News

Three Smith seniors were honored as Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars, recognizing mentorship’s impact. At a Nov. 1 ceremony, Abigail Manga, Adelina Seck, and Grayson Vintz celebrated their achievements alongside K-12 and Smith mentors, highlighting the program’s legacy of excellence.

Risk decisions often falter due to cognitive biases, underdeveloped decision-making processes, and overreliance on models. Clifford Rossi argues that robust frameworks and balanced decision structures are essential to navigate uncertainty effectively and mitigate poor risk outcomes.

The Smith School's Enterprise Risk Consortium introduces two mortgage risk indexes: the Mortgage Credit Risk Index (MCRI) and Mortgage Redtail Risk Index (MRRI). MCRI measures 3-5-year default risk on GSE-eligible loans, while MRRI identifies loans with high-risk factors, aiding lenders, investors, and regulators in assessing mortgage credit risk and adverse selection.

Clifford Rossi argues that the homeowners insurance market is unraveling due to rising natural disaster risks. He proposes a government-sponsored entity to centralize hazard insurance, improving risk management and financial stability.

The QUEST Honors Program at the University of Maryland attracts top students from business, engineering, and science disciplines, offering a selective, dynamic learning experience. With a 48% rise in applications this year, QUEST fosters teamwork, innovation, and leadership through experiential projects and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Josh Harris, managing partner of the Washington Commanders, shared leadership insights during the CEO at Smith event. He highlighted the importance of hiring top talent, controlling one’s narrative, taking calculated risks, and learning from failures to build lasting success.

The Smith School welcomes new faculty for Fall 2024. These experts will enhance the school's mission by teaching and advancing research in areas such as AI economics, business law, marketing analytics, and financial policy regulation.

The collapse of regional banks in 2023 revealed widespread risk mismanagement and prompted regulatory scrutiny. Rising interest rates now threaten community banks, highlighting the need for robust management. University of Maryland students investigated these issues in a national case competition with local banks.

The latest NFIB survey indicates a historic low in small business owner optimism. Senator Cardin and Linda McMahon discuss challenges like stable policies and access to capital. UMD's Smith School of Business lauded for fostering entrepreneurship among students.

Michael Wilgus, a standout graduate of the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business MBA program, has been named among Poets & Quants' '100 Best & Brightest MBAs: Class of 2024.'