Christopher Smith

University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration

“Always working hard but still always having fun”

Fun fact about yourself: I have been to 33 countries and counting (the goal is 40 by age 25)

Hometown: West Orange, NJ

High School: West Orange High School

Major: Double Majoring in Marketing and Business Information Systems

Minor: Certificate in Leadership and Ethics

Favorite Business Course: Consumer Behavior

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• President of the Roberto Clemente Minority Business Association (RCMBA)
• Community Service Chair of RCMBA
• Public Relations Chair of the RCMBA
• National Black MBA Undergraduate Case Competition Finalist and Best Presenter
• Pitt Business Peer Mentor
• Pitt Business Student Ambassador
• Pitt Club Basketball Member
• WPTS Radio Underwriting Staff Member
• Pitt Outdoors Club Member

Where have you interned during your college career?

H&R Block: Sydney, Australia; Expat Tax Intern

Dick’s Sporting Goods: Pittsburgh, PA; Merchandise Buying Intern

Where will you be working after graduation? Dick’s Sporting Goods; Retail Marketing Associate

What company do you admire the most? The company that I admire the most is Bombas. I admire their initiative to donate one item for each item purchased. With over 2,500 partners in the country, they have been able to donate over 31 million items of clothing to date showing that companies can truly make a difference in communities.

Who is your favorite professor? My favorite professor at Pitt Business has been Ray Jones. I have had two classes with him during college and his enthusiasm helps to keep the class engaged and makes my time during lectures enjoyable.

What did you enjoy most about your business school? What I enjoyed most about Pitt Business is the opportunity that it gave me to study abroad in Sydney, Australia. Being able to spend several weeks abroad in an entirely different part of the world gave a better view of business from a world perspective. It also allowed me to complete an international internship which helps me to stand out from many of my peers.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I have learned from studying business is how much collaboration is necessary in order to be successful on projects both inside and outside the classroom. There is rarely an opportunity to work alone and people must learn how to work successfully with different types of people, all with varying skill sets.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Be open to all different types of opportunities. Whether it be to go on a site visit to a company you are not necessarily interested in or to go to an information session regarding a role you do not know about, it is still important to learn about what options are available to you. Any experience is valuable and can help you to become successful in your career.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? What has surprised me the most about business is how many different types of business there really are, even outside of specific majors. Majoring in business is very multidimensional and it allows for you to be qualified for a variety of roles. I did not even know that certain careers were an option until becoming enrolled in business school and becoming exposed to all the different career paths that I could take.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am most proud of being the president of the Roberto Clemente Minority Business Association (RCMBA). This was the first organization that I joined during my freshman year of college and being able to successfully lead the organization was a great accomplishment for me. Being president and helping the organization’s members reach their professional and personal goals was a very rewarding experience.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate that I admire the most is my classmate and friend Ebe Ewere. He is not only one of the smartest people that I have met here during my time at Pitt, but is also one of the hardest workers as well. I admire his ability to balance grueling schoolwork and active social life. He also ensures that he is a genuine person and will be someone that is guaranteed to be extremely successful in the future.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would most like to thank my parents for my success. They have supported me through all my endeavors and have helped me to overcome any challenges that I have faced along the way. Any questions I have had regarding schoolwork, jobs, or the life they have been able to guide me in the right direction. They are my biggest fans and I would not be anywhere close to where I am today without them.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

• Genuinely enjoy my job
• Complete an international assignment

What are your hobbies? : Playing basketball, traveling, working out, discovering new music, writing

What made Christopher such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2020?

“Christopher has contributed significantly to the Class of 2020 through his leadership and involvement in the school. He has been active in a variety of organizations both within and outside of Pitt Business. One of his most important roles was serving as the president of the Roberto Clemente Minority Business Association. RCMBA is a key resource for diverse students at Pitt Business. The organization is dedicated to academic excellence, visionary leadership, diversity, and service to the Pittsburgh community and the world. As president, Christopher was responsible for organizing and leading weekly meetings as well as facilitating programs and activities focused on social and professional development and community service. Previously, he served the organization as community service and public relations chairs.

Christopher is also a Pitt Business Student Ambassador. He has served in this important role for two years. As an Ambassador, Christopher meets with prospective families and speaks at admissions programs. Christopher is a fantastic Ambassador. He is authentic, friendly, and articulate. Although Christopher has impressive credentials and experiences to share, he has an easy-going style that prospective families really enjoy. He presents the full Pitt experience very well, as he is a well-rounded student including playing on the competitive Pitt Basketball Club Team. In particular, Christopher has been an enthusiastic advocate for our international programs based on his experience studying and interning abroad in Sydney, Australia. It is clear that prospective students see in him a model to follow. He has no doubt encouraged numerous students to enroll at Pitt Business.

Christopher Smith has made many contributions as a student at Pitt Business. He led one of our key student organizations as president and represented our school as a finalist at the National Black MBA Undergraduate Case Competition. He is motivated, hard-working, positive, and seeks out opportunities to contribute. Christopher has acted as a Peer Mentor to first-year Pitt Business students and recruited high school seniors to Pitt Business as a Student Ambassador. Christopher has also participated in a number of our signature experiences at Pitt Business. He studied and interned abroad through our Global Business Institute; excelled in a high-profile internship with one of our corporate partners; and completed our Certificate Program in Leadership and Ethics, which allowed him to consult with several businesses and non-profits. He is well-liked and respected by his peers. For these reasons, Christopher Smith is a highly valuable member of the Pitt Business Class of 2020.  We are confident that Christopher will continue to excel and will have a very successful and fulfilling career after graduation.”

Lisa Cherok 
Director of Admissions
University of Pittsburgh | College of Business Administration

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