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Freshman Fellows Program

Welcome to the Smith Freshman Fellows Undergraduate Program. You have been admitted to the Smith Freshman Fellows Undergraduate Program. For the next four semesters, you will participate in an active learning community that will stretch your capabilities, introduce you to new fields of knowledge and give you opportunities to explore and experiment and build your personal and professional network of new friends and colleagues. For more details regarding orientation, the curriculum and to access frequently asked questions, see all the details below.

Dr. Hugh Turner is the Faculty Champion for this program. Click here to view his profile.

FRESHMAN FELLOWS ORIENTATION

All Freshmen admitted to the Smith School of Business in the Fall semester and enrolled in a Fellows section of BMGT110 are invited to participate in Freshman Fellows Orientation. You will have already registered for courses during summer orientation. Fellows Orientation is designed to introduce you to the Fellows Program, campus life, and give you an opportunity to learn the ropes from Fellows Mentors who will lead small group sessions and fun activities to welcome you to the Smith Community. For details please click here.

CURRICULUM -- 2 year program

Your Freshman Fellows Program consists of four (4) required courses plus a portfolio of co-curricular activities, to include the following:

1st Semester

BMGT 110 -- Introduction to Business – 3 credits

This course will introduce you to the functional areas of business, and cover current aspects of management in the 21st century, including: Globalization, business ethics, management of technology, social issues in managing technology, entrepreneurship and leadership in the digital economy, strategic supply chain management, and the historical evolution of modern models of business and management. Co-curricular activities planned for Fall semester will include:

Co-Curricular (Required)

Attend two events out of the following six options:

- 3 Speakers (TBA)

- 3 Field Trips (TBA)

Please note that all events will have limited space available so you are encouraged to register early. For details on the Fellows RSVP policy, click here (see last page).

Co-Curricular (Optional)

Freshman Convocation: Meet your fellow freshmen students, faculty and staff, upperclassmen student leaders, and alumni at the Annual Freshman Convocation—a great party which kicks off Business Week—a weeklong series of events and activities to jump-start your career at the Smith School. (Open to all Smith freshmen.)

Freshman Emerging Leaders Retreat: This one-day program will introduce you to Smith School student leaders who will engage you in leadership exercises and simulations designed to enhance your leadership skills and prepare you for a wide range of leadership opportunities through the Smith Undergraduate Students Association. Capacity is limited, so students will apply to participate. (Open to all Smith Freshmen.)

Freshman Fellows Dinner Club: Each Fellows section of BMGT 110 will be hosted for a special dinner in Fall semester by student leaders and alumni to help integrate you into the Smith Community. (Reserved for Freshman Fellows enrolled in BMGT 110)

2nd Semester

BMGT 198F – Practicum in Ethics & Corporate Social Responsibility – 1 credit

Prerequisite: BMGT 110 Fellows section. The focus of your second semester

practicum will be on teamwork and community development. You will have the

opportunities to work with your peers and carry out a service activity which will further

develop your leadership and organizational skills while helping others.

Co-Curricular (Required)

Attend one speaker, conference, or service project as defined in the course syllabus.

3rd Semester

BMGT 298F – Practicum in Professional Development – 1 credit

Prerequisite: BMGT 198F. Your third semester practicum will focus on professional

development, preparing you for internships and selection of your major and career path.

Field trips, case analysis and professional development activities will introduce you to

“real world” business environments and executives.

Co-Curricular (Required)

Attend one career event out of the multiple options offered.

4th Semester

BMGT 367 – Career Explorations – 1 credit

The career explorations course provides an overview of the professional world of

business, with opportunities to practice job search skills—resume-writing, interviewing,

and networking—critical to obtaining internships and full-time positions. Freshman

Fellows will complete this required course in small section cohorts which will also

combine co-curricular activities to enhance your professional skills.

Co-Curricular (Required)

Etiquette Dinners: Each section will participate in a professional etiquette dinner, hosted

by alumni and corporate partners, with opportunities to practice social skills and build

your confidence by engaging with colleagues in professional and social settings.

Program Matriculation and Completion: All students admitted to the Smith School as Freshmen in Fall semester, will automatically be considered eligible for the Smith Freshmen Fellows Program. While some events and activities will be open to all Smith Freshmen—e.g. the Emerging Leaders Retreat—many activities will be reserved for students participating in the Freshman Fellows Program.

Matriculation: To secure your place in the Freshman Fellows Program, you must attend the special Freshman Fellows Orientation on August 30 and 31, and enroll in a Fellows section of BMGT 110 in your first Fall semester.

NOTE: Business majors admitted to the College Park Scholars BSE program are considered Smith Freshman Fellows. However, as Smith School students in BSE you will enroll in your own special section of the "Introduction to Business" course, BMGT 110S, and CPS/BSE colloquium sections, and participate in the co-curricular activities and programs specific to CPS/BSE. You are welcome to participate in other Freshman Fellows activities on a space-available basis.

Completion: Students who complete BMGT 110, 198F, 298F and 367, together with the co-curricular activities offered each semester will participate in a special completion ceremony. You will choose from among a set of opportunities for these required activities—2 or 3 per semester.

Testimonials

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I am in College Park Scholars program (other than BSE). Will this affect my participation in Smith Freshman Fellows?

A: Not at all! BMGT freshman students in University Honors, Gemstone and Civicus can still participate in the BMGT 110 Fellows sections and related activities. There may be challenges in scheduling for co-curricular activities; however, schedules have been arranged to avoid conflicts, especially at the beginning of the year, to allow all students to participate in any and all orientations and special programming.

Q: I am a Business student in College Park Scholars Business Society and the Economy. I will also be enrolling in BMGT 110S. How does that affect my participation as a Smith Freshman Fellow?

A: BSE students are invited to participate in Freshman Fellows programming on a space available basis while taking part in the special programming offered to BSE students, BSE is a great opportunity for Smith admits to get involved in the Business School and we encourage your participation in all freshmen activities open to all Business students. Many activities, including Freshmen Convocation, the Freshman Emerging Leaders Retreat, and other special events, are open to all Smith freshmen, regardless of your participation in Fellows or College Park Scholars.

Q: I am a non-BMGT major in College Park Scholars Business Society and the Economy. Will I be able to participate in the Smith Freshman Fellows activities and colloquia?

A: Non-BMGT students will participate in all CPS-BSE activities, but will only be invited to participate in Business School activities open to the entire campus. Interested non-BMGT students are particularly encouraged to participate in Business clubs and organizations. More information on these can be found at the SUSA link here.

Q: I have a heavy schedule my first semester, as I am a double-major and also in the Gemstone program. Is BMGT 110 required?

A: BMGT 110 is not a required course. Co-curricular activities associated with BMGT 110 in the Smith Freshman Fellows program are also not mandatory, so not enrolling in BMGT 110 will not affect your academic program. However, BMGT 110 is a pre-requisite for the Colloquia and related activities; therefore, if you do not enroll in BMGT 110 in the fall semester, you would not be eligible to enroll in the colloquium courses and would only be eligible to participate in the related activities on a space-available basis. You will participate in the Completion Ceremony only if you complete all of the Freshman Fellows courses—BMGT 110, 198F, 298F and 367—in sequence.

Q: I have just been admitted to BMGT, and I am planning to declare a second major in Spanish. However, I have missed the Fellows Orientation and am not enrolled in BMGT 110. Can I get involved in International Fellows?

A: Students who are admitted as freshmen to the Smith School after the start of the fall semester in your first year of studies may apply to any of the junior-senior fellows programs, including Global Opportunities, but will be too late to fully participate as a Freshman Fellow. Similarly, students must formally declare their second major in foreign language prior to the start of the freshman year in order to participate as Smith International Fellows.

Q: Are Freshman Fellows given preference when applying to junior/senior fellows programs? A: Not at all. Junior/senior fellows programs are open to all BMGT majors—including new transfer students—without distinction as to prior programs they may have participated in, e.g. university honors, college park scholars, freshman fellows, gemstone, etc.

RSVP and No Show Policy for Freshmen Fellows

In order to receive credit for completing the above requirements, students must RSVP through the UNet system at least 48 hours before each event (and by DATE for Freshmen Fellows Orientation). When students RSVP in advance, Undergraduate Studies is able to adequately prepare for the event. Many events may not have sufficient room to allow for students to attend without an RSVP. Freshmen Fellows participants are encouraged to register early for co-curricular programs as many of these events fill up quickly. Students who show up at events without an RSVP will not receive credit for that event and, in some cases, may not gain entry to the event. However, if there is sufficient room at the event, we will encourage you to attend the event even though you will not receive credit for fulfilling that particular Freshman Fellows requirement.

Occasionally, situations may arise that prevent students from attending an event to which they have RSVP-ed. Students may cancel an RSVP up to 48 hours before the event by logging onto UNet. This allows the Undergraduate Studies office to plan accordingly and invite students who may be on a waitlist for the event. Cancellations will not be accepted within 48 hours of an event. Students who fail to show up for a co-curricular program (including those who fail to cancel their RSVP 48 hours prior to the event) will be considered “no shows” regardless of the reason for their absence.

No Shows

In order to fulfill all the co-curricular requirements, “no shows” must make up their absence by assisting the Undergraduate Studies office with the implementation of a subsequent event. Duties will include, but are not limited to: staffing a check-in table, ushering, handing out programs, reserving seats, etc. Students acting in this capacity for an event should expect to arrive 30 minutes prior to the event and remain until the event has completed. A representative from the Undergraduate Studies office will communicate with all “no shows” to ensure that each has the opportunity to complete their requirements.

http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu – info@rhsmith.umd.edu