Smith Start

As a new member of our Smith family, you'll be joining our dynamic Smith Start community. Through small, linked courses and co-curricular programming diving into our iSmith competencies, Smith Start aims to prepare you for the next four years and beyond. Smith Start will challenge you to engage, explore, and experience all the Smith community has to offer you as a student and emerging business professional!

All students admitted to the Smith School as freshmen are automatically members of the Smith Start program.

Completion: Students who complete BMGT 110F and 367F, together with the co-curricular activities offered each semester will receive recognition at the end of the year.

Smith Start Calendar

Semester 1

Required course: BMGT110F, Introduction to the Business Value Chain

Most students will take BMGT110 in the (F) section; Students in the Business, Society, and Economy Program as part of College Park Scholars will only be required to participate in co-curricular events as they enroll in BMGT110S during the spring semester. Students with BMGT110 transfer credit will coordinate program participation with the undergraduate programs office.

Co-Curricular Opportunities (subject to change each year):

  • Smith Leadership Institute: Your Smith Start adventure starts with our Smith Leadership Institute (SLI). At SLI, you'll connect with your peers, along with Smith upperclassmen, staff, and corporate partners. During the event, you'll be learning about the iSmith competencies and their role in shaping your Smith experience. Sponsored by EY.
  • Critical & Innovative Thinking: In a dynamic workshop environment, you’ll learn from current & former QUEST students how to best utilize innovative thinking and critical thinking to develop meaningful projects
  • Digital Analytics Workshop: You’ll learn how to ethically leverage data to make informed inferences and conclusions, as well as various methods to meaningfully display data.

Semester 2

Required course: BMGT367F, Career Search Strategies in Business

Co-Curricular Opportunities (subject to change each year):

  • Global Young Professionals Institute: At Global YPI, the Center for Global Business will introduce you to the Passport to Global Mindset, a tool to help you identify and take advantage of all the global opportunities at UMD and the Smith School.
  • Personal Branding Workshop: Learn how to leverage your unique knowledge, skills, and abilities to create a compelling narrative that allows you to communicate your value to future employers and network connections.
  • Networking Day: First, you'll learn the intricacies and etiquette of networking. Then, you'll practice your skills with corporate partners and alumni, sharing your narrative about your competency growth and future development plans.
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