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PDAs and smartphones are essential tools of the trade for mobile professionals. As one of the market's hottest mobile devices, it is not uncommon to see a businessperson whipping out a Research In Motion BlackBerry handheld to check his or her e-mail, make a phone call, surf the Web, access an Intranet, check stock quotes etc.

With the announcement that it would provide all 400 of its first and second year students with BlackBerry 7510 handhelds, the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business made it clear that it figures you shouldn't have to wait until you're in the workforce to learn the ins and outs of integrating a mobile technology into your professional life.

For students, that means making a BlackBerry an important part of their educational experience. As part of its initiative, MBA students can obtain course assignments, grades, class rosters and other school information from their BlackBerries.

"In order to succeed as business executives in today's digital economy, business students must learn how to leverage 'always on' communication and manage 24/7 access to data and people," said Howard Frank, Dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. "By using these devices, inside and outside the classroom, our MBAs will gain a greater understanding of how information technology can be maximized to create innovation and drive business growth."

The supplied BlackBerries run on Nextel's wireless network, which—in addition to the standard voice, Web, e-mail, calendar, address book, task and memo pad applications—features the mobile operator's Direct Connect digital walkie-talkie service, all of which students can use to complete coursework.

In addition to students, some faculty and staff will receive BlackBerry handhelds too. Some of these professors are developing research proposals based on the school's BlackBerry giveaway. One such project—led by faculty with the school's Center for Human Capital, Innovation, and Technology—explores team dynamics, virtual group behavior, and the creativity of community members who have the same technology tools available to them.