On May 20, 2016, 1,200 students graduated from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business with bachelors’, masters’ and doctoral degrees. The commencement ceremonies were held at the Xfinity Center on the university’s College Park campus.
Graduate Ceremony
At the graduate ceremony, Tiffany Watson performed the National Anthem and Scott Graham delivered the student address.
Nine students received their doctorate: Isaac Elking (Supply Chain Management), Omar Sherif Elwakil (Supply Chain Management), Shannon Lantzy (Information Systems), Danmo Lin (Finance), Jorge Mejia (Information Systems), Daniel M. Olson (Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship), Michael Parke (Organizational Behavior/Human Resource Management), Elad Sherf (Organizational Behavior/Human Resource Management), and Tianshu Sun (Information Systems).
Alex Triantis, dean of the Smith School, delivered the keynote address with the theme “Lead Fearlessly.” Triantis said those two words sum up the school’s approach to business education, management and life.
“It’s an invitation and a challenge. It’s no easy task to lead fearlessly,” said Triantis. “You have to make the choice to start to lead fearlessly, even when the only person you’re leading is yourself. And then you need to get up every day and make the choice again in the face of all the obstacles, struggles, challenges and perplexities that life brings with it.”
Watch the full graduate ceremony.
Undergraduate Ceremony
UMD Generics, including graduating senior Dylan Howe, performed the National Anthem and Yash Mehta delivered the student address.
The commencement keynote address was delivered by Marc S. Greenberg ’93, vice president of finance and strategy at Pixar Animation Studios. Greenberg’s address focused on “the unexpected, the risky and the new,” featuring some great lines from some of Pixar’s most famous characters.
“Remember that success is not about one at-bat, but the trajectory of a career and a life. Remember the preparation and support that made your success, today and in the future,” said Greenberg. “Be optimistic, treat people with respect, and someday may you pay your good fortune forward. And finally, to quote Merida from Brave, ‘There are those who say fate is something beyond our command… but I know better. Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it.’”
Watch the full undergraduate ceremony.
Main Campus Ceremony
The campus-wide ceremony was held on May 18. Smith student Rachel George, double major in marketing and English, delivered the student address. The commencement keynote address was given by Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour and a 1996 graduate of the Smith School.
Watch the full campus-wide ceremony.
Join the conversation online at #SmithGrad – Twitter: @SmithSchool – Instagram: @UMDSmithSchool.
For more details and highlights from previous Smith School commencement ceremonies, visit www.rhsmith.umd.edu/commencement.
- Alissa Arford, Office of Marketing Communications
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About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.