Melissa Cummings

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign – Gies College of Business iMBA

“Strategic L&D leader using education to change trajectories while driving performance, mobility, and enterprise impact.”

Age: 47

Hometown: Maple Grove, Minnesota

Fun fact about yourself: I attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as an undergraduate, stepping away 12 hours from my degree.

Undergraduate School and Degree:
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (108 credit hours)
Bachelor of Science, Emergency Management, Jacksonville State University
Master of Science, Emergency Management, Jacksonville State University
Master of Science, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, University of Memphis
Graduate Certificate, Instructional Design and Technology
Graduate Certificate, Entrepreneurship and Strategic Innovation
MBA, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (expected May 2026)

Where are you currently working? Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Learning and Development Manager

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of overhauling and redefining the learning and development function within my organization in less than a year. I rebuilt disconnected programs into a cohesive system, operating L&D as a business unit with clear priorities, governance, and outcomes. Learning should be managed with the same rigor as any core business function because it directly shapes performance and mobility.

I established a governance committee to formalize decisions, aligned initiatives to enterprise priorities, and expanded access by curating 1,000+ courses across technical, leadership, and nonprofit domains, with pathways tied to roles and progression. I redesigned leadership development to address a persistent gap among supervisors, targeting 400 front-line leaders between October 2025 and December 2026. To date, 250 have completed the program. I also introduced microlearning and structured discussion to sustain engagement, expanded a mentorship program, and created an instructional design internship to extend capacity and connect academic learning to practice.

We are seeing strong adoption and quality indicators, including 80% completion of required compliance training within the first 90 days and net promoter scores of 70 or higher. I further strengthened the function by earning certifications in digital accessibility and DISC, improving inclusion, team effectiveness, and development quality.

This work changed how learning is understood and used. It reframes learning from a support function to an operational driver of performance and mobility. I am focused on redefining how organizations invest in human capability by positioning learning as a measurable driver of advancement and enterprise impact.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? I chose Gies because it treats business education as applied work, not theory, which aligned with how I approach my role. I was actively rebuilding the learning and development function and needed business frameworks to strengthen decision making and position learning as an investment with measurable return.

I also needed the flexibility of an online format, as I was leading at a high level and wanted to apply learning in real time rather than step away.

I had a prior connection to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as an undergraduate and understood its academic rigor. Returning allowed me to complete that chapter with purpose while building the business fluency to operate more effectively at the senior leadership level.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? It was the ability to apply coursework directly to my role while building a meaningful professional community. I used assignments to develop business cases, refine strategy, and test ideas as I reshaped the learning and development function, making the learning immediately relevant.

I also served as an online ambassador, participating in panels and connecting with prospective and current students. Those interactions extended beyond formal sessions into ongoing mentorship and connection. I built relationships with faculty, staff, and classmates and continued them through mentorship and resource sharing.

That combination of applied learning and sustained connection reflects how I approach L&D: creating environments where people access knowledge, build relationships, and translate both into growth.

How did your online MBA experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? My undergraduate experience lacked a clear sense of purpose. In the MBA program, I approached learning with discipline and intent, which changed the quality of my engagement. Despite the online format, I felt more connected and involved than I did as an undergraduate.

I served as an ambassador, participated in the Student Government Association, attended in-person networking events, and completed an immersion course solving a real client problem. I also built strong relationships with faculty through live sessions, office hours, and continued interaction during the immersion.

The online structure required ownership of time and preparation, but created space for more deliberate engagement. Combined with the program’s opportunities for connection, it resulted in a more meaningful and integrated experience.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? Approach the program as a second role with clear expectations. Build a consistent schedule, prepare for discussions, and engage fully. Flexibility exists, but outcomes depend on how intentionally you engage.

Take advantage of every opportunity to participate, connect, and immerse yourself in the experience. In business, we focus on return on investment. In an online MBA, that return reflects how fully you engage and how effectively you translate the experience into growth.

How has your online MBA education helped you in your current job? The MBA strengthened my ability to operate learning and development as a strategic function. As I overhauled the function, I applied coursework to build governance, align initiatives to enterprise priorities, and structure development as a coordinated system.

It gave me the language and frameworks to position learning as an investment with measurable return. I now design initiatives with defined outcomes, use data to demonstrate adoption and quality, and communicate value in terms that resonate with senior leadership.

The program sharpened how I evaluate trade-offs and prioritize work. I am making decisions with greater clarity, linking learning to performance, retention, and mobility and ensuring the function contributes to enterprise outcomes. This reflects a broader focus on positioning learning as a measurable driver of enterprise impact.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? My title has not changed, but my scope has. I operate at a director level, shaping strategy, influencing executive stakeholders, and aligning development efforts with enterprise priorities.

During the program, I navigated two layoffs, requiring me to re-enter the market and secure new roles. The MBA strengthened how I articulated my experience, allowing me to speak more effectively to leadership, business acumen, and operational impact.

As a result, I advanced the level at which I operate, with greater responsibility for strategy and organizational outcomes.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential or executive MBA program? I wanted to build capability without stepping away from a role where I could apply it immediately. I was actively reshaping the learning and development function, and integrating learning with execution strengthened both.

The online format also provided the flexibility I needed as a full-time professional, wife, and mother, allowing me to meet those responsibilities while maintaining a disciplined academic schedule.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Gies integrated AI through dedicated coursework and clear guidance on appropriate use. The program set expectations for academic integrity while requiring responsible use of generative AI in select assignments, positioning it as a practical tool.

This reinforced the importance of understanding both strengths and limitations. I learned to use AI to support analysis and efficiency while recognizing where human judgment must take precedence.

The key insight is that AI enhances decision making but does not replace accountability. Leaders remain responsible for interpreting information and considering human impact, especially when leading others.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: 15-20

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My long-term goal is to establish learning and development as a core business function with a clear line of sight to performance, mobility, and enterprise impact. I want to build systems that treat learning as an investment and expand access to meaningful development, particularly for employees who have not traditionally been prioritized.

I am also committed to contributing to the field more broadly. I have published on learning and development practices, presented at a professional conference, and consulted with a university to strengthen its instructional design certificate program.

Over time, I want to teach future learning leaders at the university level, designing coursework that connects theory with application and prepares leaders to operate as organizational decision makers. The goal is to help define a generation of learning leaders who earn an equal voice at the leadership table while using education to change trajectories and drive organizational outcomes.

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