Smith Start
Welcome to the Smith Family! The Smith Start Program is your introduction to an exciting journey at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. Designed exclusively for first-semester freshmen, Smith Start helps you navigate the academic and social transition to college with support from peer mentors and a tight-knit community. All incoming freshmen admitted to Smith are automatically enrolled in Smith Start, making it a seamless part of your transition into college life. But Smith Start isn’t just about starting college – it’s about setting the stage for a successful and fulfilling business career. Embrace this opportunity to learn, grow and connect with the Smith community.
Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 5-6:30 p.m.
As you look ahead to your first internship search, put everything you’ve learned in BMGT367F into action at our Smith Start Mock(tail) Networking Hour — a casual, low-pressure way to practice real-world networking before you need it most.
All first-year Smith students are invited to connect with alumni, staff, and peers in a relaxed setting designed to help you build confidence, start conversations, and grow your network. Enjoy delicious mocktails and appetizers while making meaningful connections that could open doors down the road.
As a part of your Choose Your Own Adventure assignment, this event makes completing your requirement easy, social, and fun.
Spaces are limited, so be sure to register early!
Event coordinated by Smith Start and the Undergraduate Program Office.
This event meets the requirement for the BMGT 367 Choose Your Own Adventure Assignment.
Monday, March 9, 2026, from 6-7:30 p.m.
As you prepare for internships, interviews, and professional events, confidence at the table can be just as important as confidence in the classroom. Join Smith Start and OCS for our Etiquette Dinner — an interactive, hands-on experience designed to help you navigate professional dining with ease.
During this guided dinner, you’ll learn practical tips and tricks for business meals, networking over food, place settings, conversation starters, and the do’s and don’ts that help you make a polished first impression. No guesswork, no awkward moments — just real-world skills you can use right away.
Enjoy a great meal while building confidence and connecting with fellow first-year Smith students in a relaxed, supportive setting - all with a delicious 3-course meal!
As part of your Choose Your Own Adventure assignment, this event makes completing your requirement both useful and enjoyable.
Spaces are limited, so be sure to register early!
Event coordinated by Smith Start and the Undergraduate Program Office and presented by the Office of Career Services.
This event meets the requirement for the BMGT 367 Choose Your Own Adventure Assignment.
Summer/Fall 2025 Events
Smith Freshman Convocation and Welcome Dinner
Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Stamp Student Union
Smith Freshman Convocation marks the beginning of your time at Smith and the first of many Smith Start events.
At the convocation, you will meet your Smith Start mentor and other members of the freshman class, pick up your first (of many!) Smith shirts, hear from Smith School leadership and a current student, win prizes, and share a Welcome Dinner with your mentor group.
Check-in begins at 3:30 p.m. All freshmen will receive an email on the Friday before the event with final details.
Let’s Get Down to Business: Career Exploration Workshop
Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Van Munching Hall
Do you have what it takes to get hired? Do you want to know what skills you need to stand out? Then Let's Get Down to Business and talk with recruiters who recruit Smith students on what they look for in great candidates! Recruiters know there is a skills shortage in the marketplace and you can make yourself stand out the most by focusing on and developing the skills employers want. The Let's Get Down to Business event will feature an employer panel of some top employers that recruit at Smith — across all majors — to help you know what skills to develop, pitfalls to avoid and how to get started here at Smith! Afterwards, join the employers as well as the Smith clubs with some light networking in the atrium. Dessert will be provided!
Smith Start Mentors
As part of Smith Start, you’ll be matched with a peer mentor — a current Smith student who’s here to support you, answer questions, and help you feel confident as you begin your college journey.
Applications to become a Smith Start Mentor are now open; apply by March 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. using the Smith Start Mentor application form, and email SmithStart@umd.edu with questions.
Natalie Baynes
Class of 2028
Major: Operations Management & Business Analytics
Hometown: Ellicott City, MD
Smith Involvement: Operations Management & Business Analytics Society, Women in Business Association
Campus Involvement: Maryland Dance Team, College Park Scholars - Civic Engagement for Social Good Program and Peer Mentor
Will Buckingham
Class of 2028
Major: Accounting and Operations Management & Business Analytics
Hometown: Cockeysville, MD
Smith Involvement: Sports Business Society, OMBA Society
Campus Involvement: Intramural Sports
Brooke Cowan
Class of 2027
Major: Finance and Information Systems
Hometown: Upper Marlboro, MD
Smith Involvement: Office of Career Services Student Worker, National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), Smith Community Council (SCC), Smith Ambassador
Campus Involvement: With Love Organization UMD - Vice President
Drew Dannenfelser
Class of 2027
Major: Finance and Supply Chain Mgt
Hometown: Towson, MD
Smith Involvement: Supply Chain Management Society
Campus Involvement: Alpha Tau Omega - Recruitment Chair, Intramural Sports
Selma Drucker
Class of 2028
Major: Undecided
Hometown: Boca Raton, FL
Smith Involvement: Smith Business Leadership Fellows (SBLF), TAMID - consulting track, International Economics & Finance Society (IEFS)
Campus Involvement: Intramural Sports - Basketball
Delaney Fay
Class of 2027
Major: Finance and Supply Chain Management
Hometown: Westhampton, NY
Smith Involvement: Fashion Business Association
Campus Involvement: Kappa Alpha Theta - VP of External Affairs
Natalia Flores-Rosales
Class of 2028
Major: Accounting and Information Systems
Hometown: Columbia, MD
Smith Involvement: Accounting & Business Association, Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), Women in Business
Campus Involvement: College Park Scholars - Media, Self, & Society program
Nicholas George
Class of 2028
Major: Accounting and Finance
Hometown: Rockville, MD
Smith Involvement: Collegiate Financial Management Association - Events Committee Member, International Economics and Finance Society, Delta Sigma Pi Professional Fraternity
Campus Involvement: TerpTax - Intern, PaLante Dance Company, UMD SGA Election Commission - Commissioner of Publicity
Sabrina Gong
Class of 2027
Major: Information Systems and Operations Management & Business Analytics
Hometown: Parsippany, NJ
Smith Involvement: Women in Business Association, Information Technology and Business Transformation (iTBT) Fellows Program, Operations Management & Business Analytics (OMBA) Society Fellowship, TA for BMGT367F
Campus Involvement: Club Softball Team
Emily Greenwald
Class of 2027
Major: Information Systems and Marketing
Hometown: Ellicott City, MD
Smith Involvement: Smith Ambassador, Strategic Design Fellows, QUEST Honors Program, Front Desk Assistant at the Smith Undergraduate Program Office
Campus Involvement: Greek Life
Jacob Herrera
Class of 2027
Major: Accounting
Hometown: Cecil County, MD
Smith Involvement: QUEST Honors Program - Recruitment Team, Interdisciplinary Business Honors (IBH) Program, IBH Student Advisory Board
Naasera Husain
Class of 2027
Major: Information Systems and Operations Management & Business Analytics
Hometown: Glenelg, MD
Smith Involvement: QUEST Honors Program, Smith Undergraduate Student Association (SUSA) - VP of Strategy and Operations, Office of Career Services (OCS) Marketing Intern, Dean Student Advisory Council (DSAC), Operations Management & Business Analytics Society (OMBAS) - Director of OMBAS Fellowship
Campus Involvement: Honors College - University Honors, Youth in Public Health
Caleb Kang
Class of 2028
Major: Finance and Information Systems
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Smith Involvement: VP of External Affairs for Ascend, VP of Involvement for Consult Your Community, Smith Ambassador, Phi Chi Theta Business Fraternity, QUEST Honors Program
Campus Involvement: Office Assistant for the Do Good Institute, Kharis Campus Ministry
I’m a #FirstGenTerp!
Max Keeling
Class of 2028
Major: Finance and Information Systems
Hometown: Frederick, MD
Smith Involvement: QUEST Honors Program, Information Technology Business Transformation Fellow, Consult Your Community (CYC) - Business Analyst, Impact Consulting Fellowship
Campus Involvement: Residence Hall Association (RHA) - Easton Hall Council President, Sigma Alpha Mu - Recruitment Chairman & IFC Delegate, Department of Resident Life - Community Assistant
Mackenzie Kopp
Class of 2027
Major: Finance and Supply Chain Management
Hometown: Damascus, MD
Smith Involvement: Accounting and Business Association, Collegiate Financial Management Association
Campus Involvement: Club Lacrosse, Kappa Alpha Theta - VP Panhellenic
William Liu
Class of 2027
Major: Information Systems and Operations Management & Business Analytics
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
Smith Involvement: College Park Scholars - Business, Society and the Economy program, OMBA Society Fellowship
Campus Involvement: Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) - Marketing Committee, James A. Clark School of Engineering - Student Researcher
Christine Liu
Class of 2028
Major: Finance
Hometown: Ellicott City, MD
Smith Involvement: Smith Undergraduate Student Association (SUSA), Women in Business Association
Campus Involvement: College Park Scholars - Media, Self, and Society Program
Daniel Ly
Class of 2028
Major: Finance and Information Systems
Hometown: Cumberland, MD
Smith Involvement: Collegiate Financial Management Association (CFMA), Ascend
Campus Involvement: Club Tennis, Vietnamese Student Association, College Park Scholars - Environment, Technology and Economy program
Alessandra Mastrogiacomo
Class of 2027
Major: Management
Hometown: Westchester County, NY
Smith Involvement: Sports Business Society, Real Estate Club
Campus Involvement: Phi Sigma Sigma
Jaselle Minge
Class of 2027
Major: Management and Marketing
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Smith Involvement: Front Desk Assistant at the Smith Undergraduate Program Office. Brother of Pi Sigma Epsilon - Marketing & PR Committee, American Marketing Association. Smith Ambassadors, Smith Ambassador Mentor.
Arielle Mogolesko
Class of 2027
Major: Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Hometown: Marblehead, MA
Smith Involvement: TAMID Group - Consulting Project Manager, Office of Experiential Learning
Campus Involvement: Phi Sigma Sigma, Jewish Student Union, Terps for Israel
Ais Mulligan
Class of 2027
Major: Management
Hometown: Ocean City, MD
Smith Involvement: Women in Business Association
Campus Involvement: Alpha Omicron Pi
Clara Novak
Class of 2027
Major: Finance and Operations Management & Business Analytics
Hometown: Hingham, MA
Smith Involvement: Smith Start Data Assessment & Analytics Director, TA for a master's project-based course
Campus Involvement: Kappa Delta - Director of Finance & Director of DEI
Riyana Patel
Class of 2028
Major: Supply Chain Mgt
Hometown: Fulton, MD
Smith Involvement: Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity, Women in Business Society, OMBA, Supply Chain Management Society
Campus Involvement: Culinary Club, Maryland Mentor Corps
Nayeli Portillo
Class of 2028
Major: Information Systems and Management
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Smith Involvement: Women In Business (Finance Committee Member), iTBT Fellows Program
Campus Involvement: Maryland Cru, Pa’Lante Latin Dance Team, International Studies Scholar
I’m a #FirstGenTerp!
Laili Saleh
Class of 2027
Major: Finance and Information Systems Major, Economics Minor
Hometown: Potomac, MD
Smith Involvement: Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity, Smith Diversity Equity Council
Campus Involvement: WMUC Student-Run Radio Station
Ella Santoni
Class of 2027
Major: Management and Marketing
Hometown: Carroll County, MD
Smith Involvement: Women in Business Association, Smith Start Programming & Planning Director
Campus Involvement: Alpha Omicron Pi -VP of Community Relations, MEDLife - Engagement Director, Club Lacrosse
Nishka Sharma
Class of 2028
Major: Information Systems and Management
Hometown: Lutherville-Timonium, MD
Smith Involvement: Women in Business - Marketing Committee
Campus Involvement: College Park Scholars - Justice and Legal Thought (JLT), JLT Media Intern, Scholars Ambassador, Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) Pre-Law Fraternity, Empowering Women in Law (EWIL), Club Tennis
Riley Smith
Class of 2028
Major: Management and Marketing
Hometown: Annapolis, MD
Smith Involvement: Dean Student Advisory Council (DSAC), Women in Business
Campus Involvement: Honors College - Gemstone, Club Swim, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), UNICEF, Empowering Women in Law (EWIL)
Aayush Thakkar
Class of 2027
Major: Finance
Hometown: Boyds, MD
Smith Involvement: Smith Investment Fund - President, Wall Street Fellows, Sophomore Finance Fellows, Office of Career Services - Student Team Manager, College Park Scholars - Business, Society and the Economy program
Campus Involvement: Club Tennis, Club Pickleball, Chess Club
Kathy Tran
Class of 2028
Major: Accounting and Finance
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
Smith Involvement: Accounting & Business Association (ABA), Collegiate Financial Management Association (CFMA)
Campus Involvement: Vietnamese Student Association (VSA)
I’m a #FirstGenTerp!
Olivia Yuen
Class of 2027
Major: Accounting and Information Systems
Hometown: Montgomery County, MD
Smith Involvement: Smith Community Council, Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity, TerpTax, College Park Scholars - Business, Society and the Economy program
Campus Involvement: Intramural Volleyball, Korean Student Organization