Alumni
Lexy Kessler ’85: A Terp with Tenacity
World Class Faculty & Research
Smith Helps Quantify the Federal Government's Financial Impact on Maryland
Top News
The High Five: June 2025
June 19, 2025
Lexy Kessler ’85, a partner at Aprio, was recently elected chairman of the AICPA. A longtime volunteer and leader in the field, she credits the Smith School with helping shape her career and encourages students to build strong peer networks.
May 27, 2025
Charity Fundraisers: Building a Quality Product to Benefit Nonprofits
Brian Rechtman ’05, founder of Bluetree Marketing, helps nonprofits raise funds through curated experiences and auctions. Inspired by Smith School advice to “sell the best,” he’s built a social enterprise that’s supported nearly 10,000 charity events worldwide.
Student
May 21, 2025
Seizing Opportunity: Smith Student Leads While Learning
Darrell Lipscomb, MS Accounting ’25, a former Army chaplain's assistant, leads with service and drive. Now Smith Master’s Student Association president, he’s building community, mentoring peers, and preparing for a finance career—with a KPMG internship and CPA goals ahead.
June 18, 2025
Smith School faculty and graduate students partnered with the Maryland Comptroller’s Office to analyze the economic impact of federal spending and employment, helping state leaders assess risks and build a more resilient future for Maryland’s economy.
June 17, 2025
Smith’s undergraduate program is thriving, with record enrollment, expanded experiential learning, and surging interest in new programs. A free AI certificate drew 17,000+ registrants, and student-managed funds returned nearly $500,000 to the school from $12 million in assets.
June 16, 2025
FedEx Acquires Company Founded By Four Smith Faculty
RouteSmart Technologies, founded by Smith School professors Bruce Golden, Michael Ball, Larry Bodin, and Arjang Assad, was acquired by FedEx. The route optimization company, built on academic research, will continue operating independently under FedEx Dataworks with plans for global expansion.
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.
May 14, 2025
The Tax Revenue and Problem-Gambling Balancing Act
Research co-authored by associate professor Dan McCarthy finds that online sports betting legalization has led to a rise in irresponsible gambling, especially among lower-income individuals. The study highlights financial risks and calls for safeguards to mitigate potential societal harm.
The Language of Buying: Deciphering AI Conversations
Marketing PhD student Ziting Liao, with faculty Liye Ma and Wendy Moe, developed a model predicting purchase intent from AI assistant interactions. By analyzing language patterns, the tool helps advertisers better target consumers and optimize strategies based on intent.
Are You Ready for the Future? AI Can Help
Joseph Reiff, assistant professor of marketing, co-invented The Retirement Visualizer™, an AI tool using GPT and DALL·E to help individuals vividly imagine retirement goals. By making the future feel tangible, it aims to boost motivation and increase retirement savings.
