Highlights from the First Smith Day!

On Nov. 15, 2017, students, faculty, staff, and alumni celebrated Smith Day, a new tradition that celebrates the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Hundreds of students, faculty and staff joined the inaugural celebration in Van Munching Hall and at campuses in Shady Grove and Baltimore, Md., and Washington, D.C. Nearly 300 alumni attended Smith Day events at nine locations around the world, including China and the Philippines.

The launch of the school's two new alumni clubs in China – Shanghai and Beijing – coincided with Smith Day and 135 alumni attended receptions. Chinese alumni at these locations participated in a live stream WeChat video with each other and with alumni in Shenzhen. Watch video highlights from China.

In College Park, Md., more than 200 Smith Terps lined up at 11 a.m. for a special Smith Day gift for early attendees: Smith School Maryland-flag themed socks. Organizers say the socks were gone in minutes!

Testudo joined the festivities from noon to 1 p.m. and attendees took photos with him in the social media booth, which featured a Snapchat geofilter.

Smith Terps wrote why they're proud, global, fearless, or driven to be a part of the Smith Community on autograph boards. More than 700 thank you notes were written for students, donors, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Alumni attended Smith Day events in Washington, D.C.; Columbia, Md.; Boston, Mass.; New York City, NY; and Los Angeles, Calif.; and some even toasted the occasion with a bottle of Heineken, a salute to Leo Van Munching who christened Van Munching Hall with the famous brew back in 1993.

Hundreds of Smith Terps participated in Smith Day online by using the #UMDSmithProud hashtag and wearing their Maryland colors. Smith Day social media posts that were publicly accessible on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook had more than 1.5 million impressions.

"We would like to thank the more than 100 students, alumni, faculty, and staff members who served as Smith Day Ambassadors at events around the world and virtually on social media," said Allison Schwarz, executive director of alumni relations at Smith. "The Smith School has more than 60,000 alumni globally, and we expect Smith Day to get bigger and better. Planning is already underway for next year! If you'd like to get involved, please contact our office at alumni@rhsmith.umd.edu."

See photos from Smith Day on Facebook.

- Alissa Arford, Office of Marketing Communications