For Dennis Harlow, upper schooling wasn’t near to incomes a point—it used to be about remodeling his profession, increasing his skilled community, and immersing himself in a program that aligned along with his existence. From his early days as a highschool financial institution teller to his in depth enjoy as a industrial banker, Dennis all the time had a prepared pastime in finance and serving to his shoppers prevail. However it wasn’t till he got to work along CPAs—inspecting monetary statements, serving to industry house owners allocate property, and navigating post-acquisition methods—that he learned he sought after to dive deeper into the sector of accounting. That’s when he came upon the Grasp’s of Accounting (iMSA) on the College of Illinois Gies School of Industry.
The Adventure to Gies: A Very best Have compatibility
Dennis to start with took on-line categories right through COVID-19 to get again into the rhythm of college, having been out of the instructional international for over twenty years. His first enjoy with on-line schooling used to be along with his undergraduate alma mater, however he discovered the enjoy missing—no interplay, no staff paintings, no flexibility, and most effective pre-recorded lectures.
Regardless of already being accredited into his former undergraduate faculty’s grasp’s program, he used to be made up our minds to seek out one thing higher. He explored a number of choices however the requirement for in-person presence used to be a dealbreaker, given his full-time activity and different non-public commitments. In Spring of 2023, simply weeks prior to he used to be because of go back as a full-time on-line scholar to his alma mater, he determined to proceed his analysis for different on-line industry systems, noting Gies constantly ranked one of the best. With a robust popularity—together with being a top-three accounting program within the U.S.—networking alternatives, and a powerful on-line enjoy for grasp’s scholars, Gies stood out above all. Dennis briefly pivoted his plan, left his alma mater, and as an alternative enrolled within the on-line iMSA.
A Dynamic, Enticing Studying Revel in
From the beginning, Dennis discovered the recruitment and admissions staff at Gies to be extremely useful. They defined the opportunity of stacking direction development into the level, the interactive are living classes, and the in depth networking alternatives. Not like his earlier enjoy, Gies supplied a really attractive setting. His classmates had been various, coming from all over the place the arena, and his professors integrated spectacular leaders like tax lawyers or PhDs keen on writing tax rules.
“The professors had been hilarious and tasty,” Dennis recalled. “They made even the driest subject material dynamic and thrilling.” He particularly praised professors Matthew Hutchens and Danielle Inexperienced and their talent to convey real-world enjoy into the study room.
He additionally preferred this system’s construction, which allowed him to stability paintings and college. He created his personal agenda, running intensively on weekends and finishing initiatives right through the week. The versatility of this system enabled him to deal with a prime GPA directly via to commencement.
Networking and Neighborhood: The Gies Distinction
One of the crucial number one standout sides of Dennis’ enjoy at Gies used to be the robust sense of neighborhood and networking alternatives. He used to be blown away through iConverge, an annual match that brings on-line scholars in combination in user. “The sheer awesomeness of all of it—the outstanding audio system, the alumni connections, and the historical past of the varsity—used to be unbelievable,” he stated.
Regardless of being a web based scholar, Dennis felt deeply attached to his friends and the Gies community. He actively participated in iGBA networking alternatives, Chicago meetup teams, or even attended Cubs video games with fellow scholars. Dennis famous, “The beauty of the College of Illinois and the Gies program is that they are attempting to stay you in combination and attached with the varsity,” he stated. “We assist every different. It’s an overly cohesive neighborhood.”
The power to hook up with different execs throughout industries and places made the enjoy really feel like extra than simply a web based program. In truth, as Dennis famous, “it felt like circle of relatives.”
Making ready for the Long term: CPA Examination and Past
The iMSA program at Gies now not most effective keen Dennis for a profession shift but additionally provided him for the CPA examination, which he’s scheduled to absorb April. He preferred that this system didn’t require an accounting background and that it used to be designed to make sure scholars had been well-prepared for the CPA and real-world programs.
Past the CPA, Dennis is already having a look forward—he plans to go back and entire the net iMBA program at Gies, additional increasing his experience in industry and finance. He used to be particularly enthusiastic about his talent to stack 24 credit from the iMSA towards the iMBA and entire a 2d credential even quicker than his first one. His interest for running with shoppers, inspecting monetary methods, and serving to companies prevail has most effective grown more potent.
A Proud Graduate
Graduating in December 2024, Dennis celebrated this milestone through buying a commemorative brick at Illinois Memorial Stadium, marking each his adventure and his circle of relatives’s legacy. Together with his brother being a 2004 Illinois graduate, and with Dennis graduating from the similar faculty twenty years later, he used to be excited to cement this lasting familial bond that he and his brother now proportion on the College of Illinois. Reflecting on his enjoy, he’s thankful now not only for the schooling however for the relationships, mentorship, {and professional} expansion he received via Gies.
With 15 years at his present company and a deep interest for tax and advisory services and products, Dennis is raring to proceed serving to shoppers navigate monetary selections. His mantra stays the similar: “How are we able to get you there?”—an ideal mirrored image of his willpower to guiding others towards monetary luck, and his willpower to improving himself via upper schooling.
For someone making an allowance for a web based industry or accounting program, Dennis’ adventure is evidence that Gies School of Industry supplies now not only a top-tier schooling, however an enjoy this is versatile, attractive, and deeply attached to a thriving skilled community.
