Comcast Center was full of good cheer as the Smith School celebrated the commencement of 780 undergraduates, 360 MBA/MS students, 51 EMBA students, and 9 doctoral students on May 21. William Gossman, MBA ’91, CEO of hi5 and keynote speaker at commencement, urged students in his commencement address to “practice their leadership skills on themselves.” “Don’t assume legitimacy. Don’t search for legitimacy. Create it for yourself, today,” said Gossman. “Once you have created that vision and that legitimacy, you need the courage to make it so.”

College Park, Md. – April 27, 2010 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and the U.S.

The Robert H. Smith School of Business offers its students a unique perspective on the world with study abroad programs that take place throughout the year. These trips give students a chance to experience new cultures, see amazing sights, and learn about different aspects of the business world all at the same time.

The global airline industry is in the midst of a dramatic restructuring that involves many airlines merging, cutting services and eliminating jobs. But during a recent Global Immersion course in the United Arab Emirates, a Smith School student delegation learned about an unconventional management approach being taken by Emirates Airlines.

The Smith Undergraduate Student Association (SUSA) at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, is working hard to be involved with their community members. This semester, SUSA, an umbrella organization that has 24 clubs within it, has participated or will be participating in several community-oriented events such as a canned food drive, Relay For Life of University of Maryland and a Dance Marathon.

THE DIRECTORS’ INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S SMITH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS will bring together board chairs, corporate directors, and senior executive officers to address the critical issues facing Boards today. This program will offer participants a framework for making informed board decisions and exercising sound business judgment through timely insight from leading executives, corporate directors, policy-makers, legal and financial services experts, as well as academic authorities.

This week, the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland is sponsoring Graduate Business Conference 2010 from April 15 to 17 in Washington, D.C. This year’s event focuses on the topic: “Post-Crisis: Business Leadership in a New Global Economy.” The event is in its 28th year and is a gathering of student leaders from top MBA schools from around the world.

This summer the Robert H. Smith School of Business is offering a new program exclusively for non-business majors.

Despite a global recession, India’s economy has been growing at a steady pace and the prime minister expects it to expand at least 7 percent this year. Even if you’re not planning to start or expand a business in India, exploring its business climate and culture can be an enlightening experience. In this edition of Smith Business Close-Up with the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, MBA student Scott Lewis talks about a recent international study trip to India and the insights he and his fellow classmates gained there. 

Darden hosted an inter-MBA cricket tournament on April 3, 2010. Five teams participated in the tournament; University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business fielded three teams. The teams were split in two groups: “Pool A” having Smith and Darden Wilkinson teams playing each other in the best of three playoff format with the winner advancing to the final.