Robert H. Smith School of Business to Host First M&A Competition

College Park, Md. August 7, 2007 The University of Marylands Robert H. Smith School of Business today announced leading U.S. business schools will participate in its first M&A Competition, October 11-12. Teams of up to four MBA students will compete to present a winning M&A pitch that will be delivered to a panel of Wall Street bankers and corporate executives. The event is supported by title-level sponsors Credit Suisse and Lehman Brothers and gold-level sponsors Black & Decker, Constellation Energy and Marriott International Inc.

In addition to a team from Smith, participating schools include Carnegie Mellon Universitys Tepper School of Business, Columbia Business School, University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School, University of Virginias Darden School of Business, and Yale School of Management.

A panel of industry professionals and Smith School faculty members will award a $5,000 first prize, $2,500 second prize and $1,000 third prize to student teams tasked with creating a persuasive argument while under deadline and competitive pressure. Teams will be judged on their qualitative arguments and the quantitative models used to support their arguments.

The Smith School is very pleased to host an event that gives students the chance to experience a real world investment banking scenario without actually going to Wall Street, said Alexander Triantis, interim chair of the finance department at the University of Marylands Robert H. Smith School of Business. The ability to deliver an accurate financial analysis under intense pressure is a vital aspect of any pitch. This is great training ground for an MBA interested in corporate finance or investment banking.

The Smith Schools MBA Finance Association is organizing the event, which will include a networking reception and opportunities for students to meet industry recruiters. More information about the Smith Schools M&A Competition can be found online at: www.rhsmith.umd.edu/macompetition.

About the University of Marylands 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 13 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, Executive MBA, Executive MS, 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 on four continents North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. More information about the Robert H. Smith School of Business can be found atwww.rhsmith.umd.edu.