Cristina M. Giannantonio ’80, MBA ’82, PhD ’88, inspired by Professor Steve Carroll, pursued academia after her undergraduate studies at the Smith School. Now a Chapman University vice provost, she recently endowed fellowships honoring her parents and her enduring Smith connection.

Three Robert H. Smith School of Business seniors — Urszula Cieslak, James Miller and Victoria Rush — were among 18 undergraduates honored as Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars by the University of Maryland on Nov. 7, recognizing student achievement and mentorship excellence.

Four University of Maryland QUEST Honors students won first place at the University of Pittsburgh’s FreeMarkets Race to the Case Supply Chain Management Competition, outperforming 11 teams in a three-round challenge combining supply chain optimization, problem-solving, and timed campus races between buildings.

Students from across the University of Maryland participated in the Center for Global Business’ Careers Crossing Borders Case Interview Competition, developing global business skills while presenting market expansion strategies for biotech firm AkriVita. The event fostered cross-campus collaboration, networking, and professional readiness.

The Space at Smith Symposium launched a new initiative at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, uniting students, faculty and industry experts to explore opportunities in the growing space economy and the intersection of business, innovation and national security.

University of Maryland professors Dave Waguespack and Evan Starr developed “Making Better Business Decisions with Data,” a course teaching undergraduates causal inference and AI-aided data analysis for strategic decision-making, preparing them for graduate studies, internships, and data-driven careers.

More than 100 industry advisors and alumni gathered at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business for the fourth annual Advisory Council Day, sharing insights, mentoring students, and strengthening connections across the school’s undergraduate and graduate programs.

The Smith School welcomed its largest-ever freshman class of nearly 700, a 17% increase from last year. At convocation, leaders, alumni, and peers encouraged involvement, growth, and exploration. Smith also welcomed new MBA, master’s, and doctoral students across programs.

Aiden Polinsky ’27, a Smith School accounting and finance major, co-founded CampusAI and leads at Connyct, leveraging Smith’s entrepreneurial resources, faculty mentorship, and peer collaboration to build impactful, student-driven platforms before graduation.