Community / May 1, 2003

Over 1,500 Sign Smith's Tag Line Banner

Robert H. Smith '50 signed it in green directly below a logo that bears his name. University of Maryland President C. D. Mote Jr. signed it simply Dan Mote. Dean Howard Frank was the first to sign it; Justin Silbert, senior decision and information sciences major, was the last. Some, like John Hoss Cartwright, made it a work of careful deliberation. Others offered a bold, undecipherable, highly stylized scrawl.

Some offered predictions (Accounting Forever!"). Others signed for their whole family ("The Flowers Family"). Many signed in their native language, like Chinese or Punjabi.

Regardless of how, where, or even what color they used, over 1,500 students, faculty, staff, and friends of the Smith School stepped forward to sign on to the new Leaders for the Digital Economy tag line. To kick off the new tag line campaign, the Office of Communications created a huge banner with the slogan on it and asked the Smith community to sign it.

I was mobbed by about 30 students wanting to sign the banner at once, said Pamela Yee, assistant marketing communications manager. The students were thrilled to be a part of the banner signing. It was really fun."

Yee said that many students brought their friends back the next day to show off their signatures and get their friends to sign as well. Many were fascinated by the concept of suspending the banner from high in the atrium's 60-foot rafters. Sweet! they said. Can I be here when you hang it?

We wanted to find a symbolic way to get everyone on board, said Anne Moultrie, assistant dean, communications. Theres no better way to do that than to have members of the Smith community sign up. A signature is the accepted sign of personal commitment and support.The banner was unfurled on May 8 during a reception following the 2003 Smith MBA Case Competition. The banner will be permanently installed on May 13. In addition to the 6 x 25 banner, the Smith Schools marketing communications materials will carry the new tag line.

A Smith School committee, appointed by Dean Howard Frank, recommended the new tag line based on extensive testing and the fact that it captures the schools strategic direction well. As the dean wrote in the schools vision statement: At the Smith School, we are charting a course to advance business thinking and education for the netcentric era.

The schools vision is to become a model for business education and knowledge advancement for the 21st century.

Our new branding tag line is a strong and appropriate way to communicate that the Smith School is a community of leaders in an economy that has been dramatically transformed by information technology, adds Moultrie. For example, the Smith faculty is advancing the business knowledge and practice of the networked economy. In addition, students at Smith gain knowledge and skills in functional business areas and an understanding of how to leverage technology in their respective fields.

Media Contact

Greg Muraski
Media Relations Manager
301-405-5283  
301-892-0973 Mobile
gmuraski@umd.edu 

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

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