When it comes to determining the sustainability of an investment, these four Maryland Smith students are tough to beat.The team of undergraduate seniors – Ajay Shankar (finance and information systems), Faben Henok (OM/BA and SCM with a minor in technology entrepreneurship), Josh Chen (economics and minor in business analytics), and Alex Leipold (marketing and OM/BA) – recently won first place honors in the Milgard Invitation Case Competition on Social Responsibility, garnering the coveted first place title and a $1,000 cash prize per student.

A virtual trip to the doctor’s office was quite productive for these Maryland Smith students. This past semester, a team of four QUEST Honors Program students worked with Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., to provide recommendations toward improving the patient experience, reducing provider burnout, making providers more productive, and increasing the hospital’s bottom line.

At Maryland Smith, learning is a cooperative effort. And this semester, representatives from PepsiCo worked with Maryland Smith students to teach them about the ins and outs of the sales industry. This semester in BMGT 350, a marketing principles course offered to nearly 700 students across 11 different sections, took those principles into practice by partnering with PepsiCo for a class project.

As twins, Camila, ’21, and Valeria Arrieta Palacio, ’21, have lived their lives at each other’s side. Now, even as they graduate from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, that continues. They are taking their first steps into the workforce together, accepting positions at Freddie Mac as capital market analysts. It’s just another part of their journey. The pair immigrated from Colombia six years ago and, overcoming language barriers, enrolled at Maryland Smith as finance and marketing majors.

Whether in the classroom or on the field for the University of Maryland field hockey team, Carla Tagliente ’01 was as fierce a competitor as anyone. Now, she’s on the sidelines, sharing her experiences and ushering in the next generation of student-athletes. As the head coach of the Princeton field hockey team, Tagliente has helped transform the program into a powerhouse, leading the school to its first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, amassing four tournament appearances (2016-2019) and reaching the Final Four three times (2016, 2018 and 2019).

As she graduates from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business this spring, you can trust that Goodness Ihekweme will wear something special. She says she wouldn’t have it any other way. Ihekweme is graduating with a marketing major and technology entrepreneurship minor – and with an apparel e-commerce business she launched on her own, called GStyles.

Working for a global company requires growth and an openness to learn. For Rachel Yamrus, vice president at JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPMC), finding success in a global environment means “you are aware of your perspective but trying to grow through opening yourself up to others’ perspectives and negotiating within this space.”

For Chris Grant, ’13, revitalizing Baltimore isn’t just a career, it’s a calling. The 29-year-old Maryland Smith grad and Baltimore native, who was recently named to Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30 in Finance,” has big plans for the city. Through his work with Blueprint Baltimore, Grant oversees a $140-million project to renovate Baltimore’s Amtrak and regional train station.

Over the years, Laura Benkowski’s entrepreneurial spirit has taken her all over the world, even to the site of a closed gem mine in Arizona. “The gem mine was shut down in 2012 and contains a turquoise known as Sleeping Beauty turquoise that is very rare and highly sought,” says Benkowski ’11, MBA ’14.