Students at te University of Maryland’s Smith College of Business

Smith Grad And Former Bulls VP Donates $8 Million

The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business just received an $8 million gift to start their new Sports Management Program.

The gift was given by Class of ‘77 grad and Former Chicago Bulls Executive Vice-President of Business Operations, Steve Schanwald, who spent almost 30 years building the Bulls into a world-class name through the Michael Jordan era.

SCHANWALD’S PASSION IGNITED AT SMITH

Schanwald’s gift is part of a larger story. His passion for sports business ignited at Maryland, where he worked under Russ Potts, the pioneering sports marketing director. Schanwald calls this mentorship the greatest decision he ever made. Now, he’s paying it forward, guiding the next generation of sports industry professionals.

It’s part of a larger $18 million commitment supporting Maryland Athletics. “It’s a great blessing at this stage of my life to be able to have the opportunity to try to help young people grow and achieve their dreams,” says Schanwald. “The most rewarding thing to me is mentoring people and helping people climb the ladder the way I was helped.”

MORE SITE VISITS, NETWORKING, AND TECH

Steve Schanwald’s latest endowment further solidifies his lasting impact on the sports industry and education.

“Steve is a giant in the sports industry, and he has a true passion to help students succeed,” said Smith School Dean Prabhudev Konana. “We are so grateful to Steve for his generosity and vision. This transformative investment, combined with our existing strong curricular and co-curricular opportunities, will make the Smith School a truly exceptional place for young people to launch a career in sports.”

The funds will go towards the creation of more hands-on industry site visits, expanded networking opportunities, and access to cutting-edge technology and resources.