Smith Business Magazine: Special Silver Jubilee Edition - Magazine - Page 28
BECOMING SMITH
How a Visionary
Developer Transformed
a Business School
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SMITH BUSINESS: SILVER JUBILEE EDITION /
fall 2023
Robert H. Smith ’50 was in his of昀椀ce in Crystal City, Va., when he got that 昀椀rst
call from the dean of the University of Maryland’s business school, 40 years
after he graduated.
“Intrigued and curious, Dad asked, ‘What took you so long to contact me?’”
recounted his son, David Bruce Smith. “Not long after, a plethora of people
gathered in his of昀椀ce. It seems the school wanted to partner with him on a
project of some kind.
“Dad listened to their proposal—attentively, as always—but decided it did
not have enough resounding impact—probably because he never participated
in small endeavors. Instead, he asked for a detailed plan that would catapult
the school into a top-ranked institution within 10 to 15 years.”
That’s how, in 1998, Mr. Smith came to make what was then the university’s
largest single gift from a donor, working with then-Dean Howard Frank (19342016), who played a pivotal role in bringing the benefactor on board. It was
the 昀椀rst gift of many from the Smith family to his alma mater. It not only
changed the name of the business school, but also changed its course—
setting off a transformation that would continue far into the future.
“When Dad passed in 2009, many of his wished-for goals had been
achieved—but with more dreams on the way. Even so, with all that has
happened since, I’m sure my father is—somewhere in the universe—proud
and smiling.”
rhsmith.umd.edu
