information sessions this year!

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Blog Post Contributor:Dhrumil Joshi, 2015 MS MIS candidate

Join the Business Alumni Association (BAA) for the next installment of their popular How Chicago Works series with a guided tour at The Field Museum next Saturday. Led by Field Museum Curator, Dr. Alaka Wall, UIC Liautaud alumni and guests will enjoy a private tour of the Restoring Earth exhibit, one of the most visited cultural attractions in Chicago. Admission includes access to the museum's 35 permanent exhibitions and a light breakfast on site. Friends and family are welcome.