2010 Freshman Fellows Orientation

College Park, Md. – Aug. 28, 2010 – The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business hosted its annual Freshman Fellows Orientation Program, sponsored by Ernst & Young. Staffed by representatives from both the Smith School and Ernst & Young, the day kicked off with group icebreakers. After an introduction and welcome from Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Pat Cleveland, keynote speaker Dan Black, director of Americas campus recruiting for Ernst & Young, took the stage.

In a talk focused on social media and marketing yourself to recruiters, Black delivered practical advice focused around what he calls the “5 Ds”: Demeanor, Dining, Drinking, Deciding, and Digital Networking. Backing up all of his points of discussion with anecdotes from his vast experience in campus recruiting, Black’s stories invoked both laughter and thoughtful silence from the engaged crowd of freshmen.

Black’s presentation ran the gamut from addressing everyday questions of etiquette - yes, it IS OK to send thank you notes via e-mail – to negotiating salary after a job offer has been made. He also stressed the importance of monitoring your online persona in communities such as Facebook and LinkedIn, advising to be under the assumption that everything you ever put on the Internet can be viewed by anyone. Black concluded his talk by wishing the freshmen well and promising to see them soon.

The rest of the day-long event included brunch, giving the newest members of the Smith community the perfect opportunity to get to know each other, Smith faculty and staff, and the enthusiastic Ernst & Young volunteers. Following was a warm welcome from G. “Anand” Anandalingam, dean of the Smith School, and from Gary Cohen, lecturer, Freshman Fellows faculty and faculty director of the M.S. in Supply Chain Management. Before returning to Van Munching Hall for the networking reception that closed the day, freshmen also spent time with upperclassmen, participated in team-building activities and sat in on “Success Session Panels.”

Ernst & Young’s generous $250,000 gift to the Smith School in June 2009 created the orientation program and endowment, producing a day of team-building, top-rate keynote speakers and seminars, and valuable networking opportunities with the Ernst & Young staff in attendance. Ernst & Young has a 30-year relationship with the Smith School, with their giving totaling more than $1 million, including construction of an Ernst & Young classroom and the establishment of a student scholarship.

For more information on the Robert H. Smith School of Business’ Undergraduate Fellows programs,please visit the website. 

Amy M. Taylor, Office of Marketing Communications