School's Newest Undergraduates Build and Brighten the Smith Community

This year, as the Smith School's Office of Undergraduate Programs continues to focus on building a stronger community through welcoming and actively engaging its newest recruits, a promising class of freshman students brings with them an enthusiasm about Smith that will prove infinitely invaluable.

Pat Cleveland, assistant dean for undergraduate programs, expects the new class to be "the most talented students on campus academically." But beyond this, she expects they'll be involved in "a mix of activities, holding leadership positions," and working toward making their marks within Smith and across campus. Several of this semester's undergraduate activities and events were developed to help meet these expectations and, in so doing, create fellowship among freshmen, current students, alumni, and corporate partners. Says Cleveland, "the linking together of current students, alumni, and corporate partners is critical," not only to the school's success, but also to the students' development as soon as they enter Van Munching Hall.

Katy Phillips (right), a direct-admit freshman from New Providence, N.J., acknowledges that one of the reasons she chose the Smith School was the evident support and openness of the Smith community. "I feel really good about Smith, and the people I meet everyday are just fantastic," says Phillips. "The faculty I spoke to was very willing to make time to discuss my individual needs and to answer any questions I had coming in as a freshman. My choice was a simple one."

Phillips plans to triple major in finance, international business, and Japanese. Already, she has involved herself in a number of campus and Smith School organizations, including the marching band, Smith Undergraduate Student Association (SUSA), the HighRiser hosting program, College Park Scholars Ambassadors, and the Gateway Club. She studied abroad in Japan for an entire year in high school and plans to do so again through the school's Center for Global Business. Says Phillips, "I can see why Smith is rapidly moving up in the ranks, and I'm just happy to be here and be a part of it."

And Phillips is just one of many dynamic freshmen who have already started to blend into Smith's growing community.

Throughout the first few weeks this semester, new students have been keeping themselves busy, participating in events planned by the Office of Undergraduate Programs. One of Smith's newest kickoff event traditions, the Freshman Convocation, joined junior and senior student leaders, the Dean's Advisory Council, and alumni to welcome the incoming freshman class. The second annual Minority Freshman Leadership Retreat, a networking event sponsored by Accenture, brought together African American and Latino students recently admitted to Smith, as well as minority freshman participants in the University of Maryland's Letters and Sciences, Markets and Society, and Academic Achievement programs. The school's Academic Success Field Day was the first of many mentoring and tutoring sessions in the works that will support new freshmen as they adjust to and prepare for Smith's rigorous curriculum.

These events have set great expectations for what is to come from Smith's new undergraduate class. And, if the first few weeks are any indication of what's in store this year, we've got a lot to look forward to. The new class is ready to hit the ground running with a cushion of support from the Smith community.