Smith Students Have Sweet “Sophs’mores” Networking Event

Approximately 30 upperclassmen volunteered their time on Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, to share their Smith experiences with sophomores at “Sophs’mores,” a new event in the Smith Journey hosted by the Undergrad Program Office and the Undergraduate Program Board at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

The goal of Sophs’mores was to help sophomores get “s’more” out of their time at Smith and hear from their peers in an informal setting about opportunities such as study abroad, externships/internships, Fellows programs, and Business Honors. Within the Smith Journey, the charge to sophomores is “Pioneer Your Path,” and this networking event was designed to help them do just that.

Sophomore Ashley Kim said she attended Sophs'mores, “mainly to get information about Business Honors. I have only ever heard about Business Honors through emails and websites, so what helped me the most was getting a student perspective. I was a lot less intimidated after speaking with them because I was able to see that they were students just like me.”

Jessica Ting, a junior representing the Office of Career Services, commented, “When I was an underclassman, I had a couple of key mentors who shared with me their experiences with externships and internships, which was incredibly beneficial as I approached the recruiting process. I really enjoyed being able to pass on the tips that I learned to the underclassmen at the Sophs'mores event!”

In keeping with the theme for the afternoon, students enjoyed a DIY s’mores bar while they mingled with their peers.

“This event was the perfect blend of fun and professional networking. I enjoyed giving my peers advice about their future decisions at Smith while laughing over burnt marshmallows,” said Hargun Kalsi, a senior representative for Banking and Private Wealth Management Fellows.

Sophomore Anna O’Brian agreed. “The Sophs’mores event was fun, convenient, and informative. I liked that the atmosphere was so casual; students could walk by, learn about the programs offered at Smith, and go whenever they pleased. I’m very glad I went, and I hope Smith plans more events like this.”

William Lu also benefited as a sophomore attending the event. "I really enjoyed learning about all the different opportunities and ventures Smith offers. This is the out-of-classroom experience that is crucial for advancing in the real world."

Special thanks go to the Office of Global Initiatives and the Office of Career Services for providing informational handouts and for helping to recruit upperclassmen for the event.

For more information about the undergraduate program at Smith, visit: www.rhsmith.umd.edu/undergrad.

- Emily Heavin, Smith Undergraduate Program