The business of Italian design and culture was the theme of a recent global study trip where 18 undergraduates from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business accompanied marketing lecturer Mary Harms through Rome, Florence and Milan. The May 2011 program's activities were a blend of presentations by Italian businesses, guided historical site and museum visits and class discussions, in addition to first-hand observations of Italian design and culture.

Fulbright recipient and Smith alumna Kara Marston ’07 is venturing back to her roots to study the status of women in Armenia. Marston, who is half Armenian and nearly fluent in the language, is one of four 2011-12 Fulbright recipients at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. She will spend September to July abroad. “I’ve always been really tied to my roots,” Marston said of her decision to apply for a Fulbright scholarship to Armenia. “I went in 2007 and volunteered with a media company, and again in 2009 to volunteer again.”

Imagine health care coverage at a cost of $3 a year. Or an entire consumer banking system moving to mobile phones for a public without Internet access. These are innovations taking place in emerging markets out of necessity as these economies rise at an incredible pace, in particular China, India, Brazil and Russia. Along with innovation, these countries are also changing global competition, the financial landscape and the future of business – creating opportunities and challenges for U.S. industry and government.

Seniors Chris DeCaro, Tran Hoang and Anchal Gugliani ended their final undergraduate year in triumph. The trio competed in the Huffy Bike Competition, during which they created an extensive marketing campaign for the bike company and took home first place. They received $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice and each student received a brand new bike and invaluable experience creating the campaign. “I thought it was cool to see a project go from beginning to end. We were given a problem and had to narrow it down to exactly how we wanted to solve it,” DeCaro said.

Imagine health care coverage at a cost of $3 a year. Or an entire consumer banking system moving to mobile phones for a public without Internet access. These are innovations taking place in emerging markets out of necessity as these economies rise at an incredible pace, in particular China, India, Brazil and Russia. Along with innovation, these countries are also changing global competition, the financial landscape and the future of business – creating opportunities and challenges for U.S. industry and government.

Conglomerate holding company Berkshire Hathaway is one of the world’s most respected companies, run by legendary investor Warren Buffett. Holders of the New York Stock Exchange’s priciest stock will make the pilgrimage to Omaha, Nebraska next week for the company’s annual shareholder meeting – and a group of lucky undergraduates will go along for the ride to learn about the company, its impact on the economy, and hear words of wisdom from the “Oracle of Omaha” himself.

A group of five students won the 2011 Wikler Case Competition on Friday, April 15, 2011, after weeks of preparing to compete against six other peer groups. The groups argued a case titled, “Valuation of AirThread Connections” to judges earlier in the day. The case, which came from Harvard Business Publishing, involved the acquisition of AirThread Connections, a large regional cellular provider, by American Cable Communications.

The year 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of IBM, and students, faculty and staff at the Robert H. Smith School of Business heard just what it took for the company to reach its centennial.