Passion Fuels Smith Fellows Leaders Discussion

Kevin Li, class of 2019 marketing and information systems double major, writes about the Smith Undergraduate Fellows Programs at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.

The Robert H. Smith School of Business constantly proves itself to be one of the top business schools in the nation with a wide array of unique opportunities and premier academic programming. The Fellows programs offered at Smith are just some of those unique opportunities given to undergraduate students.

The Smith School currently offers more than 15 specialized Fellows programs ranging from topics of corporate finance to hospitality management to strategic design. Several faculty leaders of these Fellows programs met on Oct. 12, 2017, to discuss shared questions, concerns and future plans. These leaders included Susan White, Sarah Kroncke, David Kass, Pat Stocker, Mary Harms, Progyan Basu, Julie Pavlovsky, and Claudia Donnelly. Donnelly currently oversees the Fellows programs and led the discussion. Many of the leaders greatly appreciated the opportunity to learn more of what other Fellows were doing and an increasing desire for collaboration filled the room as leaders spoke about how to improve their current programming.

Dr. White, leader of the Emerging CFOs program and all finance fellows co-curricular activities, spoke about collaborating with Dr. Stocker, leader of the Hospitality Business Fellows program, to “gain a hospitality perspective for finance students.” Leaders soon began to discuss even more about how they could work together to bring even better experiences for their students. One could really see how much these faculty leaders cared for their students as they further discussed ways to improve their programming to better prepare undergraduates for the future.

Dr. Basu put it best when he expressed that the Fellows programs “put learning into action.” Multiple others agreed and added on that the Fellows programs allow a “vast alumni network and networking opportunities.” Overall, every leader agrees that students in Fellows programs are always extremely prepared for their future careers whatever they may be.

The Fellows programs are but one piece of the puzzle that makes the Smith School so great. It is really the leaders and faculty members behind those programs that help propel Smith to the top. There was a palpable passion when faculty leaders discussed bettering their students. The leaders very much so want to see their students succeed and believe that Smith students truly can do so.

Smith students have great potential, the Smith School helps them reach it.

For more information on Fellows programs, visit: www.rhsmith.umd.edu/programs/undergraduate-programs/academics/fellows-special-programs.