University of Illinois - Hoeft Technology & Management Program

University of Illinois - Hoeft Technology & Management Program The Hoeft Technology & Management (T&M) Program is a joint venture between Gies College of Business

The Hoeft Technology & Management (T&M) Program bridges the gap between traditional business and engineering education by offering a unique curriculum to a select group of highly qualified business and engineering undergraduates. The T&M Program is a joint venture between the College of Business and the College of Engineering and works closely with its corporate affiliate partners to groom the bes

t and the brightest students to be tomorrow's leaders. The T&M Program recognizes that companies need engineers who understand market forces and the financial implications of technology investment and business professionals who understand technology drivers and the product development implications of market strategies. The T&M Program prepares business and engineering graduates to function effectively in technical, interdisciplinary, and team- based industry environments. The Hoeft Technology & Management Program provides undergraduate students working knowledge of the fundamental elements of business and engineering and the opportunity to exercise this knowledge by working together on project teams that mirror those found in most companies today. Teams of business and engineering students work together to develop comprehensive solutions to real world problems. There is an emphasis on experiential learning and the inclusion of hands-on elements in each of the courses in the program. Interested students apply for T&M Program admission as sophomores and begin coursework junior year. http://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/engineer/technology-management/

Tech Talk: George Ploss of Oracle | Thu, Feb 19, 5:30 PM | Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134494 George Ploss’ c...
02/06/2026

Tech Talk: George Ploss of Oracle | Thu, Feb 19, 5:30 PM | Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134494
 
George Ploss’ career spans enterprise technology, venture capital, startup acceleration, and national defense, offering a real-world perspective on how technical systems, leadership, and strategy come together to drive innovation at scale. In his role at Oracle Government, Defense and Intelligence, George works at the forefront of emerging technology ecosystems, helping bridge enterprise platforms with startups, founders, and venture networks.

As Head of Oracle’s Venture Capital Practice and Global Director of the NetSuite Accelerator, George has helped design and launch programs that support early-stage startups with enterprise-grade digital infrastructure, capital access, mentorship, and go-to-market ex*****on. His work reflects many of the values emphasized in Hoeft T&M: systems thinking, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and using technology as a tool for meaningful impact.

George also brings a mission-driven leadership perspective shaped by nine years in the U.S. Marine Corps, an experience that continues to inform his approach to team building, strategy, and innovation. He is a frequent speaker on topics highly relevant to Hoeft T&M students, including venture capital trends, cloud technologies, scaling startups, and the future of innovation in government and defense.

For students interested in technology leadership, startups, consulting, product management, entrepreneurship, or innovation-driven careers, this Tech Talk offers a chance to hear how classroom concepts translate into real-world decision-making—and to learn from someone actively shaping the future of tech-enabled organizations.

This Tech Talk, hosted by The Hoeft Technology and Management Program, is an opportunity to hear firsthand how technology, capital, and leadership converge to turn ideas into impact—and what that means for the next generation of innovators.

2025 Hallene Lecture | Thursday, February 26, 5:30 PM | Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134475Join Brett Havens, ...
02/03/2026

2025 Hallene Lecture | Thursday, February 26, 5:30 PM | Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134475

Join Brett Havens, Assistant Vice-President of Network & Field Operations Transformation at AT&T, for the 2026 Hallene Lecture on Thursday, February 26 at 4:30 pm in 1100 Wymer Hall. Discover how meaningful transformation happens inside large organizations and how you can spark it. Drawing on 20+ years of technology and operations leadership, Havens will share stories of saying “yes” before the path was clear, insights on navigating emerging technologies, and becoming a force for change in your own career.

| About the Hallene Lecture |

The Hallene Lecture Series honors the memory of Alan M. Hallene (’51), former president of Montgomery Company in Moline, Illinois. He served as president of both the Alumni Association and the U of I Foundation Board of Directors. He was the recipient of two of the University’s highest honors: the Alumni Association Achievement Award and the U of I Foundation’s Presidents Award. It was established by a grant from the MacArthur Foundation in recognition of his years of service on its board.

Open to current and prospective T&M students! Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134262 Thu, Nov 13, 2025 | 6:30 PM ...
11/04/2025

Open to current and prospective T&M students! Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134262
 
Thu, Nov 13, 2025 | 6:30 PM – 8 PM CST | CIF 2039 | Dress Casual (jeans ok) | Food Provided (Casual dinner and networking)
 
A Hallene Tech Talks Presented by The Hoeft Technology & Management Program.
 
George Lawson is a systems engineer specializing in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies. Currently a Staff Systems Engineer in Autonomy & AI at Rivian, George has spent the past four years driving innovation in vehicle perception, control, and intelligent mobility. His work builds on over five years at Ford Motor Company, where he led calibration and validation of intelligent lighting features for flagship programs including the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and Lincoln Navigator.
 
Join us for a look at one of the most disruptive innovations of our time — where cutting-edge engineering meets bold business strategy. From vehicle perception and decision-making to the opportunities and challenges of a driverless future, George will share firsthand insights into an industry that’s evolving at breakneck speed. Whether you’re drawn to advanced engineering, entrepreneurial disruption, or the future of mobility, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of what it takes to shape the next era of transportation.

This week, we are showcasing Jaya Ganapathi. Jaya is a member of class 30 of the Hoeft Technology & Management Program a...
10/14/2025

This week, we are showcasing Jaya Ganapathi. Jaya is a member of class 30 of the Hoeft Technology & Management Program and is majoring in Bioengineering. Over the summer, Jaya worked on the manufacturing line for Guidezilla, a guide extension catheter, where she led a process improvement project to save a projected $250,000 over the next year. Jaya utilized Power BI and Excel to monitor the yields on the line and analyze scrap trends. She also implemented process controls while maintaining quality compliance and collaborating with Production.
Working in cross-functional teams in class allowed Jaya to apply knowledge of how business and engineering work hand-in-hand in an Operations setting. She built upon the analytical and creative thinking skills she developed from my classes to solve any roadblocks she faced in her project.
Jaya is grateful for the professional growth opportunities that T&M has given her, and she looks forward to carrying forward the connections she’s made through this program.

Open to current and prospective T&M students! Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134261 Thursday, October 30 | 6:30 ...
10/10/2025

Open to current and prospective T&M students! Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134261
 
Thursday, October 30 | 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM | CIF 2039 | Dress Casual (jeans ok) | Food Provided
 
Join us for a look at what it takes to thrive in this dynamic field and why supply chain is one of the most exciting frontiers for future leaders. Whether you’re interested in business strategy, engineering innovation, or global problem-solving, you’ll walk away with practical insights, career lessons, and a deeper understanding of the forces that keep the world moving.
 
Illinois alum Mark Hafter has spent his career leading at the intersection of engineering, business, and operations. With experience driving efficiency, solving complex challenges, and guiding teams through industry transformations, he’s seen how supply chains quietly shape everything from the products we use to the innovations we depend on.

This week, we are showcasing Rose Frances Henderson. Rose is a member of Class 30 of the Hoeft Technology & Management P...
10/01/2025

This week, we are showcasing Rose Frances Henderson. Rose is a member of Class 30 of the Hoeft Technology & Management Program and is majoring in Chemical Engineering. This past summer, Rose interned at General Mills in Wellston, Ohio. There, she had the opportunity to learn an incredible amount about food manufacturing and what it takes to succeed as an engineer at a Fortune 500 company. Rose was able to work across multiple teams related to quality, capital projects, and operations. She successfully reduced waste and losses across two production lines and gained valuable insights as to what a future career at General Mills would look like. Most importantly, Rose learned how accessible a career at the intersection of business and engineering is at General Mills, which is her long term goal after her time in T&M. 
 
Being in T&M as well as serving as the TMSO President has taught Rose to not give up on what matters to her. Working in a fast paced environment makes it easy for an intern to be brushed off or ignored, but her experience in T&M gave Rose the confidence to advocate for herself and make sure her voice was heard.
 
Rose am looking forward to finishing out her year as the TMSO President and working as a Course Assistant for the T&M Seminar!

Open to current and prospective students! Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134175 Thursday, September 25 | 6:00–8:...
09/22/2025

Open to current and prospective students! Register HERE: https://cglink.me/2dL/r2134175
 
Thursday, September 25 | 6:00–8:00 pm | CIF 2035 | Dress Casual (Jeans Ok) | Food Provided
 
Breaking into big tech is tough, but Illinois alum Bahaar Bhatia has done it again and again. From Intel to Meta to Netflix, and now Uber, she’s built a career at the intersection of business, computer science, and data analysis.
 
Bahaar Bhatia (B.S. ’13 Marketing/Information Systems, and M.S. ’14 Computer Science), is an alum of the Hoeft Technology & Management Program. She has held roles in fraud prevention at Uber, consumer insights at Netflix, and data science at Meta.
 
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Bahaar is an alumni data scientist, not a recruiter. The purpose of Hallene Tech Talks is to provide students with a variety of industry perspectives in different professional fields, hear professional journeys, and gain some insider opinions and experience on how to navigate careers in those fields. This is not a recruiting event, and attendees should not ask for any formal career referrals or expect hiring outcomes from attendance.

This week, we are highlighting Alexa Stolyarov. Alexa is a member of Class 30 of the Hoeft Technology & Management Progr...
09/16/2025

This week, we are highlighting Alexa Stolyarov. Alexa is a member of Class 30 of the Hoeft Technology & Management Program and is majoring in Finance. She spent her summer interning at Accenture in Chicago, where she had the opportunity to work within the Sourcing and Procurement practice, with a focus on the Energy industry. This experience allowed her to deepen her understanding of strategic sourcing while strengthening key skills in Excel, SQL, and presentation development.
 
Alexa strengthened her ability to manage multiple deliverables by learning how to prioritize effectively and use her time efficiently. She also sought out learning opportunities and welcomed feedback, ensuring she could continuously improve and deliver at a high level. These above skills are highly prioritized in the Hoeft Technology & Management program.
 
Alexa is grateful to the program for providing a strong foundation in creativity, analytics, and collaboration - all of which will continue to serve her well in her consulting career.

That’s a wrap on Career Fair week! Our Hoeft Technology & Management students kicked off the week with our professional ...
09/14/2025

That’s a wrap on Career Fair week! Our Hoeft Technology & Management students kicked off the week with our professional networking dinner, where they were able to spend time with our awesome corporate partners Abbott, Caterpillar, Synchrony, and Boeing. Crossing our fingers for fruitful follow-ups!

In the first of the T&M Tuesday Series, we are showcasing Teagan DeVaul. Teagan is a member of Class 31 of the Hoeft Tec...
09/02/2025

In the first of the T&M Tuesday Series, we are showcasing Teagan DeVaul. Teagan is a member of Class 31 of the Hoeft Technology & Management Program, who is double majoring in Marketing and Information Systems. She had the opportunity to bring her design skills to life in multiple ways over the summer during her internship with the Perfumery, a B2B fragrance manufacturer. Teagan used her knowledge of the Adobe Design Suite to create purposeful giveaway items for Cosmoprof 2025, an international B2B beauty conference. However, her most notable project in preparation for the conference was designing three wall murals to allow the Perfumery’s display and overall brand to stand out to potential leads. 
 
Being a member of the Hoeft Technology & Management Program empowered Teagan to own these projects with confidence. The process of submitting visual work to the conference was entirely new territory for her, so she used her T&M-prepped professionalism when communicating to the conference organizers to guarantee her designs were delivered and invoiced correctly. 
 
Teagan is looking forward to continuing to make the most of her experiences with the Hoeft Technology & Management Program this year and beyond.

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