Robert H. Smith to Speak at Spring
Commencement
 Philanthropist
Robert H. Smith ’50 will speak at the
school’s commencement ceremony on Friday,
May 23 at 4 p.m. in the Comcast Center. The
ceremony will mark the last that Howard
Frank will preside over as dean, and Mr.
Smith agreed to speak to commemorate the
special occasion. Mr. Smith is chairman,
Charles E. Smith Commercial Realty, a
division of Vornado Realty Trust, and
chairman, Charles E. Smith Residential, a
division of Archstone-Smith. His family
company is best known for developing and
building the Crystal City complex in
Northern Virginia. He has been active in
civic affairs, lending his energy and
expertise to a variety of local, national
and international organizations. His
philanthropic efforts include the
university, as well as such organizations as
the National Gallery of Art, the Thomas
Jefferson Memorial Foundation (Monticello),
Mount Vernon, Montpelier, Mayo Foundation,
and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Note
that no tickets are required for the Smith
School commencement ceremony. The
university’s main commencement ceremony will
be held on Thursday, May 22 (tickets
required).
Smith School Mourns Loss of Faculty Member
Brian Shaffer
 The
Robert H. Smith School of Business community
is mourning the loss of Dr. Brian Shaffer, a
Tyser Teaching Fellow in the Logistics,
Business and Public Policy department. Brian
was killed in an automobile accident in West
Virginia on Saturday, April 5.
A beloved teacher and involved member of
our community since 1995, Brian was the
associate director of the College Park
Scholars Business, Society and the Economy
program from 2001-06. He received his PhD
and MBA from the University of California,
Berkeley. He taught MBA and undergraduate
courses in managerial economics and public
policy and has been recognized as a “Top 15
Percent” instructor. His research interests
centered on the strategic management of
government regulation and public issues;
regulatory, environmental and social issues
in the U.S. automobile industry; and
experiential learning for business students.
The Smith School extends its deepest
sympathies and condolences to Brian's
family, friends, colleagues, and students
during this difficult time. Hundreds
gathered at the University of Maryland
Memorial Chapel on April 10 to celebrate
Brian's life. Please send your memories of
Brian to
lbppinfo@rhsmith.umd.edu and we will
share them with his family. Memorial
contributions may be made to Fellowship
Hall, P. O. Box 13890, Greensboro, NC 27415.
"Green" Internet Provider Wins Third Annual
Cupid's Cup
Environmentally friendly Internet provider
Anaptyx won the top prize in this year’s
Cupid’s Cup business competition on April
11, hosted by the Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship. Smith School alumnus Kevin
Plank, chief executive and founder of sports
apparel maker Under Armour, donated the
$22,500 in prize money to the winning
student- and alumni-run startup companies.
This year, the contest was preceded by the
BB&T Business Invitational, a showcase of
Dingman-affiliated companies, which
attracted local entrepreneurs, investors,
students, and university community members.
“It’s important to recognize the hard
work and entrepreneurial spirit of the young
men and women who will become the future
business leaders of tomorrow,” said Plank,
CEO and founder of Under Armour. “All of
this year’s participants showed the
intuition and perseverance to be great
leaders and I look forward to watching them
on their road to success.”
►Full Story
Smith School Documentary to Premiere on MPT
on May 6
With observations and comments from real
world technology and business pioneers, and
the wit and wisdom of host Robert X.
Cringely, "The Transformation Age" looks at
the boundless opportunities and the
overwhelming challenges of technology. The one-hour
documentary, co-produced by the Smith School
 and
Maryland Public Television with the support
of NYMEX, will debut on MPT on Tuesday, May
6 at 10:30 p.m. It will repeat again on
Thursday, May 22 at 9 p.m. On Monday, May 5
at 7:30 p.m. Cringely and Smith School Dean
Howard Frank will be guests on MPT's "Direct
Connection" to discuss the documentary.
 The
Smith School's educator's guide launched
today,
www.rhsmith.umd.edu/transformationage,
and includes seven lessons with suggestions
for student exploration as well as links to
video segments from the documentary that
can
be downloaded for classroom viewing. "Inside
the Future: Surviving the Technology
Revolution," a companion book by Professor
Hank Lucas is an educational supplement and
provides further material for discussion.
The Smith School held its premiere event on
Wednesday, April 9.
Smith Professor Sandy Boyson Co-authors
Chapter of Prestigious World Economic Forum
Report with Avaya
 Smith
School thought leadership and research is
prominently featured in the World Economic
Forum’s annual Global Information Technology
Report, released on April 9. Within the
report
Sandor Boyson, co-director of the
Supply Chain
Management Center at the University of
Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of
Business, and co-author David Boyer, a
research scientist with Avaya Labs, offer a
blueprint for nations to better leverage
emerging communications capabilities and
technologies to spur economic and social
development.
►Full Story
Veteran Investors Join Dingman Center Board
Three new additions have been named to the
Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship’s
advisory board. Paul Bowen, Stephen M.
Fredrick and Richard Wagreich will add
their expertise to the center’s extensive
system of support for student and regional
entrepreneurs. “Paul, Stephen and Richard
all have exceptionally successfully careers
and each bring valuable skills and knowledge
that add to the Smith School’s support of
entrepreneurship regionally, nationally and
internationally,” said Asher Epstein,
managing director of the Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship. “Their insights as
accomplished entrepreneurs, business leaders
and investors will be a huge asset to the
center.”
►Full Story
Smith Hosts 15th Annual William D.
Bradford Minority Awards Banquet
More than 100 Smith community members
and employers attended the 15th Annual
William D. Bradford Minority Awards
Banquet on April 2, 2008 at the Samuel
Riggs Alumni Center. Sponsored by the
Black MBA Association and the Hispanic
MBA Association, the event aims to
celebrate excellence in the
African-American and Hispanic
communities at Smith. Dr. William
Bradford, a professor of finance at the
University of Maryland from 1980 to
1994, initiated the first banquet in
1994. Corporate sponsors Air Products,
Constellation Energy Group, General
Electric, Huron Consulting Group, and
Kraft were on hand to celebrate
outstanding contributions from Smith’s
minority community. Dean Howard Frank
welcomed attendees, reflecting on the
banquet’s history and how far it has
come.
►Full Story
Smith School Honors Late Board Member
Michael Corvino
The Smith School of Business honored the
late Michael Corvino, president of
JanSport backpack brand and an active
member of the school’s board of
visitors, with a room dedication
ceremony on Thursday, April 3. Located
in Van Munching Hall, the room was named
in memory of Corvino’s many
contributions to the school before he
was killed in a car accident on July 14,
2007.
►Full Story
Smith to Host Second Annual CEO
Entrepreneurship Conference
The Collegiate Entrepreneurs'
Organization at the Smith School of
Business will host the Second Annual CEO
Entrepreneurship Conference, Saturday,
April 19 at the Universities at Shady
Grove in Rockville, Md. This year's
theme "e*Generation" will explore
various timely issues in the world of
entrepreneurship including the
environmental movement, opportunities in
technology, and the future of
entrepreneurship.
The conference will feature an array of
successful and highly experienced speakers.
It will also incorporate a business pitch
competition sponsored by Smith's
Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship, with the winner of the
best business pitch taking home $500; and
entrepreneur networking lunch; a tour of the
environmental gold-certified Shady Grove
facilities; and a showcase of business
exhibits. Find out more and register online:
www.smithceoconference.com/
University
Update
It's the 10th Annual Maryland Day and we're
celebrating in a big way! Grab your family,
friends and neighbors and join us!
It's a day of learning, exploration and fun
with 400 hands-on exhibits workshops and
live performances. All that, and 50,000
cupcakes at 10 a.m. in Hornbake Plaza. Don't
forget to stop by the Smith School tent on
McKeldin Mall!
►www.marylandday.umd.edu
►Making
Money, Gaining Experience in Real Time
 Mayer Fund group photo in New York City,
on Wall Street trip to visit alumni and
friends of the fund before meeting with GM
Asset Management. Policy debates and
negotiation are commonplace in Van Munching
Hall, but in two particular courses there,
making the right arguments can translate
into making cold, hard cash. The Robert H.
Smith School of Business is home to two
student-managed investment funds in which
undergraduates and M.B.A. candidates handle
real cash portfolios. The Lemma Senbet Fund
and the Mayer Fund each provide hands-on
experience with investing, assigning
analysis and management responsibilities to
roughly 20 students a year.
►Full Story in "Between the Columns"
►Journalism
Professor Named Carnegie Scholar
UM historian and journalist Susan
Moeller has been named a 2008 Carnegie
Scholar - one of 20 Americans honored by the
Carnegie Corporation of New York. She is the
first University of Maryland faculty member
to be so named. Scholars are selected for
their "compelling ideas and commitment to
enriching the quality of the public dialogue
on Islam." Moeller will receive a two-year
grant worth $100,000 along with additional
support.
►Full Story
►President Mote's Spring Video Message Outlook Online:
http://www.outlook.umd.edu/
|
Debra
Shapiro, Clarice Smith Professor of
Management at the Robert H. Smith School of
Business, is not only an illustrious member
of the Smith faculty, but also has recently
been named the new director of the Smith
School’s PhD program. Shapiro feels honored
to be the Clarice Smith Professor of
Management because the title represents two
of her greatest passions.
Alex
Rhue is going to be a very busy man
over the next few weeks. As vice
president of finance for the MBA
Association (MBAA), Rhue is
responsible for overseeing the budgeting
process for the MBAA and for all of the
clubs at Smith. As the deadline for
getting these budgets completed
approaches, Rhue will be working
hand-in-hand with representatives of
each of the Smith clubs and associations
to aggregate the funding needed for the
activities and events of the 2008-09
school year. Rhue feels his role as VP
of Finance gives him the ability to help
shape the student experience here at the
Smith School. 
Van
Munching Hall North Wing Dedication
