Experiential / Reality-based Learning
330 Students From Across Campus Sign up for Smith’s Agentic AI Challenge
Third Annual Symposium Examines AI’s Opportunities and Challenges
World Class Faculty & Research
Smith Professor Examines National Pension Crisis in New Book
Alumni
March 23, 2026
Investing in the Future
Isa Farhat ’96 switched from architecture to accounting during a recession, building a career as a Deloitte partner. A first-generation student, he overcame personal challenges and now gives back to Smith through mentorship and support for future accounting professionals.
Alumnus Dials in the Dollars in Senior Role at T-Mobile
Johannes Thorsteinsson, MS ENGR ’05, MBA ’07, leveraged engineering and finance training at UMD to rise to T-Mobile senior vice president and treasurer. He credits Smith for shaping his career and now mentors students, emphasizing curiosity, resilience and relationships.
Building Meaningful Relationships
Wealth management advisor John Bates, ECON ’83, mentors Smith finance students through the Financial Advisory Council. With decades of industry experience, he emphasizes networking, real-world skills and collaboration with faculty to better align education with careers in financial services.
April 30, 2026
At the Smith School's Agentic AI Challenge, 67 student teams developed solutions to industry problems using advanced AI systems, with finalists presenting prototypes judged by industry experts, highlighting cross-disciplinary participation, real-world collaboration and evolving applications of artificial intelligence.
April 28, 2026
At the 2026 AI Symposium on Design and Governance, speakers examined how artificial intelligence is shaping work, healthcare and software, emphasizing human-centered design, emerging skills, ethical oversight and the responsible integration of AI to augment, not replace, human capabilities.
April 24, 2026
Business law professor T. Leigh Anenson examines pension debt in a Cambridge University Press book, analyzing more than 70 cases to explore constitutional disputes over benefit cuts, litigation trends and contract protections, aiming to guide policymakers and courts on reforms.
Faculty Insights On Latest News
May 30, 2025
Summer Reading List 2025
Get ready for summer with the 22nd Annual Summer Reading List for Business Leaders—featuring Smith School faculty picks on investing, neuroscience, human connection, and more, including a novel inspired by a radio show turned TV series.
Management and Organization
April 24, 2025
“The Future is Not What it Used to Be”
Ambiguity arises when choices must be made despite unclear outcomes, says Professor J. Gerald Suarez. In today’s fast-paced world, discernment, flexibility, and embracing uncertainty—not rigid control—are key to navigating change, complexity, and an unpredictable future.
Marketing
October 04, 2024
Small Businesses Take Big Hit from Apple’s Privacy Regulation
Smith marketing professor Daniel McCarthy's research found that Apple's 2021 App Tracking Transparency (ATT) significantly impacted small direct-to-consumer businesses. ATT caused a 37% drop in ad click-through rates and up to a 60% revenue decline for smaller firms reliant on Facebook ads.
March 24, 2026
Referred for the Job, Less Welcome by the Team
Employee referrals can aid hiring but carry hidden downsides. Research by Smith’s Rellie Derfler-Rozin finds staff often see referred hires as less meritorious and offer less support, despite strong performance. Clear communication about hiring rigor and involving employees can reduce bias.
March 10, 2026
Where GenAI Consumer Research is Likely Headed
Generative AI expands access to consumer research but risks biased, generic findings detached from real behavior, Roland Rust and Ming-Hui Huang say. They identify democratization, the “average trap” and model collapse as growing threats, urging human-centered methods to prevent synthetic, nonhuman results.
March 03, 2026
Debate Training May Help Employees Rise as Leaders, New Research from Smith’s Hui Liao Shows
A study co-authored by Smith School professor Hui Liao finds debate training boosts leadership advancement by increasing assertiveness. Published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, the research shows structured training helps participants emerge as leaders and earned a 2025 Academy of Management award.
