Centers & Initiatives

Pioneering business research can prepare students to be transformational business leaders, and equip companies to transform themselves and their markets.

At the Smith School we have created a cluster of Centers of Excellence that serve as the intersection of scholarship and the marketplace, putting breakthrough research at the service of students and companies. Each of our centers immerses our students in complex and evolving marketplaces in which success depends on critical thinking, creativity and entrepreneurship. 

We have also added exciting new Initiatives to further augment the learning experience, align with industry and government trends, and chart the future of business.

Centers

Center for Artificial Intelligence in Business

The Center for Artificial Intelligence in Business pioneers AI research and outreach. With a focus on human judgment and creativity, it fosters safe, innovative products and services through intentional AI-enabled design and governance frameworks.

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Center for Excellence in Service

The Center for Excellence in Service (CES) is an academic research center with a network of Smith faculty members who are thought leaders in service marketing and management. 

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Center for Financial Policy
Center for Financial Policy

The Center for Financial Policy leverages the Smith School’s world-renowned faculty, leading research, and proximity to Washington, D.C. to promote a collaborative exchange of ideas on the key issues that affect financial markets.

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Center for Global Business

The Center for Global Business (CGB) is the driver of internationalization and global mindset education at the Smith School and a preferred partner for international commerce in the state of Maryland, specifically in regard to training and supporting students, companies, and current and future business leaders to engage successfully in global business.

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Center for Social Value Creation

The Center for Social Value Creation embodies a passionate mission: to educate, engage and empower the Smith community and the world through thought-provoking dialogue, thought leadership, and hands-on experience.

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Dingman-Lamone Center for Entrepreneurship

At the Dingman-Lamone Center, we create an inclusive environment where we educate, empower and equip students with the business skills needed to be an entrepreneur and the resources necessary to make their business ideas a reality.

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Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets

The guiding principle for the Ed Snider Center is that social progress is born of free and creative individuals who, driven by self-motivation, passion, and a positive approach to trading value for value, make the world a better place. 

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Supply Chain Management Center

The Supply Chain Management Center at the Robert H. Smith School of Business is dedicated to conducting research and education designed to further the discipline of supply chain management.

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Initiatives

Smith Analytics Consortium

Expanding understanding of business analytics and relevant careers, the Robert H. Smith School of Business runs the Smith Analytics Consortium (SAC). A partnership between industry and Smith’s diverse, inclusive community, the Consortium serves as a central hub for networking, thought leadership, experiential learning, co-curricular activities and collaboration opportunities enhancing the Smith student experience and giving back to the business community.

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Initiative for Veteran Lifelong Leadership
Initiative for Veteran Lifelong Leadership

Promoting veterans as strategic assets for a united economy.

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Future of Government Management Initiative

The imperatives facing America's government and market leaders have rarely overlapped with the complexity they do today. At the Smith School, we aim to help with new programs and partnerships to promote the future of U.S. public-private talent, training, and research.

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Smith Enterprise Risk Consortium

Corporate risk officers are grappling with a host of nontraditional risks associated with and ranging from cyber to climate. The Smith Enterprise Risk Consortium recognizes these emerging risks and endeavors to address them through research, tools and education.

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Climate Finance and Risk Management at UMD

The University of Maryland combines its world-class expertise in climate science, finance, and public policy to prepare our partners to plan for and respond to the opportunities and risks of a changing climate. 

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Financial Wellness

The Financial Wellness Center at the University of Maryland is poised to revolutionize financial literacy among students, empowering them to make informed financial decisions that pave the way for lifelong success.

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News

April 3, 2025
Water Sustainability Initiative Underway from Smith’s CSVC, AquaKraft
The Smith School’s Center for Social Value Creation and AquaKraft Ventures launch Water Parliament, a global think tank advancing water sustainability. Led by Nima Farshchi, it promotes governance, innovation, and investment, including AQOIN, the first water-backed digital asset.
Read News Story : Water Sustainability Initiative Underway from Smith’s CSVC, AquaKraft
March 25, 2025
Experiential Learning Abroad: Smith Students Transform Their Design Perspectives in Spain
Smith School students explored design thinking in Spain through hands-on experiences, from paella-making to site visits at iconic landmarks. Led by Professor J. Gerald Suarez, the short-term abroad course fostered creativity, innovation, and a global perspective on problem-solving.
Read News Story : Experiential Learning Abroad: Smith Students Transform Their Design Perspectives in Spain
March 25, 2025
Lessons Beyond Borders: Short-Term Study Abroad 2025
Smith School students participated in short-term study abroad programs across the UAE, U.K., Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Portugal, and Morocco. Led by faculty, these experiences provided firsthand exposure to global business practices, emphasizing finance, technology, sustainability, and international market dynamics.
Read News Story : Lessons Beyond Borders: Short-Term Study Abroad 2025
March 12, 2025
Smith School Students Win Milgard Invitational Case Competition
Maryland students Marvi Shroff, Eileen Chen, Meilin Yuan, and Jiayi Wang won first place at the Milgard Invitational Case Competition, earning global recognition for UMD’s Smith School with their strategic analysis of the aviation industry and investment recommendation for Airbus.
Read News Story : Smith School Students Win Milgard Invitational Case Competition
March 11, 2025
Embassy Day Gives Students Unique Opportunities to Learn About Global Business
Smith’s Embassy Day, organized by the Center for Global Business, gave 100 students—from first-years to graduate students—a firsthand look at global business and diplomacy. Visiting two of eight embassies, students engaged with diplomats, explored international trade, and gained insights into global relations.
Read News Story : Embassy Day Gives Students Unique Opportunities to Learn About Global Business
March 3, 2025
For the First Time, Smith Takes Tech Consulting Across the Pond
Smith’s undergraduate information systems program launched its first study abroad experience, taking students to London for hands-on tech consulting. Students collaborated with companies on analytics and AI projects, networked with industry leaders, and gained real-world experience in global technology and business challenges.
Read News Story : For the First Time, Smith Takes Tech Consulting Across the Pond
February 28, 2025
New Groundbreaking Competition Focuses on Ethical, Sustainable Global Business Solutions
The Grand Global Challenges Competition invites UMD students to tackle global issues through ethical, sustainable solutions. This year’s winning team will compete at Loyola Marymount’s International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition in April.
Read News Story : New Groundbreaking Competition Focuses on Ethical, Sustainable Global Business Solutions
February 18, 2025
Global Wild Cards and Their Impact on the Next Five Years
Kislaya Prasad, academic director of the Center for Global Business, hosted Erik Peterson at the center’s Distinguished Speakers in International Business Series. Peterson discussed key global trends, including middle powers, tariffs, corruption, and AI, highlighting economic uncertainties and geopolitical shifts shaping the next five years.
Read News Story : Global Wild Cards and Their Impact on the Next Five Years
January 31, 2025
Smith Research Uses AI to Showcase the Role of Pivots in Startup Performance
Startups must pivot strategically to succeed, not just reactively. New research by Smith’s Rajshree Agarwal uses AI to show how theorization and experimentation drive purposeful pivots, offering insights for entrepreneurs, incubators, and policymakers.
Read News Story : Smith Research Uses AI to Showcase the Role of Pivots in Startup Performance
January 27, 2025
Fostering Discussion of Critical Issues
The Fact-Based Discourse Initiative (FBDI), led by Rajshree Agarwal and Rellie Derfler-Rozin, fosters critical thinking and open dialogue on business challenges. Events explored trade, polarization, taxation, and social media's influence, promoting intellectual curiosity and respectful discourse at Smith.
Read News Story : Fostering Discussion of Critical Issues