About the Snider Center

Housed at University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, the Ed Snider Center's mission established at founding is "to research and teach in order to improve our understanding of the historical development, institutions and philosophical premises of capitalism and its effect on economic and social outcomes and the maintenance and proliferation of stable and widely shared prosperity." The center investigates free enterprise and markets by researching what makes individuals, organizations and markets flourish; educating thought leaders and influencers, and partnering with executives to apply the center’s research to real-world challenges.

For students and life-long learners, the center builds an understanding of the fundamental role that innovative and entrepreneurial thinking plays in the evolution of enterprise and markets. The center offers students opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of enterprise and markets by identifying, conducting and disseminating their own research.

For faculty and educators, the center creates curricula that foster creativity, productivity and purpose-driven leadership. The center develops and supports programs in the Robert H. Smith School of Business, and beyond that, teaches respectful and reasoned dialogue, business ethics, and the values of civil society.

For researchers and thought leaders, the center promotes an open forum of ideas steeped in research, not partisanship. The center draws on academic excellence across the University of Maryland and around the world to conduct interdisciplinary research and achieve a deeper understanding of free enterprise and markets.

For business leaders, the center offers opportunities for continuous education in both formal and informal settings. By drawing on the rich history of enterprise and markets, the center helps leaders avoid the mistakes of the past, improve decision-making today, and innovate for tomorrow. 

For organizations, the center puts research into practice by identifying approaches that worked in the past and applying them in new ways. The center welcomes opportunities to co-create and innovate to promote successful workplaces where high performers can thrive and businesses can be successful.

The Ed Snider Center invites you to join us in our efforts to inspire upward mobility, progress, and broadly shared prosperity.