Synchrony Named Corporate Affiliate of the Hoeft Technology & Management Program

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign today announced that Synchrony, a leading consumer financial services company, has been named as a corporate affiliate for The Hoeft Technology & Management (T&M) Program at the University of Illinois. The new affiliation builds on the existing relationship between the two organizations and follows the opening of the Synchrony Emerging Technology Center at the University in April this year.

The T&M Program is designed to bridge the gap between traditional technology and business education by offering a unique curriculum to a select group of highly qualified business and engineering undergraduates. The program is a joint venture between the College of Engineering and Gies College of Business and works closely with its corporate affiliate partners, such as Synchrony, to build tomorrow’s leaders of the innovation economy.

“In order to be competitive, organizations must link business strategy with technology strategy. By developing the combination of these skills early, the students of the T&M Program will get a unique curriculum to discuss the convergence of business and technology,” said Greg Simpson, Chief Technology Officer and Artificial Intelligence Leader at Synchrony. “We look forward to supporting the next generation of business and technology leaders, and as a board member I look forward to playing a hands-on role to shape the future of the program.”

“The Hoeft Technology and Management Program combines the strengths of two of our world-renowned programs, the College of Engineering and Gies College of Business,” said Jeffrey R. Brown, dean of Gies College of Business. “Synchrony’s focus on creating technology that helps businesses thrive is an ideal fit with this collaboration. I am delighted to welcome them as the newest corporate partner for the T&M Program.”

“Synchrony is a welcome addition to The Hoeft Technology and Management Program,” said Tamer Basar, interim dean of the College of Engineering. “The Program creates future leaders at the point where engineering and business intersect. Synchrony being in that same intersection can help the Program in its educational mission.”

John Quarton, the program’s director, is excited to have Synchrony join its distinguished set of corporate affiliates that includes Abbott, The Boeing Company, BP, John Deere, and Motorola Solutions.

“We’re proud to have an industry leader like Synchrony as a partner to educate our students, expose them to the emerging technologies that are transforming the financial services industry, and employ them as interns and full-time employees,” said Quarton.

As a corporate affiliate for the program, Synchrony will serve as an external advisory panel, provide strategic advice and guidance regarding relevance of the curriculum, participate in extracurricular activities, sponsor capstone projects and provide financial support to the Program. Synchrony has already participated in several T&M events and has delivered a number of presentations around artificial intelligence, technology & management, distributed ledger technology, and virtual reality. The new partnership builds upon Synchrony’s existing relationships with other educational institutions and complements the company’s four global Innovation Stations.

About Synchrony

Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a premier consumer financial services company delivering customized financing programs across key industries including retail, health, auto, travel and home, along with award-winning consumer banking products. With more than $130 billion in sales financed and 74.5 million active accounts, Synchrony brings deep industry expertise, actionable data insights, innovative solutions and differentiated digital experiences to improve the success of every business we serve and the quality of each life we touch. More information can be found at www.synchrony.com and through Twitter: @Synchrony.

About the College of Engineering at Illinois

As one of the world's top ranked engineering programs, Illinois Engineering’s students, faculty, and alumni set the standard for excellence. We drive the economy, reimagine engineering education, and bring revolutionary ideas to the world. The College of Engineering is home to more than 10,000 students. We are one of the Top 5 colleges in the country in terms of research expenditures, with nearly $240 million in research conducted every year. More than 80,000 living alumni have founded or led companies like YouTube, Yelp, Bloom Energy, C3 IoT, Grainger Industrial Supply, Tesla Motors, PayPal, and BP.  engineering.illinois.edu

About Gies College of Business at Illinois

Gies College of Business provides a world-class educational experience for the next generation of business leaders. For more than 100 years, the College has delivered on the promise of innovation in business education, with a commitment to cutting-edge curriculum design and delivery, exceptional experiential learning opportunities, and unparalleled academic excellence. Today our faculty prepare more than 5,100 students, including 3,100 undergraduates, to be at the forefront of innovation and leadership in the global economy. giesbusiness.illinois.edu