Haslam College of Business Greg & Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars

Greg & Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars

The Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (Smith GLS) is the Haslam College of Business’ premier honors program. It promotes the development of international and intercultural awareness and leadership, as well as personal and professional growth. Through honors classes, seminars in leadership training, international experiences and extracurricular activities, Smith GLS students work with faculty to develop the skills necessary to become future international business leaders.

Admissions and Applications Process

Students apply to the Smith GLS program in their first year. All first-year business students are invited to apply. Applications open at the end of the fall semester and close at the beginning of the spring semester.

The Smith GLS selection committee evaluates applicants in February. Applicants selected to move forward in the application process will receive an invitation for in-person interviews with the committee. Semi-finalists attend individual interviews in March or April. After final grades are posted, up to 27 individuals will be selected for the new cohort of Smith Global Leadership Scholars. Students formally begin the program in the fall of their second year.

Application for the Smith GLS Class of 2028 will on December 1 and close on January 31 at 5 p.m.

Admissions Criteria

Admission into Smith GLS provides scholarship awards contingent upon continued participation in the program and academic performance, including but not limited to, maintenance of a minimum 3.25 GPA. To be eligible for scholarship awards, students must apply for the Continuing Student Undergraduate Scholarship by March 1, 2025.If for any reason students withdraw or are dismissed from the program, their Smith GLS scholarship awards may be rescinded. The Smith GLS program reserves the right to request a repayment of the awards.

The admissions committee reviews the following material and selects finalists to interview:

• Online application indicating interest in international business and academic rigor
• High School data, GPA and standardized test scores
• College resume including leadership experience, campus involvement and community service (Note: Please utilize the Haslam resume template when submitting your resume)
• Two UT professional or academic references’ contact information
• UT GPA, academic history and letter grades
• BUAD 100 or 107 instructor feedback
• College disciplinary record

For questions about the Smith GLS application and admissions process, please contact us at gls@utk.edu.

Information Sessions

RSVP Closed

If you were unable to attend an information session, please email gls@utk.edu for more information

Curriculum

Smith GLS students pursue a concentration in international business with whichever business major they declare. They take honors courses in the pre-business core and business core, as well as leadership training seminars in their second, third, and fourth years.

Smith GLS students spend the spring semester of their sophomore year studying abroad in London, England. During the first seven weeks of the semester, students take three honors business courses from Haslam faculty in residence. In the second half of the semester, students undertake a six-week, full-time internship, which results in earning six hours of their international business collateral or concentration.

Internship placements are designed to leverage students’ interests while enabling them to develop and hone professional skills in an international context. Past placements have included: financial institutions, business start-ups, major retailers, marketing and media agencies, law firms, nonprofits and staff positions with members of parliament.

Program curriculum outlined is for entering Fall 2025 class. Anticipated changes for students entering in Fall 2026.

Contacts

Director: Jennifer Rittenhouse, DBA

Assistant Director: Mary Cooper, Ph.D.

Haslam Honors Coordinator: Karson Marsh

General questions can be directed to gls@utk.edu.