DeKALB ― Stephanie Gorecki, NIU College of Business alumna, was recently named to Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40 List. 

Crain’s Chicago “40 Under 40” is a prestigious list that honors people who are proven leaders in their field. Anyone can nominate individuals they seek worthy of this pristine recognition on Crain’s website.

Gorecki received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Arizona State University, her master’s of business (MBA) from Northern Illinois University and her master’s of food science and nutrition from the University of Illinois. 

She attended NIU from 2007 to 2010 and said she has many fond memories of her time here.

“It was really fun,” Gorecki said. “I gave a lot of what I had to the program to engage and interact with my classmates and instructors. To this day I’m still connected on LinkedIn with a lot of those folks who were in the program alongside me, and teachers as well.” 

Gorecki said she appreciated the class sizes of only 20 to 25 students since it allowed for more one-on-one interactions with instructors.

“There was a ton of collaboration that happened within the program, lots of meetings, projects and group work with people of various backgrounds,” Gorecki said. “It was really great to meet and see the diversity of who came to the NIU program.”

Being named on Crain’s 40 Under 40 List has been an eye-opener for Gorecki because she realized all of her hard work, shown on her resume and credentials, was worth it.  

“When I got the call that I was being selected for the list, I was overwhelmed,” Gorecki said. “You go through life sometimes knowing you have to check off certain boxes as you go along the way to get to where you want to be. All of the sudden I realized at a fairly young age that I was reaching some of the potential that I had sought out to achieve.”

Gorecki said she is proud of her educational and professional journeys.

“When I got that recognition I was excited, flattered, shocked that I would be chosen for something like that, and I couldn’t help but think if I didn’t take the path that I did take, I most likely would not have received that recognition that I had through Crain,” Gorecki said. 

Gorecki advises students to never give up on their dreams.

“If you have big dreams, do not let those dreams fizzle,” Gorecki said. “You will run into roadblocks, especially in your 20s, and when you first start out in the workplace. Stay true to your determination and dedication and ultimately you will land and find where you are meant to land.”

Gorecki encourages students to work hard and try their best at whatever they do.

“I encourage people to take a moment to celebrate where they have gotten up until that point and to plan out where they want to see themselves in a few years,” Gorecki said. “Set those goals, keep working towards them. Anything is possible, just keep working at it.”