Smith Alum to Run For President
Move over Hillary—Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina has announced her bid to become the first woman president of the United States. Fiorina also happens to be an MBA graduate (class of ‘80) of the Robert H. Smith School of Business.
As an alum, Fiorina has remained active in the Smith community. According to a press release on the Smith website, she donated $100,000 to the Smith School’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship in 2007 and has remained engaged at the university.
Fiorina spoke during the Smith School’s spring commencement in 2006. During her address she described her journey from the Smith School to AT&T to HP, where she led the company’s merger with Compaq Computer Corp.
“My first introduction to business was as a secretary,” she told those Smith graduates almost a decade ago. “I typed and I filed because I had to earn enough money to pay my rent…Leadership is about making a positive difference. Leadership is about changing the order of things.”
In 2012, Fiorina paid tribute to former dean Rudy Lamone during a career achievement event in 2012.
“He sees the potential in other people,” Fiorina said. “Rudy Lamone changed my life.”
More recently, Fiorina spoke to Smith Business magazine about the need for more women in senior leadership roles.
“Human potential is the only limitless resource we have,” she said in the fall 2014 issue. “If we do not fully tap human potential, then we do not solve our problems. And women are the most underutilized resource in the world.”
About the Author
Max Pulcini
Max Pulcini is a Philadelphia-based writer and reporter. He has an affinity for Philly sports teams, Super Smash Bros. and cured meats and cheeses. Max has written for Philadelphia-based publications such as Spirit News, Philadelphia City Paper, and Billy Penn, as well as national news outlets like The Daily Beast.
