Emerging Business Leaders Program

Nikki Richesin: Graduate Certificate to iMBA

For 18 years, Nikki Richesin was dedicated to sports. But after the varsity water polo player graduated from California State University, Monterey Bay she realized a coaching career wasn’t the right fit. She transitioned into the tech industry, starting with customer service at Stitcher and then moving on to project management at Snap Inc.

But the more time Richesin spent in the workforce, the clearer it became something was missing. In 2022 she joined the nearly half (47%) of U.S. adults who considered pursuing an advanced degree or certificate.

“I revisited my values and reassessed my priorities, and I discovered my passion for strategic leadership and management. But with my background in kinesiology, I didn’t speak the language of business, and I didn’t have the core skills needed for corporate leadership,” said Richesin, who like tens of thousands of learners each year began looking to online education to bridge the gap between their current job and their dream career.

Richesin found an eight-week course on managing organizations on Coursera and learned that is was one of 14 certificates and 10 on-campus and online master’s degrees that are part of Gies College of Business’ comprehensive, stackable learning ecosystem. What intrigued Richesin most was the ability to apply the credits of a graduate certificate in strategic leadership and management into an MBA from one of the top business schools in the country.

“The professor’s engaging teaching style quickly alleviated my fears about returning to graduate school,” Richesin said. “I could immediately apply what I had just learned to my work. Even familiar tasks, like project management, became clearer and I learned valuable skills in leading cross-functional teams.”

Today, Richesin blends her passion for sports and business as an account executive of the Memphis Redbirds, a triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. She’s on track to earn her Gies MBA in December 2024. 

Samuel Etikpah: iMSM to iMBA

Unlike Richesin, Samuel Etikpah always dreamed of a career in business, but his GPA wasn’t strong enough for admission to a top business school. Instead, he excelled in a bachelor of arts program at the University of Ghana. That strong academic performance secured him a prestigious Norwegian government scholarship to the University of Oslo, where he earned a master’s degree and PhD in theology.

“My childhood dream was to be an accountant or work in banking, and I never abandoned that goal,” said Etikpah, who in 2016 moved to Atlanta to work as an inventory control analyst for a large food distribution company.

While there, Etikpah discovered significant career advancement opportunities in his field for business degree graduates, particularly in production and inventory management. He began exploring online MBA options, and he ultimately found the Gies iMBA program.

“When I saw Gies had no GMAT requirement, that cut down a big hurdle,” Etikpah said. “It was a bonus that this reputable business school was much less expensive than other programs. When I saw the $23K price tag, I felt like I’d won the lottery.”

During the application process, Gies admissions counselors advised Etikpah to pursue the fully online MSM degree first. This approach held particular appeal for two reasons: It allowed him to fully stack his MSM credit hours into the Gies iMBA, and it exposed him to the College’s online learning platform and resources, better preparing him for the rigors of the program.

“The stackability of Gies’ offerings ultimately made transitioning to the iMBA seamless,” said Etikpah, who added his ultimate goal is to become an entrepreneur and invest in his home country. “I’m committed to applying my business knowledge and experience to developing a distribution or production supply-chain company in Ghana.” 

Andrew Allen: MAS to iMBA

A world away from Ghana, Andrew Allen also dreamed of a business career to improve his life.

“Growing up very poor in Milford, IL, I sought a stable career path with good earning potential that would eventually allow me to buy a home and secure my retirement,” Allen said. “As a first generation college student, I lacked the guidance of a parent to discuss career options and corporate strategy.”

Allen’s journey began with a track and field scholarship to Judson University in suburban Chicago. His junior year, Allen participated in the Mary T. Washington Wiley internship program, which launches underrepresented students into the accounting profession by providing access to training, resources, internships, and job opportunities. Through this exposure, Allen discovered the on-campus Master of Accounting Science (MAS) degree offered by Gies Business.

“This program set up my future because I wasn’t a sexy applicant to the top accounting firms with an undergraduate degree from a lesser known business school,” said Allen, who earned his MAS in 2020. “It was a no-brainer to go to school an extra year, tackling the CPA exam simultaneously and leveraging the Gies alumni network.”

Allen began his career at Deloitte in 2020. He was promoted to Audit & Assurance Senior in 2022, and shortly thereafter began seeking out opportunities beyond the Big Four accounting firms. He landed a position as a senior financial analyst, customer solutions, at Grainger in Chicago in 2023 and began having conversations with mentors and leaders about his long-term career. Because of Gies Business’ stackable structure, he was able to apply 24 credits from his MAS degree toward an online MBA. He was instantly one- third of the way done with his degree and moved to a financial planning and analysis role in 2024.

“What I’ve learned through my Gies MAS and MBA degrees has been great comfort as I continue to transition from the structured world of public accounting to the more dynamic world of finance,” said Allen, who added his long-term career goals are to be a good visual storyteller with numbers, understand operations and processes on a deeper level, and ultimately lead others. “I’m excited about a career where I can offer timely insights on trends and contribute to strategic thinking at the company.” 

Megan Kicks: iMSM to iMBA

Associate Marketing Manager Megan Kicks says those closest to her were initially surprised that someone who didn’t like learning in high school or college is on her way to her second advanced degree with Gies Business.

“Early on, I felt forced to choose between a career in business and being a creative person,” said Kicks, who earned her undergraduate degree in PR, advertising, and applied communications from Ball State University. “It wasn’t until after I earned my bachelor's degree and landed my first job at a PR agency in London that I realized you can do both.”

Kicks continued to work remotely from Indianapolis for the UK firm during the pandemic before transitioning to an account executive role at Publicis Groupe, Chicago. Rapidly given greater responsibility, Kicks felt ill-equipped for a leadership role.

“Without confidence or credentials. I wasn’t comfortable giving feedback to more experienced colleagues,” said Kicks, who began exploring online advanced degree options and applied to the iMBA program at Gies in August 2022. “Understanding my career goals and limited work experience, Gies recommended pursuing an online master’s in management (MSM) degree, with the option to apply those credits toward an MBA. I thought that was the best idea ever.”

Kicks said her coursework unlocked a business side of her brain that she didn’t know existed. After her role was eliminated at Publicis in February 2023 while earning her MSM degree, Kicks began balancing her classwork with an intense job search.

“During countless hours of interviews, I applied the knowledge, business tactics, and strategies I had learned to land three job offers with 30% salary increases within a few weeks,” said Kicks, who joined Walgreens as a marketing specialist in May 2023.

A year later, Kicks leveraged her MBA enrollment and MSM degree from a top business school during salary negotiations for a promotion to the retailer’s organic social media team. 

“During the interview, they asked about my favorite business model,” said Kicks. “I impressed them by discussing the power of an omni-channel strategy, using Sephora as an example of a company that executes it well.”

Kicks marvels at the growth of her business acumen in such a brief time.

“I used to believe you needed strong math skills for a successful career,” said Kicks. “Thinking I wasn’t good with numbers, I felt the need to find another path. But now I know how to integrate business concepts and creativity, which gives me greater job satisfaction and more career opportunities.”