The months after terrorists used planes to attack the United States on Sept. 11, 2001 marked a low point for the nation’s airlines industry. Most suffered deep losses in profits and had to lay off large numbers of employees. But Southwest Airlines rose above the rest, without reducing its workforce or cutting pay. The company’s success lies in its organizational culture, said former CEO James Parker, in his keynote talk for the daylong Executive Conference on Leading Organizational Change.

The Smith School's Finance Fellows and Women’s Society organized the event, "Finance and the City," to help students of the Robert H. Smith School of Business gain an insight into the strategies necessary for succeeding in the finance sector in the current downturn economy. The primary focus of the event was to provide the industry’s perspective on the job market to the students and help the students understand what would be required of them to stand out in the crowd and succeed in the world of finance amidst today’s unprecedented circumstances. 

Smith’s Logistics, Transportation & Supply Chain Management Society (LTSCM) hosted its annual LTSCM Alumni Night and Industry Day on October 23 and 24, 2008, welcoming dozens of students, faculty, recruiters, and alumni. Approximately 80 company executives, 15 faculty members, and 120 students attended two days of events.

Ashoka, the world's largest network of social entrepreneurs, is launching a pilot program called "Changemaker Campuses" in which Ashoka applies its considerable talents and resources as a catalyst for positive social change to America's university campuses. Ashoka selected the University of Maryland as one of only four campuses across the United States to serve as the pilot program for its campus initiative. The University of Maryland is represented in this initiative by a team of students from across the entire university campus.

On Monday, October 20, 2008, Smith students learned an important lesson about ethics: “Do the right thing, and when you are not sure -- consult.” This was the central message from guest speaker Jeffrey R. Hoops, Ernst & Young’s Ethics and Compliance Officer for the Americas as well as the Chief Privacy Officer. Hoops has worked for Ernst & Young since 1974, and for most of that time advised clients on tax matters. In 2005, he was appointed to his current role, in which he originated the first ethics and compliance program at Ernst & Young.

The Smith School was proud to host the Second Annual Mergers & Acquisitions Competition on Oct. 16 and 17. The event, organized by Smith’s MBA Finance Association, challenged teams of MBA students from leading business schools to create and deliver M&A pitches to a panel of executive judges. Students from the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business won the $5,000 first prize. Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management’s students took the $2,500 second prize, and Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management’s students won the $1,000 third prize.

College Park, Md. – October 20, 2008 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business today announced the winners of its second annual Mergers & Acquisitions Competition, held October 16-17. The event, organized by Smith’s MBA Finance Association, challenged teams of MBA students from leading business schools to create and deliver M&A pitches to a panel of executive judges. Students from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business won first prize, $5,000.

The inaugural session of the Smith Speaker Series was launched with much fanfare on October 14, 2008. The speaker, Gary Williams ’68, is the head coach of the University of Maryland’s men’s basketball team. Smith School Dean G. “Anand” Anandalingam opened the session and welcomed Coach Williams, applauding him for his achievements and contributions to the University of Maryland.

terpAMA , the undergraduate student society for the marketing department at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, has been in focus recently for numerous reasons. One major accomplishment is its recognition by the American Marketing Association (AMA) as one of the top 16 collegiate chapters in the country this year. Mary B.

On October 3, 2008, students from all of Smith’s MBA programs gathered at Van Munching Hall for the Smith Consulting Forum, a full-day event featuring speakers, panels, and networking opportunities. Now in its tenth consecutive year, the forum is a collaborative effort of the MBA Consulting Club, faculty, staff, alumni, and corporate partners. Those who attended were able to enjoy interactive consulting-related activities, with a focus on learning about the consulting profession and making personal connections with professionals in the field.