Morningstar announced a multiyear strategic collaboration valued at nearly $5 million with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Gies College of Business aimed at bringing real-world investing tools and industry experience directly into the classroom. The initiative is designed to strengthen the Midwest’s finance talent pipeline while preparing students with practical skills in investment analysis, fintech, and data-driven finance.
As part of the collaboration, Morningstar will provide professional-grade access to its Morningstar Direct platform to Gies Business students and faculty. The in-kind contribution, valued at nearly $1 million per year over five years, will enable students to analyze securities, evaluate fund performance, and work with market data using the same technology employed by financial professionals worldwide.
Students will gain hands-on experience through the Margolis Market Information Lab, a finance research facility equipped with advanced hardware, software, and real-time financial data streams. The lab allows students to engage directly with market analytics and financial news networks while conducting research and coursework.
The partnership also includes experiential learning opportunities through the Magelli Office of Experiential Learning, where students will work on real business challenges using Morningstar datasets and analytical frameworks. In addition, Morningstar plans to offer guest lectures, workshops, and shadow-day programs that provide exposure to roles in research, analytics, fintech, and product innovation.
Morningstar will also collaborate with Illinois faculty to expand practice-based curriculum tailored to the evolving needs of a data-driven financial ecosystem. The company is further supporting the initiative with a $25,000 pledge to the Gies Scholarship Fund and by becoming a Strategic Corporate Partner of the business school.
The collaboration reflects Morningstar’s broader investment in developing finance talent in the Midwest. By providing access to industry tools, mentorship, and applied learning opportunities, the program aims to help students graduate with the analytical capabilities, professional experience, and ethical grounding required to serve investors and navigate the rapidly evolving financial industry.
Morningstar, headquartered in Chicago, operates globally as a provider of investment research, data, and analytics for investors, financial advisors, and institutions. The company reports approximately $378 billion in assets under management and advisement as of December 31, 2025, and maintains operations across 32 countries.
Gies College of Business educates more than 11,000 on-campus and online students and has delivered business education innovation for more than a century. The partnership is expected to provide hundreds of students—many from across Illinois and first-generation college backgrounds—with access to tools and training typically concentrated at elite financial institutions.
KEY QUOTES
“Morningstar has always believed that empowered, independent thinking leads to better outcomes for investors, and I’ve had first-hand experience seeing the talent and real-world training that the University of Illinois provides to our best and brightest Illinois students. By bringing our data, our people, and our platforms directly into the classroom, we’re giving students the chance to develop their craft in real time. This collaboration is about unlocking what’s already in them—curiosity, capability, and the confidence to challenge convention for better markets.”
Marie Trzupek Lynch, Chief People Officer At Morningstar And 1994 Graduate Of University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
“This generous investment and our growing relationship with Morningstar will put state-of-the-art technology at our students’ fingertips and help bring real-world experience into the classroom. Morningstar’s focus on transparency, data integrity, and putting investors first closely matches the values we emphasize at Gies Business. Together, this collaboration will better prepare our students to think critically, work with data, and succeed in the evolving business landscape.”
W. Brooke Elliott, Josef And Margot Lakonishok Professor In Business And Dean Of Gies College Of Business
