UMD’s Smith School Closes MBA Gender Gap in D.C.

Part-time Programs Enroll 45 Percent Women in Fall 2014 WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 25, 2014) — Business schools nationwide have struggled to close the gender enrollment gap, but the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business has found success with new programming options and personalized attention for part-time MBA students in Washington, D.C.

Women at Smith: Carly Fiorina, MBA ’80

Limitless Resource Unlocking the Potential at the Intersection of Diversity, Risk and Innovation  Hewlett-Packard already had made strides in diversity when Carly Fiorina, MBA ’80, arrived as CEO in 1999. The Silicon Valley giant had progressive policies, feeder pools and employee networking groups in place. With the recruitment of Fiorina, HP also had the first woman leader of a Fortune 20 company.

Women at Smith: Becky Eisen, MBA ’12

A Conversation for Entire Organizations  Switching careers requires careful planning. The challenges multiply when a person tries to jump from the nonprofit sector to business. Becky Eisen, MBA ’12,  faced both scenarios when she came to the Smith School. Before enrolling in the full-time program, she worked as poverty campaign coordinator at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Today she is an associate product manager at McCormick & Company, a manufacturer of spices, herbs and flavorings in Hunt Valley, Md.

Smith Builds Momentum on Women’s Issues

New scholarships, alliances and program innovations will expand opportunities for women at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, which already offers a range of initiatives designed to empower aspiring female managers.

Women at Smith: Donna Blackman, EMBA ’10

A Seat at the Table Three Keys to Transformational Leadership  At work Donna Blackman, EMBA ’10, manages a team of 60 finance professionals. At home she manages two children. Navigating the dual roles requires skill, but Blackman does not claim to have a secret recipe for work-life balance. “You cannot have it all,” she said. “Not all the time.”

Women at Smith: Brenda Freeman, MBA ’92

Hushed Questions Insights from a Shared Cup of Coffee  Brenda Freeman, MBA ’92, arrived at Pepsi as a young professional with marriage and children still in her future. Like many businesswomen, she wondered how these personal decisions would affect her career.

Designer Camilla Olson Visits Smith

On September 7, 2012, preceding the launch of her brand in Washington, D.C., Camilla Olson visited Smith for a luncheon hosted by the Center for Social Value Creation at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. The theme for the event was “women as social entrepreneurs,” and attendees included students studying business, marketing, and design who are interested in creating a value-driven career.

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