The Smith School is in the midst of another great academic year and we are excited that you have decided to join us! Forbes magazine ranked our part-time MBA program #7 in the nation, and U.S. Newsranked five of our six academic departments in the top 25. In November, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranked Smith's custom management programs #5 in the U.S. and #8 in the world.

The part-time MBA program at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business is rated as the No. 7 program in the United States according to the latest Forbes Best Business Schools report. Forbes school rankings are based on return on investment meaning compensation five years after graduation minus tuition. Forbes also places the Smith Schools full-time program among the best in the United States and at No. 29 it is the top ranked business management program for the region.

On June 6, Smith school students Maya Rao and Brendon Fox, along with Dingman Center managing director, Asher Epstein, were featured in the national, award-winning program, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

The Smith School offers congratulations to the 770 undergraduate, 300 MBA/MS, 25 Executive MBA, and 10 PhD new degree holders who graduated on May 22, 2005.  Kevin Plank '96, founder and CEO of Under Armour Performance Apparel, delivered an inspiring keynote address to a packed Comcast Center. "I'm appreciative of the life and business skills that UM taught me," he began. Drawing on his experience as a football player at Maryland and his keen entrepreneurial instinct, Plank recounted his vision and roadmap to "creating the world's greatest football undershirt."

The Robert H. Smith School of Business and the Graduate School of Business Administration (GSBA) Zrich in Switzerland, have announced a strategic partnership to deliver a unique program. The Smith-GSBA Global Executive MBA will be offered to U.S. and international business executives seeking a strong competitive edge in the global marketplace.

Robert H. Smith School of Business, Spring GraduationMay 22, 2005 Comcast CenterTranscript, Commencement SpeechAndrew Schneider, MBA 2005: Thank you Dean Frank. Distinguished guests, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, friends and relatives, my fellow graduates, WE DID IT!

"Work to maintain balance in your life," was the most important recommendation of all from Al Carey, PepsiCos senior vice president of sales and retail strategies and keynote speaker at the Smith School graduation ceremony.