Smith Business magazine, Summer 2024 - Magazine - Page 13
Photo provided by Jeffrey Kyei-Asare
PROFILES
A Drive to Make
a Difference
BELONGING IN BUSINESS
Jeffrey Kyei-Asare, Class of ’25, knew he belonged in the
business world, he just needed a chance to prove it. He got his
chance at Smith, enrolling in fall 2023 after transferring from
Montgomery College.
Kyei-Asare earned a UMD Transfer Scholarship, among others,
in recognition of his outstanding academic achievements. He
says, “scholarships made it possible for me to be in rooms I knew I
belonged in and to earn an education I could make the most of.”
The 昀椀nance and information systems student is applying
classroom lessons to his startup—and it’s paying off.
StreetLoveDMV, a streetwear clothing store, earned 昀椀rst place in
the 2024 Pitch Dingman Competition’s Main Street Track, earning
$20,000 and the chance to sell wares at Shop Made in Maryland.
Kyei-Asare was chosen to participate in the 2023 Young Men of
Color Small Business Roundtable at the White House, led by Vice
President Kamala Harris. “We fully understand that when our
entrepreneurs and our small-business leaders are strong, America
is strong,” the vice president remarked.
“I always recognize that I’m not just doing this for myself.
Someone believed in me, someone chose to bet on me, and I
will take advantage of that opportunity,” Kyei-Asare says.
First-generation college student Gregory
Rosario ’24 recognizes the privilege
of pursuing higher education, never
taking a day at Smith for granted.
A Banneker/Key Scholar and 2023–
24 Philip Merrill Presidential Scholar,
Rosario earned these top honors with his
strong academics, penchant for leadership
and deep appreciation for the teachers who
helped him get where he is today.
“Professor Zeinab Karake developed my
excitement for information systems and
opened my eyes to the intersection between
business and technology,” he says. He
developed “a passion for supporting those
in my community” as her teaching assistant.
Rosario, a 昀椀nance and information systems
major with a minor in business analytics,
served as the president of the Smith Business
Academy, an organization dedicated to
empowering male students of color.
“It’s necessary to have people in your corner
who are supporting you and giving you the
opportunity to grow,” he says. “Being part of
an environment where people are willing to
go above and beyond means everything.”
Smith’s Hidden Gem at Shady Grove
The undergraduate transfer program at the Universities at Shady Grove
(USG) in Rockville expands the reach and access of our top-ranked
business school. Currently, Smith offers three high-demand majors
at the Shady Grove campus: accounting, marketing and management.
Academically talented and engaged, our USG students are diverse in
many respects. They hail from a variety of countries and backgrounds.
Many are 昀椀rst-generation college students. Many are working full-time
or nearly full-time. Some have children or are helping support family.
USG graduates have thriving careers at leading companies—
a testament to their hard work and the dedication of Smith’s faculty
and staff.
rhsmith-editor@umd.edu
summer 2024
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