For the past two years eSmith has been evolving into a comprehensive gateway that allows students, faculty, and staff to navigate through a network of public and private information, services, and business functions of the Smith School and the University of Maryland. The internal portal provides a secure infrastructure to present Web-based applications and information to the Smith community, focusing on tools for collaboration, research, and personal productivity.

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is pleased to announce the winners of the Second Annual Undergraduate Business Plan Competition. Two teams, Cyprus Precision and Exhibit A, LLC, tied for first place, and each received $800. E-Core Partnership was awarded $400 for third place. The three winning teams presented their business plans in a ceremony held at the Smith School on Dec. 3, 2003.

The Smith community congratulates Parichad "Cherry" Kwunyeun, class of '00, on her recent Fulbright Grant. She was one of just seven U.S. professionals chosen to work and study in Thailand for one full year.

This year, as the Smith School's Office of Undergraduate Programs continues to focus on building a stronger community through welcoming and actively engaging its newest recruits, a promising class of freshman students brings with them an enthusiasm about Smith that will prove infinitely invaluable.

The close of the spring semester at Smith is always filled with anticipation and excitement. Students are studying for finals, preparing oral presentations, attending awards ceremonies, looking for jobs, and counting the days until graduation. First-year MBAs are competing in the most anticipated event of the MBA program, the case competition. Undergraduate Awards

A start-up technology company founded by Smith School undergraduate has been awarded $15,000 in the University of Maryland's Third Annual Business Plan Competition. AlertUS Technologies, co-founded by junior accounting major Jason Volk, took second place in the May 9th competition, during which Volk and co-founder Sandeep Mehta went before a panel of judges that included top venture capitalists and angel investors.

"I just like business, especially marketing, said Larissa Worrell, 11th-grader at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn. I learned about business, advertising, and competition." Thirty-seven eighth- and 11th- graders from New York City visited the Smith School as part of an initiative to increase minority representation in Smiths undergraduate program. The students, who are part of NYCs Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) organization, came to the Smith School during their spring break week (April 23-24).

Smith School undergraduate and MBA students recently joined Treasury Secretary John Snow and Commerce Secretary Don Evans for a nationally-televised town hall meeting on the White House economic stimulus plan. The students, along with Smith School Professor of International Business Peter Morici and students from two other universities, participated in the economic discussion on CNBCs Capital Report program, which aired Tuesday, February 25, 2003.

Seventy freshman College Park Scholars (CPS) students competed in the fifth annual Strategy Board Competition, showcasing their business savvy for more than a dozen high-powered companies. In the competition, held on Dec. 12, 2002, four- or five-member teams study, and make strategic recommendations for, real-world companies. Each team illustrates its recommended strategy on a display board, which is evaluated by a team of three judges, including a representative of the company.

Sakisha Jackson and Carolina Lasso are just two Smith School undergraduates who hope to be the business leaders of tomorrow. Sakisha, a graduate of Oxon Hill High School, Md., chose the Smith School over Wharton and Kenan-Flagler.