The University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business recently hired Michael Connolly to be the school’s new director of military and veteran affairs. In this role, Connolly will be “a one-stop resource for service members during their entire association with Smith.”
Connolly has an astounding pedigree of service, spending ten years in the U.S. Army Maryland National Guard in addition to time deployed to Iraq twice. Upon returning home from his tour of duty, in 2010, he began attending the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he finished his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
“There is a wide-open lane for Smith to be known as the undisputed best place to get a business degree as a military student,” Connolly said in a press release. “These students want to feel like there is a community to tap into, but they also want to feel like we legitimately want and care about them and work hard for them. From our world-class faculty and research to our veteran community, no school can provide the value-add that Smith offers and nobody is going to take better care of them than us.”
Smith’s previous director of military and veteran affairs, Richard Campbell, was appointed back in July 2014. Campbell was the first director of military and veteran affairs at at Smith.
“We created this role as a concierge service for our military students,” said Alexander Triantis, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, after the position was created. “We love to have these students in the classroom, companies want them, and we just want to make it as easy for them as possible to navigate the military benefits process and assimilate into our strong community. We want to help them while they are here and help them be successful when they leave.”
Smith prides itself on being a Veteran-friendly institution, and offers several Veteran-specific resources. The University of Maryland’s Veteran Student Life (VSL) at the Adele H. Stamp Student Union offers information regarding VA Education Benefits, University of Maryland Call Up procedures, counseling, housing, career fairs, financial aid and scholarships, all specifically for military students. VSL also offers transition assistance programs for military transitioning to civilian life, civilians transitioning into military life, and for those transitioning from college to careers.
Veteran Student Life is also a place to unwind and relax with peers – the community space includes televisions, computers and printers, free coffee and a study lounge. Through Terp Vets, Maryland’s veterans’ club, military students have a supportive community that focuses on a variety of volunteer and social events while building a network that enhances personal and career growth.
“There is no better place for a military or veteran student to get a business education than right here at Smith,” Connolly said. “From our world-class faculty and research to our veteran community, no school can provide the value-add that Smith offers. I am personally available to guide you through the on-boarding process and beyond, and can be reached directly at 301-405-9506 or mdconnolly@rhsmith.umd.edu.”