Experience Darden: Recent Episodes
UVA Darden School of Business
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Deborah Agoye. Deborah is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and she is also the President of Darden’s Black Business Student Association (BBSA). We talk with Deborah about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, how she plans to spend her summer, her plans for BBSA in the year ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Juan Manuel Rozas and Krishna Rajesh. Juan Manuel and Krishna are recent graduates in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we chat with them about their background, moving to the United States to pursue an MBA, how their career goals evolved during their time in Darden, how B-Speak, a personalized English language coaching service, helped them with their onboarding experience, their advice for prospective students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Shane Dikolli. Dikolli is a member of the Darden’s Accounting faculty, and his primary research interests focus on the performance evaluation of CEOs spanning both analytical modeling and empirical analysis. We talk with Dikolli about his background, what led him to Darden, why he’s so interested in CEO performance, the Darden Worldwide Course he leads to Australia, his Strategic Costing elective and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Haley Mendlin. Haley is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and she applied to Darden through the Future Year Scholars Program, Darden’s deferred enrollment program. She is also VP of Finance for the Healthcare Club and serves on the Darden Disability Alliance. We talk with her about her decision to apply to Darden, what she’s enjoyed about learning through the case method, her interest in healthcare and what the Healthcare Club has planned for the year ahead, how she’s spending her summer, and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Tomás Bicudo. Tomás is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and he is also the President of Darden’s Latin American Student Association (LASA). We talk with Tomás about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, his role on the GenAI student advisory board, serving as a tutor for the Global Economies and Market course, brewing beer with Three Notch’d Brewery as part of Darden’s School of Brew student organization and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Pauline Jaffe. Pauline is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and she also applied to Darden through the Future Year Scholars Program, Darden’s deferred enrollment program. We talk with her about her decision to pursue an MBA, how she decided when to start her MBA program, how she explored her career goals and interests during her first year, her plans for this summer and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Dan Levetown. Dan is a recent graduate in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we talk with him about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, his cleaning start-up, Refresh Routine, his favorite courses at Darden, his recommendations for things to do in Charlottesville and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Julia Boyer. Julia a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and she has a number of leadership roles – VP of Finance, Consulting Club, VP of Women’s Engagement, Golf Club, VP of Career and Alumni Engagement, Graduate Women in Business (GWIB), and Forte Ambassador. We talk with Julia about her background, her decision to pursue an MBA, what motivated her to take on leadership roles during her second year, her recommendations for visitors to Charlottesville and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Alem Bello. Alem is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and he is also the Admissions representative for the Darden African Business Organization (DABO). We talk with Alem about his decision to pursue an MBA, coming to the U.S. to study at Darden, the role DABO played in his MBA research process, what he’s enjoyed about life in Charlottesville, his plans for the summer and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Hannah Cho. Hannah is a student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and she is the President of Darden’s Marketing and General Management Club. We talk with Hannah about her background in the beauty industry, her decision to pursue an MBA, her plans for this summer, what she’s looking forward to in her second year and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Kelly Okun. Kelly is a graduate in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and she is currently running her venture, Fairway to Green, an equitable media company covering the worlds of men’s and women’s golf. We talk with Kelly with what’s she been up to since graduating, winning the Kathryne Carr award for Entrepreneurial Excellence, how Fairway to Green has grown since her time in Charlottesville, what she’s looking forward to in the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Anthony Palomba. Palomba is a member of the Data Analytics Decision Sciences faculty area at Darden, and he teaches Data Storytelling and Media & Entertainment Business to MBA, MSBA, and Executive MBA students. A media scholar specializing in machine learning, causal inference, and applied econometrics, Palomba explores how audiences engage with entertainment content and how technology is transforming competition across the media, advertising, and gaming industries. Prior to academia, he led research for global media and technology companies including HBO, Facebook, CNN, Fox Sports 1, Sesame Street, and NBCUniversal/Comcast. He continues to consult for GBK Collective, working on projects with primarily FAANG clients. We talk with Palomba about what led him to Darden, the elective courses he teaches at Darden, the storylines he’s following across the media and gaming industries and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jingjing Li. Jingjing is an Associate Professor of IT and Innovation at the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia, and she is also one of the Academic Directors for UVA’s MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) program. We talk with Jingjing about Module 4, the module she leads in the MSBA program, how the program is incorporating AI into the curriculum, how the program stays relevant in a rapidly evolving landscape and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Rory McDonald. McDonald’s research focuses on how firms compete and innovate effectively in new technology-enabled markets. Drawing on a mix of in-depth fieldwork and archival data, he studies how executives develop viable strategies in these contexts and how they obtain resources that improve their chances of success. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with McDonald about his background, what led him to Darden, how the Strategy course fits into the Darden core curriculum, his popular electives, “Disruptive Strategy” and “Disruptive Innovation,” his current research interests and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Blake Dietrick-Siefert. Blake is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and we talk with her about her background in professional basketball, her decision to pursue an MBA, how her career goals have evolved during her first year, what she’s looking forward to in her second year and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Grace Haffner. Grace is a first year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and she also applied to Darden through the Future Year Scholars program, Darden’s deferred enrollment program for current undergraduates or students in their final year of a masters program who are yet to enter the workforce. We talk with Grace about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, how she figured the right time to go back to school, her plans for the summer ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Andrew Katz. Andrew is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and we talk with him about his decision to pursue an MBA, what he’s enjoyed about his first year, climbing Mt. Everest in the summer before starting at Darden, his start-up venture, Katalyze LLC, and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professors Marc Ruggiano and Rob Phillips. In this hour-long conversation, we talk with Ruggiano and Phillips about what Darden means by ethical AI as well as some of the ethical considerations across the AI value chain. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Christina Zhu. Christina is a second year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2026. We talk with Christina about her background, her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her Darden, her global experiences as a Darden student, what she’ll be doing after graduation and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Raj Venkatesan. Raj is a member of the Marketing faculty at the Darden School of Business, and he is also one of the Academic Directors for UVA’s MS in Business Analytics program. We talk with Raj about the MSBA program, how the faculty keep the curriculum current, the program’s upcoming fifth and final module, some of his favorite MSBA capstone projects and more. We also find time to discuss his Digital Marketing elective and how he’s incorporated AI into that course. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Jared Harris. Harris’ research centers on the interplay between ethics and strategy, with a particular focus on the topics of corporate governance, business ethics and interorganizational trust. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Harris about his background, what led him to Darden, how he has incorporated AI in the core Strategy course, why he thinks his Business Ethics Through Literature elective may be more important now than ever and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Alys Herbert and Katie Williams. Alys and Katie are Second Year students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and they also led the Student Tutoring program this year. We talk with Alys and Katie about their journeys to Darden, what drew them to the Tutoring program, how many students take advantage this resource, their advice for future MBA students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Justin Hopkins. Professor Hopkins has taught various courses across Darden's programs and at the UVA Law School including electives on financial reporting and financial statement analysis. He has authored a number of cases helping students to gain a deeper understanding of the content of financial reports, the economic drivers of a firm's financial condition, and the governance characteristics of a company. We talk with Hopkins about his background, what led him to Darden, what drew him to Accounting, how Darden approaches teaching Accounting in the core curriculum, his recent paper on white collar crime prosecutions and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Anna Caughron. Anna is a Program Manager with Darden’s Institute for Business in Society, and we talk with her about the Golub Capital Board Fellows program. The Board Fellows program connects Darden students with local nonprofit organizations for a unique opportunity in board service. Fellows serve as non-voting board members while simultaneously participating in classroom courses in board governance. In addition, Golub Capital Board Fellows have a lasting impact on their nonprofit partners by completing a meaningful project for their nonprofit over the course of the program. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Charlie Meyer. Charlie is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026. He is also the President of Net Impact at Darden. We talk with Charlie about what led him to Darden, what drew him to Net Impact, his experience with the Golub Board Fellows program and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with friend of the podcast, Whitney Kestner. Whitney is current co-leading Darden’s Admissions team, and we talk with her the recent announcement of waves for our Round 3 Full-Time MBA deadline, recent rankings highlights for Darden, forthcoming resources for admitted students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Scott Miller. Miller is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business, Director of the Democracy and Capitalism Lab at the Karsh Institute of Democracy, and Senior Fellow at the Miller Center of Public Affairs. As an economic historian, Miller examines the development of modern economic systems, particularly during period of instability and volatility. In this conversation, we talk with Miller about his background, his Financial Crises and Alexander Hamilton courses, his thoughts on the relationship between democracy and capitalism and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this conversation, we catch up with Matt Ohlson. Matt is an alumnus in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and we talk with him about his decision to pursue an MBA, applying to Darden through the Future Year Scholars Program, how the Darden classroom helped him build confidence and sharpen his communication skills, how he’s leveraged his Darden experience after graduation and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professors June West and Steve Soltis. West and Soltis teach classes across Darden's MBA formats, including Leadership Communication, and they are also co-founders of the Darden Leadership Communication Council. Their podcast series, CEO Voices: Leading with Communication, examines the communication that enables transformational leadership. We talk with them about their backgrounds, what led them to Darden, the importance of Leadership Communications in an MBA curriculum, recent cases they’ve developed for their elective courses and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special episode of the Darden Admissions podcast, we are excited to share a recent conversation with Jennifer Hulvey and Reece Meares, two members of the Darden Financial Aid team. We talk with Jennifer and Reece about what they enjoy about financial aid, what students should be thinking about as they prepare financially for business school, upcoming federal loan changes resulting from the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share audio from a recent webinar with Interim Dean Mike Lenox. In addition to serving as the Interim Dean of the Darden School of Business, Lenox is a member of the Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship faculty, and he teaches the core MBA strategy course and an MBA elective on Strategy in the Digital Age, among other offerings. In this conversation facilitated by Managing Director of Admissions Whitney Kestner, Lenox shares insights about his background, the Darden learning experience, his research interests, his new role as Interim Dean and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Doug Thomas. Thomas is the Academic Director of the Sands Institute for Lifelong Learning, and a member of the Technology and Operations Management faculty at the Darden School of Business. We talk with Thomas about his background, what led him to Darden, AI in the classroom, current disruptions affecting global operations, the resiliency of the global supply chain and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Megha Kalyan. Megha is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we talk with her about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, her biggest learning curves as an MBA student, how she spent her first year summer, her tips for prospective students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special episode of the podcast, we catch up with Professor Raj Venkatesan. Venkatesan is a member of the Marketing faculty at the Darden School of Business as well as the co-Academic Director for UVA’s MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) program and Darden’s LaCross Institute for Ethical Artificial Intelligence in Business. We talk with Venkatesan about his background, what led him to Darden, what drew him to the MSBA program, how the faculty has incorporated artificial intelligence into the curriculum, how the program prepares students for the AI age and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Selorm Tamakloe. Selorm is a first year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and he is also the Section representative for Section D. We talk with Selorm about his decision to pursue an MBA, how he learned about Darden, what he’s enjoyed about Charlottesville, his favorite Section D norm and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Pnina Feldman. Feldman is a member of the Technology and Operations Management faculty at Darden, and her research focuses on how digital technologies affects operations strategy with emphasis on services, platforms, pricing, and consumer engagement. We talk with Feldman about her background, her research, her Managing Service Operations elective, her recent paper on ticket reselling, her thoughts on AI and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Kendra Nealey. Kendra is a first year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2027, and she is also the Section representative for Section E. We talk with Kendra about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, what attracted her to the Section rep role, what she’s looking forward to in the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Keith McCormick. Keith is the Bodily Bicentennial Professor in Analytics at the Darden School of Business. The Bodily Bicentennial Professor in Analytics position was created to honor the contributions of Sam Bodily, the John Tyler Professor Emeritus of Business Administration to the field of decision analysis, and this visiting position allows a leader in the field of analytics to step away from their normal activities and collaborate and share insights with the Darden and broader University of Virginia community. We talk with Keith about his background, what he’s enjoyed about his time at Darden, Darden’s upcoming AI conference, how AI has transformed the field of analytics, and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Alex Cowan. Cowan teaches several courses in the area of design and digital innovation, and with Darden, he also created the Coursera specialization, 'Digital Product Management', one of the top 15 specializations on Coursera. His work on hypothesis-driven development is widely used by practitioners and instructors as a systematic approach to developing new products and businesses. We talk with Alex about his entrepreneurial background, his classes, his thoughts on essential skills for tech product managers in an AI age, where he believes AI is heading and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Mariah McVey. Mariah a first year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA program, and she is also the Section representative for Section B. We talk with Mariah about what led her to Darden, what she enjoys about Charlottesville, what drew her to the section rep role, her advice for prospective students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Ashley Gartland. Ashley is a first year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA program, and she is also the Section Representative for Section A. We talk with Ashley about her background, what led her to Darden, what she’s enjoyed about her first year, her advice for prospective students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Michael Albert. Albert’s research focuses on combining machine learning and algorithmic techniques to automate the design of markets. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with him about his background, what led him to Darden, his Machine Learning and AI for Business elective, whether we are on course for an AI bubble, how businesses should be thinking about AI and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Tillman Drew. Tillman is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we talk with him about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, how he spent his first year summer, why he’s so passionate about Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jack Collins. Jack is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we talk with him about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, how he spent his first year summer, what he’s looking forward to in his second year and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Mike Gaynor. Mike is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we chat with him about his background, his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, how he spent his first year summer, what he’s looking forward to in his second year and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Andrew Schoka. Andrew is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we talk with him about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, his AI-focused data security start-up, how the iLab summer incubator helped him develop his venture and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with friend of the podcast, Whitney Kestner. Whitney is co-Interim Executive Director of Admissions and a longtime member of Darden’s Admissions Committee. With Full-Time MBA Round 1 right around the corner, we talk with her about Darden’s fee waiver opportunities, Darden’s new test waiver diagnostic, what she enjoys about this time of year, her advice for applicants and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, Admissions Committee members, Whitney Kestner and Catie Yeilding, share advice for choosing a recommender, including who makes a good recommender, what the recommendation adds to the application and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, Admissions Committee members, Brett Twitty and Whitney Kestner, share advice for navigating the Darden admissions interview, including insights about the structure of the interview, how to prepare for the interview and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, Admissions Committee members, Brett Twitty and Whitney Kestner, discuss the role standardized tests can play in the admissions process, including how to build your academic readiness case, when a test waiver request can make sense for a Full-Time MBA applicant and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, Admissions Committee members, Brett Twitty and Christian West, share advice for crafting your best short answer responses, including what makes a great short answer response, the importance of authenticity and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, Admissions Committee members, Whitney Kestner and Catie Yeilding, share advice for sharpening your resume for the Darden application process, including how the resume fits into the overall application, tips for bringing a more personal element into the resume and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, Admissions Committee members, Whitney Kestner and Catie Yeidling, share advice for approaching the Darden application process, including when to apply, tips for getting organized and more. For more insights, tips and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this podcast, we catch up with Britt Terrell. Britt is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we talk with her about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, the benefits of applying Early Action, how she spent her summer, what she’s looking forward to in her second year, her involvement with Darden Stories and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Mercy Ogbleba. Mercy is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we talk with Mercy about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, what she’s enjoyed about her first year, her advice for prospective students and more. Mercy is also VP of Admissions for the Darden African Business Organization (DABO), VP of Conference for Graduate Women in Business (GWIB), and VP of Careers for the FinTech club. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Rachel Schwam. Rachel is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and she is also pursuing a Master of Arts in International Relations through Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). We talk with Rachel about her background, her decision to pursue a dual degree, the logistics of her combined degree experience, her advice for prospective students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Stephen Xu. Stephen is currently pursuing his PhD at Darden in the Data Analytics and Decision Sciences area. We talk with Stephen about his background, his decision to pursue a PhD, what led him to Darden, how the program is going so far and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Paul Clancy. Paul is an MD/MBA dual degree student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026. We talk with Paul about his decision to pursue an MBA, his entrepreneurial venture – Admissions Academy, his experience in the iLab Incubator this summer, what he’s looking forward to in the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
During this episode, we catch up with Angie Griffith. Angie is member of the University of Virginia’s Registrar Office, and she works closely with Darden’s students who are using military benefits to pay for their education. We talk with Angie about her background, what attracted her to her role, what she enjoys about supporting military students, her advice for military benefits users and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Skyler Clark-Hamel. Skyler is a member of Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and he is currently pursuing his PhD at Darden in the Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship area. We talk with Skyler about his background, what led him to Darden for his MBA, how he decided to pursue a PhD, what he’s enjoyed about the PhD program so far, what he’s looking forward to in the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Yatta Ackom. Yatta is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and she is also the VP of Admissions for the Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) student organization. We talk with Yatta about her background, what led her to Darden, her plans for her second year, what attracted her to her role with GWIB and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Sinmi Oyekola. Sinmi is a dual degree, MBA/MPP student, in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and she is also the President of Darden’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) club. We talk with Sinmi about her background, what led her to Darden, her plans for the summer, her goals for GWIB in the year ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jennifer Hulvey. Jennifer is the Senior Director of Financial Aid at the Darden School of Business, and she joined the Darden team after 15 years at the University of Virginia School of Law. We talk with Jennifer about her background, what she enjoys about financial aid, ways students can learn more about the financial aid process, her advice for incoming students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, Ben Gustafson and Alexa Bartels. Ben and Alexa were recently elected President and Executive Vice President, respectively, of the Darden Student Association (DSA), and we talk with them about their MBA journeys, what attracted them to their leadership roles, their plans for the DSA in the year ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
During this episode, we catch up with three UVA Darden Full-Time MBA students – Catie Nolan (Class of 2026), Matt Cunningham (Class of 2025), and Tom Alappat (Class of 2025) – to talk about their recent experience competing in private market case competitions. Catie competed in the Venture Capital Investment Competition with 5 other Darden students and placed 2nd at regionals. Matt and Tom competed in the Cornell Case Competition for Family Ownership with 2 other Darden students and placed 3rd overall. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Carissa Sanchez. Carissa is a graduate in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2020 and currently works as an Investment Associate for Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, an impact-driven venture capital firm focused on investing in Indigenous and Native American businesses. We talk with Carissa about her journey to Darden, how her career has progressed since graduation, what led her to the venture capital industry and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Carolyn Miles (MBA ’88). Career-wise, Carolyn Miles (MBA ’88) has seemingly done it all. She’s worked in corporate America for a Fortune 500 company, been an entrepreneur overseas, taught in higher education, and served as CEO for a global NGO. Now, she’s back in Charlottesville, having completed a term as the Interim President of the Darden School Foundation, and continuing to serve as the John Alden Purinton Jr. Professor of Practice and senior adviser to the dean helping the school implement its ambitious 2030 sustainability goals. The Women@Darden event series is hosted by Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions Dawna Clarke. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Alys Herbert. Alys is a first year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and she is the new VP, Academics for the Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) student organization, VP, Careers for the Darden Technology Club, as well as a Forte Ambassador. We talk with Alys about her decision to pursue an MBA, what she has enjoyed about her first year, her work as a Gender Equity Rep for Section A, her plans for her summer internship and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Ben and Paige Foote. Ben is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and he and his wife Paige, a registered dietitian and athlete, have a venture called Noogs, whose signature product is a gummy sports chew with a sour coating, loaded with electrolytes and nutrients needed by endurance athletes on the go. We talk with Ben and Paige about the inspiration for their venture, how Darden has helped them grow Noogs, their participation in Darden’s Venture Capital Investment Competition and the UVA Venture Capital Conference, what’s next for Noogs and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Lucy Alexander. Lucy is a graduate in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2001, and she currently works for Astra Zeneca as Executive Director, Head of Lean Digital Intelligence, Global Supply Chain & Strategy. We talk with her about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, how her career has unfolded and developed, her favorite memory from her time at Darden and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Emily Anthony. Emily is a graduate in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she currently works for Dick’s Sporting Goods in their Real Estate Strategy & Operations area. We talk with her about her decision to pursue an MBA, how her career goals evolved during her time in Charlottesville, how time at Darden has been helpful to her at Dick’s, her advice for prospective students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Sterling Dixon and Alberto Ramirez. Sterling and Alberto are first year students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and they are also members of the Student Admissions Committee. We talk with Sterling and Alberto about their decision to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, what attracted them to serving on the Student Admissions Committee, what they enjoy about connecting with prospective students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
During this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Mel Phillips. Mel is a first year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and we talk with him about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, highlights from his first year and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Mandy Lozano (MBA ’09). Lozano is a Darden Foundation Board of Trustees member, and, in this wide-ranging conversation, she offers insights about her experience at Darden as well as lessons learned from her over 15 years working in large manufacturing, consumer goods, and retail industries. The Women@Darden event series is hosted by Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Adair Maynard. Adair a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025. Adair is the President of the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club, and she also has a venture – Memorial Tribute Legacy LLC. We talk with Adair about her background, her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, how her time at Darden has helped her develop her start-up, her advice for prospective students and more.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series. This episode features a conversation with Professors Christoph Herpfer and Marc Ruggiano, two faculty members involved with the Darden’s Health Care Initiative, hosted by the Institute for Business in Society. We talk with Chris and Marc about healthcare-related curricular and co-curricular opportunities at Darden, the healthcare ecosystem at the University of Virginia, challenges with healthcare delivery in the United States and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series. This episode features a conversation with Vice Dean Yael Grushka-Cockayne and Professor Raj Venkatesan, Academic Directors for the LaCross Institute for Ethical AI at the Darden School of Business. We talk with Yael and Raj about their interest in AI, what attracted them to their roles with the LaCross Institute, what’s happening around AI at Darden, the Institute’s plans for the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the podcast, we catch up with Merav Frazier. Merav is the Senior Associate Director of Global Recruitment, and she also works closely with candidates on the waiting list for UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA program. Merav shares more about what the waitlist decision means, the waitlist process, next steps for candidates on the waitlist and more.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series. This episode features a conversation with Rodney Sullivan and Caitlin Boyer with Darden’s Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management. The Mayo Center advances the study and practice of responsible asset management globally through developing and delivering world-class research, educational programs and activities, awards, and support for student clubs and Darden Capital Management (DCM). We talk with Rodney and Caitlin about resources and opportunities for Darden students interested in a wide range of asset management-related fields including traditional asset management, private equity, venture capital and Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA), and real estate. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Andrew Yowell. Andrew is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and he is also a Future Year Scholar. We talk with Andrew about his decision to pursue an MBA, what attracted him to the Future Year Scholars Program, how he figured out the right time for him to enroll in business school, what he’s enjoyed about his Darden experience and more. We also talk with Andrew about the recent Darden Sustainability Conference, hosted in November 2024. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Richie Todd. Richie is a second year student in UVA Darden's Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and he is also the President of the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) club. We talk with Richie about his background, his decision to pursue an MBA, why he's passionate about entrepreneurship, what the ETA club has planned for the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Dan Smith. Dan is a first year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, and he is also a Future Year Scholar. We talk with Dan about his background, his decision to pursue an MBA, what attracted him to the Future Year Scholar Program, what he’s enjoyed about his first year and more. Dan also spent significant time as a youth soccer coach prior to Darden, and we talk with him about his coaching philosophy and what he enjoyed about coaching. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we spotlight this year’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) Conference. The conference is an annual event that kicks off the recruiting cycle for GWIB members and also offers members opportunity for leadership and professional development. We talk with two second year students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, Meredith Johnson and Jin “JJ” Jiang who serve as VP Conference on the GWIB Board about highlights from this year’s conference, what guided their plans for the event, what GWIB has meant to them during their time at Darden and more. The Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) is an organization that serves to empower women to be the fullest expression of themselves by creating inclusive spaces to grow authentic connections, further gender equity and forge partnerships on and off grounds. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Matt Rafferty. Matt is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and we talk with him about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Charlottesville, the impact of his time at Darden and more. Matt is passionate about entrepreneurship, and we talk with him about his venture experience and how Darden and the Batten Institute have helped him explore his ideas. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jack Alexander. Jack is an MBA/M.Ed dual degree student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025. We talk with Jack about his background, his experience as a Teach for America volunteer, hang gliding, his decision to pursue an MBA/M.Ed dual degree, his experience in the Prison Re-Entry Education Program (PREP), serving as a Second Year Coach and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Professor Melanie Prengler. Prengler is an Assistant Professor in the Leadership and Organizational Behavior area, and her research focuses on the future of work, specifically alternative work arrangements and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has studied this research using a qualitative approach in the context of Black police officers, digital nomads, and mothers returning to work. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Custis Coleman. Custis is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and he is also the President of the Darden Outdoors Club. We talk with Custis about his background, his decision to pursue an MBA, what he’s enjoyed about his time at Darden, what the Outdoors Club has planned for the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we spotlight UVA’s MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) program with a conversation with Jingjing Li. Li is the Andersen Alumni Associate Professor of Commerce at UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce, and she also serves as one of the Directors of the MSBA program. Li’s research interests are in artificial intelligence and big data analytics, with applications spanning search engines, healthcare, marketing, platforms, and public policy. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Li about her role with the MSBA program, her thoughts on the value and impact of the MSBA curriculum, her interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and more. This episode is essential listening for anyone considering UVA’s MSBA program. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Madelyn Merchant. Madelyn is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and we talk with her about her background, what led her to Darden, her work with Darden’s Net Impact Board Fellows student organization, the annual Darden ski trips and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Gabrielle “Gabe” Adams. Adams is a behavioral scientist, with a joint appointment as an associate professor of public policy (Batten) and business administration (Darden: Leadership and Organizational Behavior area). She studies the processes and dynamics that give rise to 'good' decisions, policies, and conditions in organizations. We talk with Adams about her background, what led her to Darden, what she enjoys about teaching through the case method, what makes an effective team, why people default to considering what they might add when improving things and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Lieneke “Nini” Ratto Schol and Rodrigo Delgado. Nini and Rodrigo are second year students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and they are also married. We talk with Nini and Rodrigo about their decision to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, navigating the application process as a married couple, how they’re working to raise awareness about Darden in their home country of Peru and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Melissa Thomas-Hunt, Senior Associate Dean for the Residential Full-Time MBA program at the UVA Darden School of Business. In this conversation hosted by Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke, Thomas-Hunt reflects upon her personal story, her career journey, what she loves about being at Darden, why she’s passionate about engaging with students, what makes Darden’s faculty unique and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Darden faculty member and Dean and CEO of UVA Northern Virginia, Greg Fairchild. In this conversation, we talk with Greg about the inspiration for UVA Northern Virginia, where things stand with their current plans, their strategy and vision for the road ahead and more. This episode is highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about UVA and Darden’s efforts in the Washington, DC metro area.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Megan McGee. Megan is a repeat guest on the Experience Darden podcast, and a member of UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2021. Megan also recently joined Darden’s Batten Institute as the Director of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). We recently caught up with Megan to talk about her MBA journey, her interest in ETA, what attracted her to her new role with the Batten Institute, what she’s looking forward to in the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba
In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Jason Brewster. Jason is a repeat podcast guest, and he is the Director of Venture Programs for UVA Darden’s Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Jason about his background, the entrepreneurial ecosystem at Darden, the recent iLab incubator cohort, and more. This episode is highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about venturing at Darden. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Dawna Clarke. Dawna is the Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions at UVA Darden, and we talk with her about the start of school, the newest class of Full-Time MBA students, what she’s looking forward to in the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Kelly Okun. Kelly is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and she is also a founder. We talk with Kelly about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, her experience in Darden’s iLab summer incubator, her advice for prospective students and more. Kelly’s venture, Fairway to Green, covers all areas of golf and seeks to increase the visibility and funding for the women’s game. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Betsy Brandon. Betsy is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and she applied to Darden through the Future Year Scholars Program, our deferred enrollment program for undergraduates in their final year of study or full-time masters students who have not held a full-time work position. We recently caught up with Betsy to talk about her background, her decision to pursue an MBA, how she spent her first year summer, what she’s enjoyed about her time at Darden and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Sasa Zorc. Zorc studies incentives in multi-agent systems such as health care and decentralized matching markets. Methodically, his research relies on stochastic dynamic games, search theory, mechanism design, contract theory as well as data-driven simulations of those systems. We talk with Zorc about his background, what led him to Darden, the core Decision Analysis course as well as his game theory elective, his thoughts on AI and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Ellie Marsh. Ellie is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and she is also a section representative for Section D. We recently caught up with her to talk about her background, her decision to pursue an MBA, where she spent her summer internship, her plans for her second year and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Larry Mueller and Merav Frazier. Larry is the Assistant Dean for Global Advising at Darden and Merav is Senior Associate Director of Global Recruitment. We talk with Larrry and Merav about their backgrounds, what they enjoy about working with international students, their advice for incoming students and more. Larry and Merav also reflect on this year’s International Student Orientation Program (ISOP). For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Lindsey Moran. Lindsey is recent graduate in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and we talk with her about what led her to Darden, how she spent the summer after her first year, her experience with the Prison Reentry Education Program (PREP) and more. We also talk with Lindsey about her interest in healthcare, and her advice for healthcare-focused students at Darden. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Chris Egbert. Chris is a recent graduate in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and we chat with him about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, what he enjoyed about his time in Charlottesville and more. We also discuss Chris’ interest in healthcare, and he shares his thoughts on opportunities for healthcare-focused students at Darden. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Michael Ho. We talk with Ho about his background, what led him to Darden, his mergers and acquisitions elective, how his work at Fifth Third Bank informs his classes at Darden and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two recent graduates from UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, Alex Durant and Maximilian Martin. We talk with Alex and Maximilian about their decisions to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, the impact of their Darden experience and more. In addition, Alex and Maximilian have recently started a new microfinance venture, Mingle Money, and we talk with them about the inspiration for this idea and their plans for the months ahead. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Curie Chang. Curie is a recent graduate in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and she is also the founder of Petrichor, the first apparel manufacturing and disposal startup specializing in zero waste and closed-loop processes. We talk with Curie about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, what inspired her to launch Petrichor, how her venture evolved during her time at Darden, her plans for the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Tingting Su. Tingting is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and she is also VP Admissions for Darden’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) student organization. We talk with Tingting about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, what GWIB has meant to her during her time at Darden, what she’s looking forward to in the months ahead and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Ian Appel. His main area of interest is empirical corporate finance, and his recent work studies different types of institutional investors (e.g., index funds, activist hedge funds), corporate environmental behaviors, and governance in decentralized finance.. We talk with Appel about his background, what led him to Darden, his FinTech electives, decentralized finance, cryptocurrency and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Shane Dikolli. Dikolli’s primary research interests focus on the performance evaluation of CEOs spanning both analytical modeling and empirical analysis, and he currently serves as an editor at The Accounting Review. We talk with Dikolli about his background, what attracted him to Accounting, what led him to Darden, his Strategic Costing elective, his global course in Australia and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jessa Ursabia. Jessa is a rising second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and she is also the President of Darden’s Graduate Women in Business Club. In this conversation, we talk with Jessa about her background, her decision to pursue an MBA, applying to Darden through the Consortium, her plans for GWIB in the year ahead, her advice for prospective students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we spotlight the Parents of Darden student organization with a conversation with Lisandro Sagastume and Hailey Webster. Lisandro is a recent graduate in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and Hailey is a rising second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025 and both have served as leaders of Parents of Darden. We talk with Lisandro and Hailey about their decision to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, balancing the demands of an MBA program and family commitments, how Parents of Darden supported them during their time at Darden and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Kristin Scruggs. Kristin is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and she also serves as VP Academics for Darden’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) student organization and will lead the tutoring program for first year students in the coming year. We talk with Kristin about her background in speech pathology, her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, how she’ll be spending this summer, her advice for prospective students and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Amari Brown, Chris Woodfolk, Camilla Zhang and Beth Siyoum. Amari, Chris, Camilla and Beth are rising second year students in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and they are also Darden’s newest Consortium liaisons. In this conversation, Amari, Chris, Camilla and Beth reflect upon their MBA journeys, what the Consortium has meant to them during their time at Darden, what attracted them to the Consortium liaison role, their plans for the months ahead and more. Learn more about the Consortium. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we catch up with Carlos Bortoni. Carlos is an MBA/M.Ed graduate in Darden’s Class of 2019, and he currently serves As Senior Director for the Batten Institute’s new launched “Tech Hub,” a cross-departmental effort to advance Darden’s presence and standing in technology through thought leadership, faculty and student engagement, and stakeholder management across the broader tech, startup, VC/PE, and industry-specific ecosystems in the U.S. and globally. We talk with Carlos about his Darden experience, what brought him back to Darden for his current role, why he’s so passionate about tech, what he’s looking forward to in the coming months and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special episode of the Darden Admissions podcast, we catch up with Jen Coleman. Jen is the Executive Director of the Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services at Darden, and she also serves as an Executive Coach and Career Consultant. We chat with Jen about her background, what brought her to coaching, how she works with alumni, her advice for prospective students and more. All Darden alumni have complimentary access to career support through Alumni Career Services for life. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Executive Fellow and Professor of Practice Carolyn Miles (MBA ’88). This wide-ranging conversation hosted by Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke touches on Miles’ advice and insights for prospective and admitted students, her work as CEO of Save the Children, what brought her back to Darden and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we’re excited to highlight an upcoming event – the University of Virginia Venture Capital Conference taking place at Sands Family Grounds in Arlington, Virginia on Friday, 12 April. In honor of this year’s conference, we recently connected with two second year students in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, Malcolm Stewart and Ellie Jamison, to talk about Venture Capital at Darden – what resources and courses are available to students, advice for prospective students interested in VC and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Audriana “Sloane” Grey. Sloane is an MBA/M.Ed student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and we recently connected with her to talk about her background, how she decided to pursue an MBA, how she’s explored her entrepreneurial interests during her time at Darden, her role as President of Building Goodness in April and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Vincent Truong and Jill Howland. Vincent and Jill are first year students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025, and they were recently elected to serve as the President and Executive Vice President, respectively, of the Darden Student Association (DSA). We talk with Vincent and Jill about the MBA journeys, their experience at Darden so far, how they will be spending their summers as well as their plans for the DSA in the year ahead. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jon Rickords. Jon is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and he is also the outgoing President of the Sobriety Initiative, a Darden student organization that seeks to provide a welcoming community at Darden and foster inclusivity by hosting alcohol-free events, individually or in partnership with other clubs. We talk with Jon about his background in Accounting, his decision to pursue an MBA, moving to the east coast for business school, what the Sobriety Initiative has been up to this year and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Anna Fife (MBA ’14). Anna is the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for Darden’s Batten Institute, and we recently connected to talk with her about her background, what led her to Darden as an MBA student, and what brought her back to Darden for her role with the Batten Institute. Anna also shares insights about Darden’s Batten Scholars program. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Aidan Connell. Aidan is a MBA/M.Ed student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and we recently connected with him to talk more about his background, his decision to pursue an MBA/M.Ed dual degree, what he’s enjoyed about his second year, his advice for prospective students and more. Aidan also shares more about a case he is currently writing on educational leadership. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, click the link the description to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
https://www.instagram.com/dardenmba/?hl=en
https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admissions/
For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, click the link the description to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Yonah Greenstein. Yonah is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and we recently connected with him to talk about his background, what led him to Darden, his work with the Prison Reentry Education Program (PREP), his experience as a Tri-Sector Leadership Fellow and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Ty Sheets. Ty is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and we recently connected with him to talk about his background, his decision to pursue an MBA, his experience moving to Charlottesville with a family, his favorite class from his time at Darden and more. During this interview, we also discuss the Kington Scholarship. The Kingston Scholarship was established in 2018 by Mark (MBA ’88) and Ann Kington to support students from the Appalachian Region.
In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Senior Associate Dean, Professional Degree Programs Yael Grushka-Cockayne. Grushka-Cockayne's research and teaching activities focus on data science, forecasting, project management and behavioral decision-making. Her research is published in numerous academic and professional journals, and she is a regular speaker at international conferences in the areas of decision analysis, project management and management science. During this conversation moderated by Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke, Clarke and Grushka-Cockayne share insights into the Women@Darden initiative which has the goal of making Darden the graduate business school of choice for women leaders across the world.
In this special edition of Darden Admissions’ podcast, we talk with Marc and Shizuka Modica about Darden’s global course offerings. Marc is a Senior Lecturer in Business Administration with broad international experience in negotiation, communications and conflict management teaching and consulting. Shizuka is a lecturer and adjunct faculty member, and she is an expert on high performance, meaningful work, leadership and change management. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Marc and Shizuka about their backgrounds, what led them to Darden, what they enjoy about leading global courses and more. They also share insights about Darden’s global course offerings in Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Ibukun Aiyemo. Ibukun is a second-year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and we talk with her about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her Darden, adjusting to life as a first year MBA student, how she spent the summer after her first year, what she’s enjoyed about her second year and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Seiver Jorgensen. Seiver is pursuing an MBA/Master of Engineering dual degree, and she is currently completing her first year at Darden. We talk with Seiver about what attracted her to the MBA/ME dual degree, what led her to Darden, and what she’s enjoyed about her experience so far. As she shares in the conversation, Seiver is neurodivergent, and we also discuss a new student organization she is starting focused on supporting students with disabilities.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Jim Naughton. Naughton is an Associate Professor in the Accounting area at Darden, and his research examines how financial, legal, and regulatory institutions shape both financial disclosure and economic choices. We talk with Naughton about why he’s passionate about the case method, Darden’s approach to Accounting, his interest in ESG disclosures and more.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Les Alexander. Alexander is an experienced professor, venture capital and private equity investor, corporate executive, and investment banker, and he is a Professor of Practice in the Finance and Strategy, Ethics & Entrepreneurship areas at Darden. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Alexander about Venture Capital (VC), Private Equity (PE), his Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) elective, plans for the UVA Venture Capital Conference, his advice interested in VC and PE and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Melissa Thomas-Hunt and Yael Grushka-Cockayne. Melissa is the Senior Associate Dean for Darden’s Residential Full-Time MBA program and Yael is the Senior Associate Dean for Darden’s Professional Degree Programs. We talk with Melissa and Yael about the fall semester, highlights from the past few months, what they’re looking forward to in the spring, their advice for prospective students and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Alankritha Bhushan and Madison Carey. Alankritha and Madsion are second year students in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and they serve as VPs Conference for Darden’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) club. We talk with Alankritha and Madison about their respective MBA journeys, what attracted them to serving on the GWIB leadership board, highlights from this year’s GWIB Conference and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with second year Full-Time MBA students Hoi-San Guan and Chloe Ramnarine to discuss Darden’s First Generation and Low-Income College Student Initiative (FGLI). The goal of this initiative is to foster community and a sense of belonging among first-generation and/or low-income (FGLI) college students at Darden. We talk with Hoi-San and Chloe about their MBA journeys, what led them to Darden, plans for the FGLI Initiative in the months ahead and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Malcolm Stewart. Malcolm is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and he applied to Darden through the Future Year Scholars program, our deferred enrollment program for undergraduates in their final year of study or full-time masters students who have not held a full-time work position. We talk with Malcolm about his background in asset management, his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, how he spent his summer, the impact of his Darden experience and more.
In this special edition of the podcast, we catch up with Ayana Younge. Younge is an Assistant Professor of Business Administration in the Leadership and Organizational Behavior area at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and her research lies at the intersection of emotions, social hierarchy, and interpersonal processes. We talk with Younge about her journey to Darden, what it’s like to teach in Darden’s core curriculum, her elective – People, Purpose and the Power of Relationships, as well as her work with the PhD Project. Founded in 1994, The PhD Project seeks to diversify corporate America by diversifying the role models in the front of classrooms. Learn more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Allison Elias. Elias teaches courses about communication and negotiation in Darden’s MBA and Executive MBA programs, and we recently connected with her to discuss her journey to Darden, her elective – Women, Gender and Work – as well as her 2022 book, The Rise of Corporate Feminism. Elias was a nominee for the 2022 Outstanding Faculty Award at Darden, and her elective, Women, Gender, and Work, was rated among the top 10% of all Darden electives (according to student ratings regarding course content and instructor quality).
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Peter Hamilton. Peter is a JD/MBA student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and he is also a founder. We recently connected with Peter to talk about his MBA journey as well as his current venture, ema.ai, an AI-powered personal assistant company that focuses on applying conversational AI to consumer products.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Anton Dominic Dela Cruz. Anton is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA program, and he is also the President of Pride at Darden student organization. We talk with Anton about his decision to pursue an MBA, what he enjoys about learning through the case method, Pride at Darden’s plans for the months ahead and more. Pride at Darden (PAD) is a student club that is dedicated to promoting an inclusive, open and welcoming environment for LGBTQ students, educating and improving awareness of LGBTQ issues within Darden and the surrounding Charlottesville area, and facilitating networking with other LGBTQ communities, other business schools and with diversity-friendly employers.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Chidiadi “Rising” Onyeukwu and Beza Bisrat. Rising and Beza are second year students in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and they are members of the Black Business Student Association (BBSA) leadership team – Rising serves as the President and Beza is the VP Careers and Academics. We talk with Rising and Beza about their respective MBA journeys, BBSA’s plans for the coming months, their advice for prospective students and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we continue our periodic spotlight on student founders at Darden in a conversation with Grace Collins and Ellie Jamison. Grace and Ellie are second year students in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and their venture, Play Henry, offers a fresh take on pickleball apparel and equipment – “from court to cocktail.” We talk with Grace and Ellie about their MBA journeys, what inspired their venture, their experience in the UVA’s summer iLab incubator, what’s next for Play Henry and more.
In this special edition of Darden Admissions’ podcasts, we’re excited to share a recent conversation between Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke and Interim Dean of the Darden School of Business Jeanne Liedtka. In this wide-ranging conversation, Liedtka reflects upon her tenure at the Darden School, what drew her to the field of Design Thinking, what she loves about Charlottesville, the impact of the Darden academic environment and more. This episode is essential listening.
In this episode we catch up with Victoria Velasquez. Victoria is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and she is also President of Darden’s Consulting Club. We talk with Victoria about her background, her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden as well as what drew her to leading the Consulting Club. She also shares the Consulting Club’s plans for the months ahead and how the club supports students with an interest in consulting.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jim Zuffoletti. Jim is a Darden alum, graduating in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2005, and he recently returned to Darden to serve as Entrepreneurship Community Director for the Batten Institute as well as an instructor for the Venture Velocity course. We talk with Jim about his background, his passion for entrepreneurship, what the Venture Velocity course is all about, his advice for prospective students and more.
The Round 1 deadline for Darden’s Full-Time MBA program is 4 October! In the spirit of the season, we catch up with Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke to hear her tips and advice for Round 1 applicants.
This year’s Darden Diversity Conference will take place late October 2023, with the virtual event scheduled for 23 October and the in-person event planned for 28-29 October. In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with three first year students in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2025 who attended last year’s Diversity Conference – Matt Au, Brianna Huff and Luis Otero. We talk with Matt, Brianna and Luis about their respective MBA journeys, the role the Diversity Conference played in their MBA research processes as well as why they think prospective students should attend this event.
During this episode, we catch up with Sid Parekh, a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024. We talk with Sid about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, as well as his engagement with the Student Admissions Committee (SAC) and his leadership roles with Darden’s Consulting Club and the Community Consultants of Darden student organization.
In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Alex Hickey. Alex is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and she is also the President of the Darden Wine and Cuisine Club (WACC). We talk with Alex about her background, how she decided to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, her experience serving as social rep for her first year section, WACC’s plans for the months ahead and more.
We’re excited to re-share one of our favorite conversations from earlier in the year – our Office Hours interview with Dean Emeritus Bob Bruner. As a financial economist, Bruner is best known for his research on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and financial panics. He served as dean of the Darden School from 2005 to 2015, and, this May, he retired from the Darden School in May after 41 years of service and leadership. In this conversation, we talk with Bruner about what led him to Darden, his passion for the case method, his interest in financial crises, what the panic of 1907 can tell us about financial crises generally, his thoughts on the recent Silicon Valley Bank collapse and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Managing Director of Admissions Whitney Kestner to talk about the support available to Full-Time MBA students prior to the start of school. In this wide-ranging discussion we touch upon a host of resources including CDWhy, Accounting MOOCs, B-Ready, Darden Before Darden, International Student Orientation Program (ISOP), the ‘Hoo Crews and more.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Tim Laseter (MBA ’94, PhD ’03). Laseter is a member of the Technology and Operations Management faculty, and he teaches courses in operations strategy, innovation and emerging technology at Darden. He maintains his connections with practitioners by serving clients as a senior advisor, speaker, workshop facilitator, and expert witness. In this conversation we talk with Laseter about his background, what led him to Darden for his MBA, what he enjoys about teaching, as well as how he discovered his interest in operations. We also discuss several of his courses, including Operations Strategy, Digital Operations, Emerging Topics in Technology & Operations, his Darden Worldwide Course and a new course he has helped develop for Darden Executive Education, “Unlocking Value of AI, Blockchain and Digital Assets.”
Darden’s Full-Time MBA application is now live, and in honor of the occasion, we recently caught up with Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke to talk about this year’s application. During this conversation, we discuss this year’s short answer questions, choosing a recommender, Darden’s Full-Time MBA test waiver request process and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Alison Neveu. Alison is a student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and she is also VP of Admissions for the Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) club. We talk with Alison about her background, how she decided to pursue an MBA, her experience serving as a General Equity representative for her First Year section, what attracted her to the VP of Admissions role and much more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Kate Gomeliuk. Kate is a student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and she is also the VP International for Darden’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) student organization. We talk with Kate about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, navigating the first year of business school as a parent, how she decided to serve on the GWIB leadership board and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we continue our ongoing series on the learning experience at Darden with a conversation with seven students in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2024 who comprised Learning Team 6 – Alyssa Tulabut, Lindsey Moran, Maryeliz Point, Peter Hamilton, Max Redpath, Rauf Aziz and Gerardo Molina Rodriguez. The team discusses how they established their team culture, how they worked together, how their Learning Team shaped their first year experience and more. Did you know? All Darden students are assigned a 5-6 person Learning Team, and this team is an important academic resource, particularly during the core curriculum.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Yiorgos Allayannis. Allayannis is member of the Finance faculty and an expert in corporate finance, risk management, financial institutions and international finance. His work has examined the impact of derivatives on risk and firm value, corporate governance and its influence in a firm's use of derivatives for hedging, as well as firms' financial and operational hedging strategies. Other work has examined volatility and its implications for firm value distinguishing between earnings and cash flow volatility. In this conversation, we talk with Allayannis about what led him to Darden, teaching Finance through the case method as well as his popular elective, Financial Institutions and Markets. We also discuss a number of the cases he has written across a wide range of topics, including crypto, decentralized finance, green bonds, fintech and more.
During this episode, we continue our spotlight on learning through the case method with a conversation with three students in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2024 – Alex Esposito, Ryan Smith and Vince Wang. In this conversation, Alex, Ryan and Vince reflect upon their decision to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, what they enjoy about learning through the case method, how Darden has prepared them to lead in ambiguous situations, their advice for prospective students and more. Alex, Ryan and Vince also share their favorite case from the First Year core curriculum.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we catch up with Professor Raj Venkatesan. Raj is a member of the Darden Marketing faculty, and he is also a co-Academic Director for UVA’s MS in Business Analytics, a partner program between the Darden School of Business and the McIntire School of Commerce. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Raj about his background, what he loves about the MSBA program, how the program’s curriculum keeps pace with technological advancement, what skills will define the analytics professional of the future and more.
In this episode, we continue our ongoing spotlight on entrepreneurship at Darden with a conversation with Rooney Lee, a recent graduate in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2023. We talk with Rooney about Newsublease, a network providing affordable, short-term housing for MBA, Law and Medical students he launched with two of his classmates, Xinyi Jiang and Shreyas Adiyodi. He reflects upon the inspiration for Newsublease, how the UVA E-Cup helped him refine his business concept, what’s next for Newsublease, his plans for the summer and more.
During this conversation, we catch up with Martin Vargas. Martin is a recent graduate in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and he is heading to New York City to work in investment banking. We recently caught up with Martin to discuss his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, what attracted him to finance as well as his advice for prospective students. Martin also recently served as the President of the Latin American Student Association (LASA), and he reflects upon how this student organization added to his Darden experience.
In this episode of the podcast, we continue our ongoing spotlight on the learning experience at the Darden School of Business with a conversation with three Darden faculty members – Robert Carraway, Lynn Isabella and Marc Lipson. We talk with Robert, Lynn and Marc about how they prepare for class, what it’s like to lead a case discussion, the developmental impact of Darden’s pedagogical approach, their advice for incoming students and more. This episode is essential listening.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Omar Garriott, Executive Director for UVA Darden’s Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology. We talk with Omar about his background in education-focused technology, what led him to Darden, his plans for the Batten Institute, what he’s looking forward to in the months ahead and more. He also discusses his book, Linked, a step-by-step guide to leveraging LinkedIn and building a career in a digital world.
During this episode, we continue our spotlight on learning through the case method with a conversation with three second year students in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2023 – Wade Clement, Lucy King and Edreana Vaz. In this conversation, Wade, Lucy and Edreana reflect upon their MBA journeys, what they enjoy about the case method, how their approach to class preparation has evolved during their time at Darden, their advice for prospective students and more. This episode is essential listening.
This episode concludes our spotlight on the section reps for Darden’s First Year sections – A, B, C, D and E. In this podcast, we catch up with Madeleine Daum, section rep for Section E. We talk with Madeleine about her decision to pursue an MBA, what it’s like to be a double ‘Hoo, what drew her to the section rep role, her advice for prospective students and more.
Over the coming weeks, we will continue sharing conversations with the section reps for Darden’s First Year sections – Section A, B, C, D and E. Up next is Joey Howard, section rep for Section D. During this conversation, we talk with Joey about his background, what led him to Darden, how he decided to serve as a section rep, his advice for prospective students and more.
Over the coming weeks, we will continue sharing conversations with the section reps for Darden’s First Year sections – Section A, B, C, D and E. Up next is Shannon McNatt, section rep for Section C. During this conversation, we talk with Shannon about her background, applying to Darden through the Future Year Scholars Program, how she decided to serve as a section rep and more. We would also like to wish Section C a very big congratulations on their recent Darden Cup victory!
Over the coming weeks, we will continue sharing conversations with the section reps for Darden’s First Year sections – Section A, B, C, D and E. Up next is Sebastian Nabatoff, section rep for Section B. During this conversation, we talk with Sebastian about his background, what led him to Darden, what attracted him to the section rep role, his favorite Section B norms, highlights from his first year and more.
In this very special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with dean emeritus Bob Bruner. As a financial economist, Bruner is best known for his research on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and financial panics. He served as dean of the Darden School from 2005 to 2015, and, this May, he will be retiring after 41 years of service and leadership at Darden.
In this conversation, we talk with Bruner about what led him to Darden, his passion for the case method, his interest in financial crises, what the panic of 1907 can tell us about financial crises generally, his thoughts on the recent Silicon Valley Bank collapse and more.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Anthony Palomba. Palomba is a member of the Communication faculty at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and his teaching interests are focused on how business professionals can present data results and actionable insights to key stakeholders through storytelling. In this conversation, we talk with Palomba about his interest in communication and media, his Storytelling Through Data elective, current challenges and opportunities in the streaming video on demand marketplace, what it takes to lead an entertainment company today and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Mark Williams-Sierra and Fabiana Diaz. Mark and Fabiana are first year students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and they are also Darden’s newest Consortium Liaisons. In this conversation, Mark and Fabiana reflect upon their MBA journeys, their shared background as educators, what attracted them to the Consortium liaison role, the Consortium community at Darden, their plans for the months ahead and more. Learn more about the Consortium.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Earnest Pettway. Earnest is a second year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and he is also the Vice President for Darden Cup. In this conversation, Earnest reflects upon his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, how he decided to serve as VP for Darden Cup, highlights from this year’s competition and more. Darden Cup is a series of extracurricular, athletic and artistic events that take place throughout the academic year. Darden’s five sections compete against each other for the Cup, and the purpose of the event is really two-fold: 1) To foster camaraderie between First Years, Second Years and Faculty and 2) To create good-natured competition across the sections.
Have you ever wondered how a Darden case comes together? In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Gerry Yemen. Gerry is Senior Research and Executive Director of the Darden Case Writing Research Group at the Darden School of Business, and she has interviewed protagonists and written or co-authored over 400 cases, teaching notes and technical notes featuring leading business executives nationally and internationally since joining Darden in 1998. In this wide-ranging conversation, Gerry discusses her background, what led her to Darden, how a case is developed, what it’s like to see a case you’ve written discussed in class and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Natalie Barbaresi. Natalie is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she recently studied abroad at HEC Paris. We talk – Natalie about her background, what led her to Darden, how she decided to study abroad, her favorite memories from her time at HEC Paris and more. Natalie also reflects upon her passion for public speaking and her participation in Darden Stories.
In this episode of the podcast, we’re excited to share the audio from a recent webinar all about UVA Darden’s relaunched PhD program. During this conversation, Professor Michael Lenox, Senior Associate Dean and Chief Strategy Officer, and Christian West, Senior Director of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Recruiting explore the structure and design of the PhD program. Additional topics include research resources for PhD students, admissions insights, and more.
Over the next five weeks, we will share interviews with the section reps for Darden’s First Year sections – Section A, B, C, D and E. First up is Anika Kempe, section rep for Section A. During this conversation, we talk with Anika about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, what drew her to the section rep role, what she loves about Section A and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Taiwo and Kehinde Abiodun. Taiwo and Kehinde are second year students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and, fun fact, they are twins! We talk with Taiwo and Kehinde about their decision to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, how Darden helped prepare them for investment banking recruitment, their advice for prospective students and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Fernando Casarotti. Fernando is a first year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and he moved to Charlottesville from Sao Paolo. Fernando is a lawyer by training, and he reflects upon his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, what he loves about Charlottesville, what he’s looking forward to in the months ahead and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Ronil Diyora. Ronil is a first year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2024, and in this wide-ranging conversation Ronil talks about his MBA journey, what led him to Darden, how his first year has gone as well as his experience participating in the Concept stage of the UVA Entrepreneurship Cup. In the E-Cup, Ronil represented Skinzy, a tool for preliminary diagnosis of skin diseases where the reach and the availability of the traditional dermatologist is limited.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jake Eichengreen and Nick Farmer. Jake and Nick are both second years in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and they have co-founded Tuckamore Development Partners, a venture focused on decarbonizing the built environment by building a network of fabrication facilities close to major North American markets to accelerate the adoption of mass timber building materials as a replacement for high-carbon concrete and steel. Jake and Nick reflect upon their respective MBA journeys, the entrepreneurial ecosystem at Darden, what they gained by participating in UVA’s Entrepreneurship Cup (E-Cup) and more.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Peter Debaere. Debaere is a member of the Global Economies and Markets faculty at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and he is an international economist with a focus on international trade, multinationals and trade policy. He is also a water expert. In this conversation, we talk with Debaere about his interest in Economics, what led him to Darden as well as his elective courses – The Economics of Water and Managing International Trade and Investment. He also discusses, To America and Back Again¸ the new book he co-wrote his brother about their grandmother’s exceptional life.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with George Uehling. George is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and he is also the President of the Darden Outdoors Club (DOC). We talk with George about his background, his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, his passion for the outdoors, his goals for the DOC and more.
Big news! Welcome to our first podcast interview with two students from Darden’s newest MBA format – the Part-Time MBA. In this conversation we catch up with Parker Lapeyre and Max Godwin, first year students in UVA Darden’s Part-Time MBA Class of 2025 and co-Presidents of the Part-Time MBA Student Association (PSA). We talk with Parker and Max about their backgrounds, what led them to Darden, how things are going for their class, their goals for the PSA, their advice for prospective students and more. Essential listening!
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Luca Cian. Cian is a member of the Marketing faculty at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and his research area is consumer behavior, with a focus on sensory marketing, aesthetics, and human-machine interaction. In this conversation, we talk with Cian about his background, his passion for teaching, his research in artificial intelligence, “word of machine” recommendations and more.
In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Professor Mary Margaret Frank. Frank is the Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development, the John Tyler Professor of Business Administration and the Institute for Business in Society Academic Director at the Darden School of Business. Her expertise is in the integration of business and public policy, including cross-sector collaborations. She is a former board member of Veru Inc., (formerly known as the Female Health Company), which works with public-private partnerships that empower women to fight HIV globally, especially in Africa. She is also an expert in regulated disclosure focusing on tax, financial accounting and patent reporting. During this conversation moderated by Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke, Frank reflects upon her background, how she helps prepare faculty to teach at Darden, her passion for her students, her experience leading Darden Worldwide Courses in Africa and more.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Pedro Matos. Matos is the academic director of the Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management and a member of the Finance faculty at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. His research focuses on the growing importance of institutional investors in financial markets worldwide, and in this conversation, we talk with Matos about his background, his work with the Mayo Center, his role as advisor to Darden Capital Management, his passion for ESG (Environmental Social Governance) investing and more.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Yo-Jud Cheng. Cheng teaches in the Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship area at Darden, and her research focuses on corporate governance and top executives in public companies. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Cheng about her background, what led her to Darden, and what she enjoys about teaching Strategy in the first year core curriculum. She also shares insights about several recent corporate governance scandals as well as the important role corporate boards play in shaping a company’s strategic direction.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Alyssa Gonzalez. Alyssa is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she is also the President of the Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) student organization. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Alyssa about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, and the important role community and mentors have played during her MBA journey. She also shares insights about GWIB and the organization’s plans for the months ahead.
In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share a recent conversation between the Dean of the Darden School of Business Scott Beardsley and Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke about why it has never been a better time to be at Darden. Beardsley and Clarke share insights on a number of topics including the importance of financial accessibility and scholarships, Darden’s unique academic environment, updates on School priorities and how students can take a Darden MBA ‘from here to anywhere.’ This conversation was recorded on 2 November.
In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Professor Melissa Thomas-Hunt. Thomas-Hunt is the John Forbes Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business and Professor of Public Policy at the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, and she is also the former Head of Global Diversity and Belonging at Airbnb where she led the strategy and execution of our global internal diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging programs. For 25 years, she has taught MBAs and executives leadership, team dynamics, and negotiations and conducted research on the factors that unleash, leverage, and amplify the contributions made by individuals, particularly women, underrepresented individuals, and numerical minorities. During this wide-ranging conversation moderated by Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke, Thomas-Hunt touches upon her professional journey, what led her to Darden, her experience at Airbnb and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Devon Page. Devon is a second year student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and he is also the President of the Parents at Darden student organization. We talk with Devon about his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, how he navigated his first year, and how he has balanced the demands of an MBA program and family. Devon also shares his goals for the Parents at Darden student organization in the months ahead.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Myles Stroud. Myles is a second year student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and he is one of the co-Presidents of the Darden Military Association (DMA). We talk with Myles about his background, how he decided to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, how he spent his summer internship as well as his goals for the DMA in the year ahead. This episode is highly recommended for any military veterans considering any of Darden’s MBA formats.
Darden has re-launched its PhD program, and, in honor of the occasion, we are sharing interviews with Darden PhD program alums on the podcast. In this episode, we catch up with Kirsten Martin (MBA ’99, PhD ’06). Martin is the William P. and Hazel B. White Center Professor of Technology Ethics and a professor of IT, analytics, and operations in the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame. A nationally recognized expert in privacy, technology, and business ethics, she is the director of the Notre Dame Technology Ethics Center (ND TEC). In this wide-ranging conversation, Martin reflects on her experience as a Darden PhD student, her interest in technology ethics, her current research and more.
This weekend marks the occasion of the annual Darden Diversity Conference! During this in-person event in Charlottesville, prospective students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of programming – from a mock case discussion to alumni and student panels and beyond. The Darden Diversity Conference is an opportunity for prospective students interested in the Darden Full-Time MBA program to experience how the School embraces diversity and inclusion. A few weeks ago, we invited Diversity Conference Co-Chairs Fanny Mei (Class of 2023) and Pooja Vittal (Class of 2023) on the podcast to discuss their MBA journeys and plans for this year’s conference.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Megan Scott. Megan is a second year student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she is also the President of the Black Business Student Association (BBSA). We talk with Megan about her background, what led her to Darden, how she spent her first year summer, plans for BBSA in the year ahead and more.
In this special episode of the Darden Admissions podcast, we’re excited to share a recent installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Carolyn Miles (MBA ’88). Miles is an Executive Fellow and Professor of Practice, and she is also the former Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children, an organization that gives children in the United States and around the world a healthy start, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. In this conversation, Miles shares reflections on her MBA journey, the impact of her Darden experience, the work she and other are doing as part of Darden’s Women 2.0 initiative, highlights from UVA Darden’s inaugural women’s summit and more.
It’s conference season at UVA Darden! In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Catherine Kirchner and Elizabeth Saltonstall. Catherine and Elizabeth are second year students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and they both serve as VP of Conference for Darden’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) club. We talk with Catherine and Elizabeth about their decisions to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, how they spent the summer, their plans for this year’s GWIB conference and more.
It’s conference season at UVA Darden! In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Catherine Kirchner and Elizabeth Saltonstall. Catherine and Elizabeth are second year students in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and they both serve as VP of Conference for Darden’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) club. We talk with Catherine and Elizabeth about their decisions to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, how they spent the summer, their plans for this year’s GWIB conference and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Lizzy Belair. Lizzy is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she is the President of the Net Impact club at Darden. We talk with Lizzy about her background, her decision to pursue an MBA, as well as her passion for real estate, sustainability and user-focused design. Lizzy also shares insights about Net Impact and plans for the year ahead. Darden’s Net Impact chapter is part of a global network of more than 300 Net Impact chapters on six continents and thousands of student and professional members.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Lizzy Belair. Lizzy is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she is the President of the Net Impact club at Darden. We talk with Lizzy about her background, her decision to pursue an MBA, as well as her passion for real estate, sustainability and user-focused design. Lizzy also shares insights about Net Impact and plans for the year ahead. Darden’s Net Impact chapter is part of a global network of more than 300 Net Impact chapters on six continents and thousands of student and professional members.
In this episode of the podcast, we spotlight the MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) program with a conversation with James G. “Trey” Maxham III. Maxham is the William Stamps Farish Entrepreneurial Eminent Research professor at UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce and he also serves as one of the Academic Directors for the MSBA program. In this wide-ranging conversation, Maxham reflects upon how the MSBA program has evolved since its launch in 2017, sharing insights about the inspiration for the program, how the program’s integrated design leverages faculty and expertise from both Darden and McIntire, his experience teaching in the program and more. This episode is essential listening for anyone considering the MSBA Program.
In this episode of the podcast, we spotlight the MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) program with a conversation with James G. “Trey” Maxham III. Maxham is the William Stamps Farish Entrepreneurial Eminent Research professor at UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce and he also serves as one of the Academic Directors for the MSBA program. In this wide-ranging conversation, Maxham reflects upon how the MSBA program has evolved since its launch in 2017, sharing insights about the inspiration for the program, how the program’s integrated design leverages faculty and expertise from both Darden and McIntire, his experience teaching in the program and more. This episode is essential listening for anyone considering the MSBA Program.
In this episode, we catch up with Darden Admissions Committee members Whitney Kestner and Catie Yeilding to talk about a subject near and dear to our hearts: Events! Whitney and Catie share insights about the role events play in the business school research process, how event preparation is kind of like getting ready for a case discussion, the importance of intentional engagement and more. This episode is essential listening for Darden applicants.
In this episode, we catch up with Darden Admissions Committee members Whitney Kestner and Catie Yeilding to talk about a subject near and dear to our hearts: Events! Whitney and Catie share insights about the role events play in the business school research process, how event preparation is kind of like getting ready for a case discussion, the importance of intentional engagement and more. This episode is essential listening for Darden applicants.
Please join our Admissions team for these special micro-podcast episodes giving you a step by step guide to the application process. There are two ways to listen to the playlist... here, on Spotify ► https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2EtyMkjZzi9ErgSjrTxKEl?si=1bffd345fee549ad
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Huan Zheng. Huan is a recent graduate in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2022, and she completed the MBA/M.Ed dual degree program during her time in Charlottesville. In this wide-ranging conversation, Huan reflects upon her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, as well as what attracted her to the MBA/M.Ed dual degree program. She also talks about moving to the U.S. from China, the importance of networking, her growing interest in venture capital and much more. Editor’s Note: This conversation was recorded towards the end of Huan’s second year at Darden.
Did you know that Darden has re-launched its PhD program? In honor of the occasion, we will be sharing interviews with Darden PhD program alums on the podcast in the coming weeks, and first up is Jeff York (PhD ’09). York is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business, and he currently serves as the Chair of the Division of Social Responsibility and Sustainability (SRS) Research Director for the School’s Deming Center for Entrepreneurship. In this podcast, we talk with York about his decision to pursue a PhD, what led him to Darden, and what he has been up to since his time in Charlottesville. This conversation is highly recommended for anyone interested in climate change, sustainability and green technologies.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we catch up with Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions, Dawna Clarke, to reflect on a truly historic opening week for the Darden School of Business. On Monday, 15 August, for the first time in the history of the School, we welcomed Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, and Executive MBA students to grounds for the start of school. In this episode, we discuss key data points for each of these classes and look ahead to a busy fall for the Admissions team, including upcoming deadlines, the annual Diversity Conference, a Women’s Leadership Symposium in Rosslyn and more.
In this special episode of the Darden Admissions podcast, we’re excited to share a recent installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke and Senior Associate Dean, Professional Degree Programs Yael Grushka-Cockayne. Grushka-Cockayne leads UVA Darden’s Part-Time MBA, Executive MBA and MSBA programs, and she is also a member of the Quantitative Analysis faculty. This conversation touches upon a wide variety of topics including UVA Darden’s differentiators, how faculty are an integrated part of the Darden community, the power of the case method, imposter syndrome and more. Grushka-Cockayne also shares insights from her research and publication.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share the 15th installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Robert Carraway. Carraway teaches in the Quantitative Analysis area, and he has taught in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA programs, and he will teach Decision Analysis in the core curriculum of the newly launched Part-Time MBA program. He served as Senior Associate Dean for MBA programs at UVA Darden from 2006 to 2011, a period that included the introduction of the Executive MBA program. In this wide-ranging conversation, Carraway offers his insights about the case method, the Darden community as well as the design of Darden’s core curriculum. He also discusses the important role intuition plays in analysis, and why stories matter when working with data.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share the 13th installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Andy Wicks. Wicks teaches Ethics in Darden’s MBA and Executive Education programs. An ethicist with a background in religious studies, Wicks examines both the theoretical and practical implications of ethics through thought-provoking courses such as: "Responsible Leadership: Ultimate Questions and Creating Value for Stakeholders"; "Leadership, Values and Ethics"; "Servant Leadership"; and "Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics." In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Wicks about his background in Religious Studies, what led him to Darden, what he enjoys about teaching Ethics in business school, the inspiration behind his popular “Ultimate Questions” elective and more. Wicks is also the Director of UVA Darden’s Doctoral program, and he discusses the re-launch of the PhD program this fall.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Daniela Fernandez. Daniela is a student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she applied to Darden through the Future Year Scholars Program. Daniela talks about her career prior to Darden – including a stint at Mattel serving as a regional brand manager for Barbie – as well as how she decided to pursue an MBA. She also reflects upon her first year at Darden, her plans for the summer and some of her extracurricular activities, including the Darden student/faculty band and the Cold Call Chorus. e podcast, we catch up with Daniela Fernandez. Daniela is a student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she applied to Darden through the Future Year Scholars Program. Daniela talks about her career prior to Darden – including a stint at Mattel serving as a regional brand manager for Barbie – as well as how she decided to pursue an MBA. She also reflects upon her first year at Darden, her plans for the summer, and some of her extracurricular activities, including the Darden student/faculty band and the Cold Call Chorus.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Lindsay Bralower. Lindsay is a recent graduate in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2022, and she also applied to Darden through the Future Year Scholars Program. We talk with Lindsay about her MBA journey, what attracted her to the Future Year Scholars Program, what it’s like being a “double ‘Hoo”, and where she’ll be heading after graduation.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Cecilia Rios Murrieta. Cecilia is a graduate in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2022, and she is also a founder. We talk with Cecilia about her MBA journey, including her background in the Mezcal and spirits industry as well as her new venture, JAS. JAS (Joie Avec Sans) is an alcohol-free beverage brand that allows everyone to participate in the social ritual of drinking without compromise, by mindfully creating beverages that emulate the look, taste and mouth-feel of traditional alcoholic beverages.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Yeti Ogunwumi. Yeti is a second year student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she is also President of Building Goodness in April (BGIA), a student organization dedicated to keeping marginalized homeowners living in warmth, dignity, and decency, and to improving the facilities of local community groups. We talk with Yeti about her background in architecture, her passion for art, why she was excited to be a double ‘Hoo, her plans for BGIA in the year and much more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Vashti Barran (Class of 2023). Vashti is a second year student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and, in this wide-ranging conversation, she reflects upon her MBA journey – from growing up in New York City, to college in NYC, to her career in the non-profit sector, to Charlottesville and her first year as a Darden student. Vashti is President of Humans of Darden, a student organization that seeks to form stronger connections among the humans of the Darden School of Business, and she also shares her plans and vision for Humans of Darden in the year ahead.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share the 13th installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Manel Baucells. Baucells teaches quantitative analysis courses in Darden's MBA and Executive Education programs. Baucells' research focuses on incorporating psychological realism into consumer behavior models by considering factors such as reference point formation, mental accounting, psychological distance, anticipation, fatigue, and satiation; and examines how these factors influence risk and time preferences, consumer choices, and managerial decisions. We talk with Manel about his interest in quantifying the unquantifiable, why he’s passionate about the case method, as well as his research around attaining happiness. He also shares insights about Darden’s newly re-launched PhD program as well as his Behavioral Decision Making elective.
Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions, Dawna Clarke, joins us for our annual spotlight on the new Full-Time MBA application. Dawna shares insights about the application, including her favorite essay question, tips for choosing a recommender, advice for candidates considering a test waiver request and more. She also talks about the importance of approaching the MBA application process with both joy and excitement.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share the 12th installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor June A. West. West is the Marjorie R. Sands Associate Professor of Business Administration, and she specializes in organizational communication, leadership, strategy, and change management. She teaches in Darden’s MBA, Executive MBA, Executive Education programs, iLab Innovation Incubator and the Center for Global Initiatives, where she offers for students a global course that takes place in Bahrain, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. In the year ahead, she will also be teaching the Leadership Communication course in Darden’s newest MBA format, Part-Time MBA. We talk with June about her interest in communications, what led her to Darden, and why she’s so passionate about working with students. She also reflects upon her work with Darden’s Partnership for Leaders in Education (PLE), a program with UVA’s School of Education, as well as her current research interests, including hot topics in communications.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with June Sun. June is a student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she is the Chief Investment Officer for Darden Capital Management, an organization comprised of 24 second-year students chosen to actively manage six investment portfolios for the Darden School Foundation, including the newest fund focused on REITs, which launched on 1 April 2022. We talk with June about her journey to Darden, why she’s passionate about Finance, her plans for the summer ahead, what she’s looking forward to accomplishing in her CIO role and more.
In this special episode of the Darden Admissions podcast, we spotlight the recent Finals Exercises at the University of Virginia and the Darden School of Business. Every year, the Darden ceremony features student speakers who are nominated and voted upon by their classmates. We’re excited to share the remarks from Alex Smith (MBA ’22), the Full-Time MBA student speaker as well as Joe Stanley (EMBA ’22), the Executive MBA student speaker. You will also hear reflections and introductions from by the outgoing Darden Student Association (DSA) President DeMario Moore (MBA ’22) and outgoing Executive Student Association (ESA) President Catriona Stadtler-Ayer.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Khushali Shah. Khushali is a student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and she was recently named Forte fellow ambassador for 2022-2023. She is also VP International for UVA Darden’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB). We talk with Khushali about her background and her decision to pursue an MBA, as well as what attracted her to the Forte fellow ambassador role.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Nikolaus Jacobs. Nikolaus, or “Niko” as his classmates know him, is a second year student the Full-Time MBA Class of 2022. Niko is originally from Germany and came to the United States for college before spending time working for Google in Ireland. We talk with Niko about his MBA journey and how his career interests have evolved during his time at Darden. He also reflects on the importance of knowing your priorities and values, or as he describes it “your north star”, as you navigate business school.
In this episode of the podcast, we continue our ongoing spotlight on student founders. We catch up Bradley Levergood (Class of 2023) and Maya Singh (Class of 2023) about their venture, Clarifi Technologies, LLC, a product to help students with ADHD stay focused while doing digital work. We also talk with Bradley and Maya about their MBA journeys, how UVA's Entrepreneurship Cup has helped them along their entrepreneurial path, and what their excited about for Clarifi in the months ahead.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Adriana Gadala-Maria. Adriana, or “Adri” as her Darden classmates know her, is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2022. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about Adri’s journey from the tech industry in the San Francisco Bay Area to Darden community in Charlottesville. She reflects upon her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden and how she has pursued her passion for venture capital during her time in business school, including internships with Cav Angels, Glynn Capital and Dorm Room Fund, as well as serving as President of the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital (EVC) club. This episode is highly recommended for prospective students with an interest in venture capital and/or private equity.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we catch up with Raj Venkatesan. Venkatesan is a member of the Marketing faculty at Darden, and he was recently named the Co-Academic Director for the M.S. in Business Analytics program, a one-year specialized masters offered by the UVA Darden School of Business in partnership with UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce. Venkatesan’s areas of expertise are customer relationship management, marketing metrics and marketing analytics, and in this wide-ranging conversation, he reflects upon his background, what led him to Darden, what he’s researching currently and why he’s excited about his role at Co-Academic Director. He also discusses the important role communication and messaging play in analytics, and why the human element may matter even more in the data work of the future.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Rachel Edwards. Rachel is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2022, and she is also an entrepreneur. Rachel has spent her career in fashion, and we chat with her about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, her work with the UVA Seed Fund and early stage ventures during her two years in Cville, as well the software application she is developing focused on helping individuals sharpen their personal fashion and style.
In what is quickly becoming an annual tradition on the podcast, in this episode we catch up with the new Consortium co-liaisons for the upcoming academic year – Alexis Orr (Class of 2023), Minnie Lahoti (Class of 2023) and Angel Monrroy (Class of 2023). Alexis, Minnie and Angel reflect upon their MBA journeys and why they’re excited to serve as Consortium liaisons in the year ahead. They also share what the Consortium community has meant to them over the past year, and they also provide a few tips for incoming Darden students.
In this episode of the podcast, we spotlight the Second Year Tutor Program, and we are joined for this conversation by the outgoing Second Year Tutor Chairs Kate Shadlock (Class of 2022) and Johnny Mac Yates (Class of 2022). With graduation on the horizon, Kate and Johnny Mac talk reflect upon their MBA journey and the impact of their Darden experience. They also discuss what the tutoring program, the important role Second Year students play in supporting First Year students, and how their experience leading the tutoring program has only deepened their respect and appreciation for the Darden faculty.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Sukari Brown (Class of 2023). Sukari is a First Year student in UVA Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and it’s fair to say she is involved in the extracurricular life of the school. Sukari is the President-Elect of the Private Equity Club, a Breakthrough Scholar, a Consortium member and a portfolio manager for Darden Capital Management. She is also meaningfully involved with the Black Business Student Association (BBSA), Darden African Business Organization (DABO), and the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club (EVCC). During this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Sukari about her MBA journey and what led her to Darden. She also discusses her plans for the summer, and her Darden Venture Fellowship with Sands Capital Management in Arlington, Virginia. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in learning more about private equity and venture capital-related opportunities and support at the Darden School. Click here for more information about the Breakthrough Scholars Program.
In this conversation, we catch up with Ryan Cox. Ryan is a first year student in Darden’s Class of 2023, and he is also enrolled in UVA’s MS in Data Science program. We talk with Ryan about his experience as a dual degree student, what it’s like learning in the case method, his plans for his summer internship and what he loves about his first year section, Section D. Ryan applied to Darden through the Future Year Scholars Program, Darden’s deferred enrollment program for bachelor’s degree students in their final year of student and full-time masters students who have not held a full-time work position.
In this conversation, we catch up with Kristian Robinson. Kristian is the Associate Director of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Recruiting at the Darden School of Business, and we recently connected with him via Zoom to talk about his journey to Darden. Kristian has a background in mental health counseling and he is currently working on a Ph.D at Virginia Commonwealth University, and in this wide-ranging conversation, he shares how his background and research interests led him to pursue a role in higher education, and Admissions specifically. Fun fact: Kristian was instrumental in planning and executing this year’s Darden Diversity Conference.
In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Tyler Kelley and Moriah Horner. Tyler and Moriah are First Year students in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2023, and they are also newly elected leaders of the Darden Student Association (DSA). Tyler is the DSA President and Moriah is DSA Executive Vice President, and we talk with them about their backgrounds, how they decided to pursue an MBA, how their first year has gone and what they hope to accomplish as DSA leaders in the year ahead.
In this special edition of the podcast, we spotlight the University of Virginia’s MS in Business Analytics. The MSBA is a 12-month program offered in partnership by the Darden School of Business and the McIntire School of Commerce, and it is designed for working professionals seeking to learn essential and emerging data analysis techniques within a business context. We are joined for this conversation by two Admissions colleagues from the McIntire School of Commerce, Lizzie Batman and Mary Wells, as well as frequent Admissions podcast guest and Darden Admissions Committee member, Katherine Alford.
In this special episode of the Darden Admissions podcast, we’re excited to share a recent installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke and Professor of Practice Vivian Riefberg. Riefberg is a Professor of Practice at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia where she holds a David C. Walentas Jefferson Scholars Chair. She joined the Darden faculty after over 31 years at McKinsey & Company, and she is one of the faculty sponsors for the Women@Darden initiative, teaches in both the Executive and Full-Time MBA formats, and serves on many advisory boards. Riefberg is a Director Emeritus with McKinsey and was also recently named as an Advisory Board Member for the Smithsonian's American Women's History Museum.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Hemant Das. Hemant serves as the Principal Advisor for India Initiatives through Darden's partner Sannam S4. Hemant works collaboratively across the Darden Enterprise, leading efforts to advance the school’s impact and engagement in India and the region. He is a key liaison for Darden to alumni, corporate partners, current/prospective students, and business and educational institutions in the region. We talk with Hemant about his background, what led him to Darden, the power of the Darden network in India and why he enjoys engaging with members of the Darden community.
In this episode of the podcast, we connect with Kate Allen (Class of 2022). Kate is a second year student, and she also serves as Vice President for Darden Cup on the Darden Student Association. During this wide-ranging conversation, Kate talks about how she identified her target MBA programs, why Darden resonated with her, and what it was like to go through the business school application process with a partner who was also a B-school applicant. Kate also reflects upon her decision to serve as VP for Darden Cup and shares how things have been going this year. Fun fact: Kate is a Second Year Coach, working closely with a group of First Year Darden students as they navigate the job search process.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Doris Cao. Doris is Director of China Initiatives with Darden’s Center for Global Initiatives, and she is based in Shanghai, China. We recently connected with Doris via Zoom to talk about what led her Darden, what enjoys about working with Darden students and why she thinks Darden is such a transformational MBA experience. She also shares reflections on her career in higher education and insights about what makes Shanghai such an exciting city.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Second Year students Juan Montiel (Class of 2022) and Jorge Laborde (Class of 2022). Juan and Jorge are both members of the Latin American Student Association (LASA) student organization leadership board, and we talk with them about their decision to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden and their experiences relocating to Charlottesville from Argentina and Chile, respectively, for business school. They also share insights about the Darden community and what LASA has planned for the months ahead.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the 11th installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Toni Irving. Irving is a Professor of Practice at the Darden School, and she teaches several courses in the Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship area, including “Getting in the Room Where It Happens: How to Successfully Navigate the Workplace and Get Things Done”, “Business Ethics Through Literature”, Whose Streets?!: ESG Strategies to Create Competitive Advantage from Wall Street to Main Street” and “Thinking of a Master Plan: Non-Profit Management, Metrics & Impact Making in the Field.” In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Irving about her journey from UVA grad to English and American Literature PhD to English professor to Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for the Governor State of Illinois to founding and launching a social impact fund and now her work at Darden. She also shares insights about her courses and reflects upon what she enjoys about teaching both Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA students.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the 10th installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Marc Lipson. Lipson is a member of the Finance faculty, and he teaches a wide range of courses at the Darden School, including First Year Finance, International Corporate Finance, and Innovators, Designers, and Entrepreneurs in Action. He also recently served as the Associate Dean for the Full-Time MBA program. Lipson’s principal area of research is market microstructure — the study of how market design and organization affects price formation and liquidity. We talk with Lipson about what led him to Darden, what he loves about the Darden classroom, his time as a visiting scholar at the New York Stock Exchange, as well as his passion for art and culture and how these interests inform his work.
In this episode of the podcast, we welcome back an old friend, Director of Admissions Catie Yeilding. In this episode we talk with Catie about a wide range of topics, from her recent favorite podcast and college football to application tips and the Darden interview. Catie shares insights for applicants targeting Darden’s Full-Time MBA Round 2 application deadline. Essential listening.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Olivia Pavco-Giaccia. Olivia is a second year student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2022, and prior to arriving at Darden, she founded and ran a social enterprise, LabCandy, focused on breaking down gender barriers and educating young girls in STEM. We talk with her about her background in science and how she decided to pursue an MBA. Olivia is also the President of the Community Consultant of Darden student organization, and she shares insights about the club’s work and what the group has planned for the months ahead. Essential listening.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the ninth installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Casey Lichtendahl. Lichtendahl is a member of the Quantitative Analysis faculty and Co-Academic Director for the MS in Business Analytics program. He is also a Darden alumnus, and in this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Lichtendahl about his background in the beverage industry, how a Quantitative Analysis course with Robert Carraway sparked his passion for data and changed his life, his recent work forecasting for Google, what it’s like to teach at Darden as an alumnus, why he feels the Darden learning environment is truly special and much more. Essential listening.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the seventh installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Dan Murphy. Murphy is a member of the Global Economies and Market, and during this wide-ranging conversation, he touches upon everything from growing up in Denver and his twin passions for policy and economics to affordable housing and his favorite book of all-time.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Shuai Yao (Class of 2023). Shuai reflects upon her personal story, including relocating from China to the Washington and launching her own global social media talk show on which she interviewed passengers she picked up while driving for Lyft. Shuai also shares insights from her first couple quarters at Darden, including how her Learning Team has become another family for her and her fellow teammates.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we recap the recent Darden Diversity Conference! This year’s conference was hosted virtually, and it marked the fourth occasion of this annual event. We catch up with two students who served on the Diversity Conference planning committee – Full-Time MBA student Khaliyah Legette (Class of 2022) and Executive MBA student Chi Lo (Class of 2022) – to talk about this year’s conference, the planning and preparation that went into the two-day affair, why diversity matters at Darden and more.
This weekend marks the occasion of Darden’s annual Diversity Conference! In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Natalia Alvarez Diaz. Natalia is a second year student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2022, and she is also the President of the Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) club. In this wide-ranging conversation, Natalia reflects on a host of topics, ranging from her MBA journey and what led her to Darden to her passion for social justice and how community engagement has enriched her business school experience.
In this episode, we catch up with Second Year Full-Time MBA students Alex Goodman (Class of 2022) and Bridget Coburn (Class of 2022) to talk about plans for this year’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) Conference. Alex and Bridget also reflect upon their respective MBA journeys, what GWIB has meant to them during their time at Darden and what led them to serve on the GWIB Board as Vice Presidents of Conference.
In this episode of the podcast, we continue our spotlight on student founders with a conversation with Josh Rombach (Class of 2022). Josh has recently launched a business focused on bringing piquette wine to the masses, Piiq. What is “piquette”? As the Piiq website notes, piquette dates back to Roman times, and it is an effervescent, sparkling wine. We talk with Josh about Piiq’s origins, how the Batten Institute and the Darden community have helped him in the early days of his venture and how Piiq is navigating the pandemic. Josh also offers reflections on his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden and more.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the seventh installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Ed Freeman. Freeman is a member of the Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship faculty, and an academic director for UVA Darden’s Institute for Business in Society. We talk with Freeman and his background in philosophy, his work on stakeholder theory, and why we need a new story about business. Freeman also discusses his recent documentary, Fishing With Dynamite, as well as his new podcast, The Stakeholder Podcast. He also shares his top five “desert island” albums. Essential listening.
Calling all members of the full plate club. In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two of Darden’s dual degree students, Geoff Hansen (MBA/MSDS, Class of 2022) and Lyndsay Burke (MBA/M.Ed, Class of 2022), as well as Merav Frazier, Senior Associate Director, Global Recruitment. In this wide-ranging conversation, Geoff and Lyndsay share reflections on their decision to pursue a dual degree as well as insights about their coursework and class schedules. Merav also offers tips for prospective students considering one of Darden’s dual degrees.
In this special edition of the Admissions podcast, we welcome back Darden faculty member and friend of the pod Greg Fairchild. In this wide-ranging conversation, Fairchild shares insights about one of Darden’s newest scholarship initiatives – the Breakthrough Scholars Program – a scholarship offering focused on creating new opportunities for diverse candidates to thrive in fields of asset management. Fairchild also talks about his new role as CEO and Dean for UVA’s Northern Virginia initiatives as well as a number of Darden-related DC area projects – including the DC Dean’s Fellows, his latest Executive MBA elective and more.
Curious about asset management? In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Rodney Sullivan, Executive Director of the Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management. We chat with Rodney about what led him to Darden, and the incredible resources and opportunities for Darden students interested in asset management – from courses – like Darden Capital Management, to summer internship support, to conferences – like the University of Virginia Investing Conference, to alumni relationships and more. Essential listening.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Kate Bishop (Class of 2022). Prior to Darden, Kate served in the United States Marine Corps, and we chat with her about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, how the Darden Military Association (DMA) supported her during her First Year, what she is looking forward to in her second year and more. Kate also shares insights about Building Goodness in April, Darden’s a student-run organization dedicated to keeping marginalized homeowners living in warmth, dignity and decency and to improving the facilities of local community groups.
In this special episode of the podcast, members of Darden’s Admissions Committee’s and longtime friends of the podcast, Whitney Kestner, Catie Yeilding and Christian West, share tips for researching your target MBA programs. They offer insights and strategies for leveraging virtual events, social media, current students, alumni and more to learn about the people and the communities that will shape your MBA experience. With the COVID-19 pandemic shifting most Admissions events to virtual delivery for the foreseeable future, this episode is essential listening for any prospective student considering any of UVA Darden’s MBA formats.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Mary Swan (Class of 2022). Mary is a second year student in the Full-Time MBA Class of 2022, and prior to Darden, she attend the United States Military Academy and served as an officer in U.S. Army. We talk with Mary about her transition to Darden, how she spent her first year summer as well as her advice for prospective students. Interestingly, after Darden graduation, Mary will be returning to West Point where she will be an instructor.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Oluwaseyi “Seyi” Oyenekan (Class of 2022). Originally from Nigeria, Seyi is a second year student in our Full-Time MBA program, and she is also President of UVA Darden’s Black Business Student Association. We chat with Seyi about her MBA journey, how Darden ended up on her radar, adjusting to the Darden classroom and learning through the case method and her interest in pursuing an investment banking career in Houston, Texas.
In this episode of the podcast, we chat with recent Full-Time MBA graduate Pranav Dalmia (MBA ’21). During his time at Darden, Pranav founded the Business Ethics club. We talk with him about his passion for business ethics, why he thinks Darden’s practical, hands-on orientation to business education is so impactful and how he decided to pursue a PhD after graduation.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we welcome back friend of the pod, Senior Associate Dean Yael Grushka-Cockayne, to talk about UVA Darden’s newest MBA format, the Part-Time MBA. We also take time to check in with Yael about her first year leading the Executive MBA program, what she’s currently researching, why she’s so passionate about project management and how she’s processing England’s recent loss to Italy in the European Championship final.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the sixth installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Lili Powell. Powell is a member of the Communication faculty, and she also has a joint appointment with the UVA School of Nursing. We talk with her about her interest in mindfulness and resilience, as well as what she has learned from her work with healthcare providers. Powell also shares insights about how the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped and redefined the ways we communicate with one another.
Senior Director of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Christian West joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about his background, what led him to Darden, why he’s passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and what he’s looking forward to in the months ahead. We even find time to discuss Christian’s preferred coffee orders and his status as an undefeated southern California karaoke champion.
In this episode we continue our spotlight on student founders with an interview with Jing Xu (Class of 2022). Jing has launched a coffee kombucha venture, Cobouchy, focused on creating a fermented coffee beverage that is all-natural, sparkling, probiotic and caffeinated. We talk with Jing about her entrepreneurial journey and how the Darden community helped her get started with her business. Jing also reflects on how serving as the University Judicial Council (UJC) Vice Chair for Graduate Students and University Judiciary Representative on the Darden Student Association helped shape her first year as a Darden student.
Please join our Admissions team for these special micro-podcast episodes giving you a step by step guide to the application process. There are two ways to listen to the playlist... here, on Spotify ► https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2EtyMkjZzi9ErgSjrTxKEl?si=1bffd345fee549ad or here, on Kaltura ► http://www.kaltura.com/tiny/wh6sp.
How do you get kids to read more? In this episode of the podcast, we chat with Daniel Dickey (MBA ’21) about his start-up venture, the Million Word Challenge, an app that was born from Dickey’s days in the classroom as a Teach for America volunteer and helps readers track how many words they read. Dickey also reflects upon his MBA journey, what led him to Darden, why he’s so passionate about education and the important role that books played in his own growth and development.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the fifth installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Mike Lenox. We talk with Lenox about what led him to Darden, why he thinks lecturing is dead, and why he’s so passionate about Darden’s high-engagement learning environment. Lenox also shares insights from his extensive work on climate change and sustainability, including findings from his recent books "Can Business Save the Earth" (2018) and "The Decarbonization Imperative" (2021), both from Stanford University Press.
In this episode of the podcast, we chat with rising second year Full-Time MBA student, Chris Kraft (Class of 2022). Kraft is originally from Minnesota, and she reflects upon her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, as well as the challenges and the highlights from her first year as a Darden student. Kraft also hosts her own podcast – The Career Queer – and we even managed to find time to talk music, which given her connection to the Twin Cities naturally involved a discussion of Prince.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the fourth installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Greg Fairchild (MBA ’92). We talk with Fairchild about what it’s like to teach at Darden as an alumnus, why he’s passionate about entrepreneurship in rural and inner city communities as well as his work with the Resilience Project and the Darden Prison Program. Fairchild also reflects upon how his personal connection to the Tulsa Race Massacre has shaped his professional interests.
Where some people see problems, other people see opportunities. We chat with Coco Woeltz (MBA ’21) and Isabelle Kayal Larsen (EMBA ’21) about Hummingbyrd, their sports bra and athletic apparel-focused venture. Woeltz and Larsen reflect upon their MBA journeys, what led them to Darden and how the venture courses and resources of the Batten Institute brought them together. Woeltz and Larsen also share insights about the importance of friction points in the entrepreneurial journey and what they are learning as they work to take Hummingbyrd to the next level.
File under: Essential listening. Executive Director of Admissions Dawna Clarke chats about the innovations for this year’s application, including essay optionality, the continuation of the test waiver pilot, and an update to the number of required recommendations. Dawna also shares her favorite tips and advice for Darden applicants, including the importance of approaching the application process with joy, excitement and pride in your accomplishments.
DeMario Moore (Class of 2022) and Jen Bundy (Class of 2022) are the newly elected Darden Student Association (DSA) President and Executive Vice President. We chat with DeMario and Jen about their background, how they decided to pursue an MBA and what led them to Darden. They also share more about drew them to DSA leadership as well as their vision for the DSA in the year ahead. We also discuss their best advice for prospective students, and why everyone should have a folder in their inbox title “Greatness.”
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the third installment of our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Dennie Kim. We talk with Kim about his background growing up in New York City, how he knew he wanted to be a teacher, what attracted him to healthcare and how COVID-19 has highlighted challenges and inequities in the US healthcare system. Kim also shares his advice for MBA students considering a career in healthcare.
This year, UVA Darden has three Consortium co-liaisons – Chisom Omenyinma (Class of 2022), Rafael “Rafa” Rivera (Class of 2022) and Sarah Rumps (Class of 2022). We talk with Chisom, Rafa and Sarah about how they decided to pursue an MBA, what attracted them to the Consortium liaison role and what their goals are for the year ahead. We also find time for a few time management tips, TV recommendations and, of course, pieces of advice for incoming Darden MBA students.
We continue our spotlight on student founders with an interview with Megan Nash (Class of 2022). Megan‘s venture, Rayna, is an electric hair trimmer made for women, by women. We talk with Megan about the inspiration for the product, what her research says about the potential market opportunity, how the Darden community have helped her along her entrepreneurial journey and how her venture has gone from idea to prototype and manufacturing in less than a year.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the second installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Kinda Hachem. We talk with Hachem about growing up in Toronto, what initially sparked her interest in Economics, her “Economics of Money and Banking” course and more. We also check in about a number of hot topics in Economics, including the current U.S. debate about inflation, K-shaped recoveries on a global scale, the greatest current threat to the banking system, and the concept of a global corporate tax rate.
Purvaj Dharia (Class of 2021) is the outgoing VP for International Affairs for the Darden Student Association (DSA). We connected with Purvaj earlier this year to talk about his MBA journey and how the DSA has supported international students during the pandemic. Purvaj also shares why he thinks people and culture should be top of mind for any prospective MBA student.
Did you know the fashion industry is responsible for 10 percent of global greenhouse emissions? However, Darden First Year student Elizabeth Blankenship (Class of 2022) has a solution. Her contemporary fashion venture, Coton, uses only existing materials, bought directly from other luxury fashion brands and mills across Europe, to produce its clothes. We recently connected with Blankenship to talk about her MBA journey, the inspiration for her venture and the importance of doing the hardest thing first.
Alex Zorychta (Class of 2021) is a connector, and his venture, Zalence, allows connectors to curate pools of people they think should meet one-on-one. We chat with him about his entrepreneurial journey and how the Darden community has helped him explore and refine his venture.
We caught up with Director of Venture Programs for the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (and friend of our Admissions podcasts) Jason Brewster to talk about the current state of the venturing at Darden. He also shares insights about effectuation, resources available to Darden student entrepreneurs and reading recommendations for aspiring venturers.
Harsha Gummagatta (Class of 2021) and Eric Linde (Class of 2021) are good friends, but they are also the hosts of a brand new Darden-inspired podcast, Third Coffee. As our listeners may know, First Coffee is a popular tradition at Darden – it’s a dedicated time each weekday when the community convenes for coffee (or tea!) and conversation. We chat with Harsha and Eric about the inspiration for the podcast, how things are going so far and their tips for fellow podcasters.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we’re pleased to share our recent Office Hours conversation with Darden Professor Rich Evans. We talk with Evans about his background, what led him to Darden, what he enjoys about teaching Finance through the case method and more. We also find time to hear Evans’ thoughts about a number of Finance-related “hot topics” – SPACs, GameStop, Bitcoin and the current state of the U.S. stock market.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Katherine Alford and Merav Frazier, two members of our Admissions Committee at the Darden School of Business. Katherine and Merav work closely with our Future Year Scholars Program (FYSP), Darden’s deferred enrollment program for college seniors and fifth year Master’s students, and we recently connected with Katherine and Merav to learn more about the Future Year Scholars Program as well as their tips and advice for FYSP applicants.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Tre Tennyson. Tre is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and he is also Chair of the UVA Graduate and Professional Council and the Graduate Affairs Chair on the UVA Student Council. We recently connected with Tre via Zoom to talk about his MBA journey and how he is advocating for graduate and professional students across grounds.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up Ann Joseph. Ann is a second year student in Darden’s Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and she is also the President of Darden’s Global Business and Culture Club. We recently connected with Ann to discuss her MBA journey, what led her to Darden and how the Global Business and Culture Club has found creative ways to offer programming, like the always popular Global Food Festival, during the pandemic.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Larry Murphy. Larry is President, Custom Solutions, for Darden’s Executive Education and Lifelong Learning group, and we recently connected with him to talk about a meal initiative that was piloted this year to help foster community during the pandemic. Larry also shares an update about the Darden Inn construction project as well as the School’s plans to bring an arboretum and botanical garden to North Grounds.
What’s it like to live in Charlottesville? In this episode, we catch up with three second year students in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, Emma Coogan, Tejaswi Kambalapally and Louis Margules about their respective MBA journeys as well as their favorite things to do in Cville.
Thumbnail image by Saadiq Hasan, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
In the special episode of the podcast, we catch up with Bobby Parmar. Bobby is an Associate Professor of Business Administration and the Shannon Smith Emerging Scholar in Business here at the Darden School, and we recently connected with him via Zoom to talk about the movie he recently produced, Fishing with Dynamite, why he thinks stakeholder theory is gaining traction with more and more business leaders and how he feels Darden’s ethical approach prepares students for the long run.
In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Lauren Wallace. Lauren is an Assistant Director of Student Affairs and Global Engagement Manager at the Darden School of Business, and she has also been the key point of contact for the section of full-time MBA students who just matriculated in January, Section J. This section was created as a one-time offering to give students enrollment flexibility in response to the global pandemic, and we recently connected with Lauren via Zoom to talk more about the work she and others at the School did to support these students.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Alex May. Alex is a second year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and he is also VP for Darden Cup, Darden’s annual section-wide competition featuring extracurricular, athletic and artistic events. We recently connected with Alex via Zoom to talk with him about his MBA journey and how Darden Cup has adapted and adjusted in response to COVID-19 and the University’s health and safety guidelines.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Debbie Wilson. Debbie is the Staff Psychologist at the Darden School of Business, and we recently connected with her to talk about students’ adjustment to life at Darden. During this wide-ranging conversation, Debbie shares a host of insights and tips for incoming students, including self-care strategies, how to prepare for the start of school and much more.
In this special episode of the podcast, we catch up with Senior Associate Deans Tom Steenburgh and Yael Grushka-Cockayne. Tom and Yael are repeat guests on our Admissions podcasts, and we welcomed them back to talk about the fall semester and how Darden’s MBA programs – both Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA – adapted to the evolving COVID-19 landscape. During this wide-ranging conversation, Tom and Yael also share insights about the principles guiding the School’s planning efforts for the months ahead.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two members of the Student Admissions Committee (SAC), Andrew Kalna and Jeremy Rosenthal Andrew and Jeremy are both second year students in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and we recently connected with them to talk about their respective MBA journeys, what led them to Darden as well as their best tips for Darden applicants.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jeff McNish, Assistant Dean, Career Center and Casey Floyd, Director for Employer Engagement. Casey and Jeff have both been on the podcast previously, and we recently connected with them via Zoom to talk about Darden’s approach to career support, what they love about the work they do, what recruiting looked like this fall and more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Rachel Barnes. Rachel is a JD/MBA student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and we recently connected with her via Zoom to talk more about her background, why she decided to pursue a dual degree, how she has balanced the demands of both law school and business school and much more!
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Zakiah Pierre. Zakiah is an Associate Director in Darden’s Office of Student Affairs (OSA), and she works closely with Darden’s student clubs and organizations. We recently connected with her via Zoom to talk more about her background, what brought her to Darden, how student clubs and organizations are staying active and engaged during COVID-19 and much more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Sammi Zhang. Sammi is a second year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and she is also the President of the Asia Business Club at Darden (ABCD). We recently connected with Sammi via Zoom to talk about her background, what led her to Darden, how things are going during the COVID-19 pandemic, her advice for prospective students and much more. Fun fact: Sammi was in China when we recorded this conversation, and she was kind enough to stay up to midnight for this interview!
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Emily Kelly. Emily is a second year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and she is also President of the Black Business Students Association (BBSA). We recently connected with Emily via Zoom to talk more about her background, how she decide to pursue an MBA, what BBSA has been up to this year and much more
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Mark Delaney. Mark is a first year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2022, and he is also a former military officer. We recently connected via Zoom to talk about his decision to pursue an MBA, what brought him to Darden, how his first semester is going as well as his advice for transitioning military members. Mark also hosts his own podcast – The Veteran (Semi) Professional Podcast – and he was kind enough to give us a sneak preview of a few upcoming episodes.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Admissions Committee members, Catie Yielding and Whitney Kestner, for a conversation all about the Darden interview. If you are applying to Darden – or even better, if you are preparing for your Darden interview – this episode is essential listening.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Rachel Gibson. Rachel is a second year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and she is also the first female CEO of Darden Capital Management (DCM). We recently connected with Rachel via Zoom to talk more about Darden Capital Management, what her role as CEO entails, how the organization is navigating the investing turbulence caused by COVID-19 and much more.
In this episode of the podcast we catch up with James Peterson. James is a second year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and we recently connected via Zoom to talk more about his MBA journey including what led him to Darden, how he navigated his first year student at Darden as well as a student initiative he has helped start, The Sobriety Initiative.
This weekend marks the occasion of the Darden Diversity Conference! In honor of the occasion, we recently connected with the Darden Student Association’s (DSA) VP for Diversity, Miranda Grueiro. Miranda is a second year student in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and we caught up with her via Zoom to talk about her background, what led her to Darden, what attracted her to her role as VP for Diversity and how the DSA is working to make sure every Darden student feels valued and loved.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two leaders of our Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) student organization, Maggie Edmunds and Rebecca Welbourn. Maggie and Rebecca are both second year students in our Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, and we recently connected via Zoom to talk more about their backgrounds, what led them to Darden, what GWIB has planned for the weeks and months ahead and much more.
In this episode, we catch up with Kathleen Llontop and Sofia Eckrich. Kathleen and Sofia are second year students in our Class of 2021, and they are also Consortium liaisons. We connected with Kathleen and Sofia to talk about their backgrounds, how they decided to pursue an MBA, what attracted them to their roles as Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management liaisons and more. Did you know? This year’s Consortium class was Darden’s largest class ever, with 44 members!
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up Andrew Pinckney and Natasha Pangarkar. Andrew and Natasha are second year students in our full-time MBA Class of 2021, and they also serve as ROMBA fellows. ROMBA, Reaching Out MBA, is a non-profit organization focused on empowering LGBT+ MBA students and professionals, and we connected with Andrew and Natasha via Zoom to discuss their backgrounds, how they decided to pursue an MBA, what attracted them to their roles as ROMBA fellows as well as their advice for prospective students.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Tom Steenburgh. Tom is Senior Associate Dean for the Residential MBA Program, and we recently connected with him via Zoom to talk about how Darden has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, the preparations that took place over the summer to get ready for the start of school, how classes are going thus far and more. Fun fact: Tom is a two-time guest on the podcast. If you’re new to the pod, be sure to check out Tom’s earlier interview, Episode 44.
In special episode of Experience Darden and The ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Sean Carr, Executive Director of the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. We recently connected with Sean via Zoom to talk about Batten’s pivot to virtual programming, their slate of fall events, Darden’s resources and support for entrepreneurs and more. Sean is also the host of Darden’s Ideas to Action podcast – Be sure to check out this interview series featuring Darden faculty members
In this episode of the podcast, we’re excited to feature our recent conversation with Second Year student Amanda Wiggans. In addition to being a dual degree student pursuing a joint MBA/M.Ed, Amanda is also President of the Humans of Darden student organization. We connected with her via Zoom to talk about her background, her passion for criminal justice, how she spent her summer, the value of organizations like Humans of Darden in an MBA community and much more.
In this episode, we welcome back Associate Director, Diversity Recruitment Marc Paulo Guzman. We recently connected with Marc Paulo to talk more about current plans for this year’s Diversity Conference, as well as what he enjoys about his role and his advice for prospective students.
The start of a new application cycle can only mean one thing here on the podcast: A new application-themed episode! In this episode, we catch up with Director of Admissions, Catie Yeilding, to discuss some of our new admissions innovations for this year’s cycle. If you’re targeting our full-time MBA Class of 2023, this episode is essential listening.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Professor Marc Lipson. Marc is a member of the Finance faculty, and we recently connected with him via Zoom to talk about two academic prep offerings for incoming students he has been instrumental in designing and delivering, Darden Before Darden and B-Ready. We also chat about his background, what led him to Darden and even Bob Dylan during this wide-ranging conversation.
A special edition of the Experience Darden and The ExecMBA podcasts! In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Martin Davidson and Christie Julien. Martin is Senior Associate Dean and Global Chief Diversity Officer at the Darden School, and he is also a member of the Leadership and Organizational Behavior faculty. Christie is Darden’s Assistant Dean for Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and a two-time guest on the Experience Darden podcast (See: Episode #34). We recently connected with Martin and Christie via Zoom to talk more about their backgrounds, what brought them to Darden as well as Darden’s efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion.
In this special episode of the ExecMBA and Experience Darden podcasts, we catch up with Professor Laura Morgan Roberts. Earlier this week, we connected with Laura via Zoom to talk about her experience facilitating a conversation in her Leading Teams course about the killing of George Floyd, the nationwide protests that followed and the social issues implicated by these and other recent events. During this wide-ranging interview, Laura shares how her research interests and lived experience inform her approach to these dialogues, why it is so hard for people to talk about race, and the important role students play in creating opportunity for these conversations.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with rising Second Year student Harsha Gummagatta. Harsha is President of the Tech Club, and he is also host of A Professor and a Playlist, a new virtual Zoom event in which Darden faculty members share songs that are meaningful to them. Recent guests include Shane Dikolli, Ed Freeman, Lalin Anik and more. Be sure to check out the companion Spotify playlist for weekly selections.
In this episode of the podcast we connect with Jeff Tang (MBA ’13). In addition to being a Darden alumnus, Jeff is the new Senior Director for General Management and Marketing Careers at the Darden School of Business. We recently caught up with him via Zoom to talk about his background and what attracted to his new role with the Career Development team
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two of the newly elected leaders of the Darden Student Association (DSA), Megan Bailey and Henrique Lopes. We recently connected with Megan and Henrique via Zoom to talk about Quarter 4, their transition to virtual classes, what attracted them to their DSA roles and how the Darden community is staying connected during this time of physical distancing.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jeff McNish. Jeff is Darden’s Assistant Dean for Career Development and a repeat guest on the podcast. We recently connected with Jeff via Zoom to talk about how the Career team is supporting students during the coronavirus pandemic, the team’s early plans for our incoming Full-Time MBA Class of 2022 and more.
In this very special edition of both the Experience Darden podcast and The ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with the Dean of the Darden School of Business, Scott Beardsley. During this wide-ranging conversation, Scott shares insights about his life and background, how his long tenure at McKinsey helps guide his work as Dean, how he and the leadership team at Darden are navigating the coronavirus pandemic, why he’s optimistic about the future and more!
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Joanne Meier. Joanne is Assistant Dean for Digital and Instructional Initiatives at the Darden School of Business, and we connected with her via Zoom to talk about the school’s experience transitioning to a fully virtual learning environment in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Marc Johnson. Marc is a Darden alumnus (EMBA ’13), and he is also Senior Executive Director for Global Affairs and Enterprise Initiatives at the Darden School of Business. Marc has been at the center of the school’s response to the current coronavirus pandemic, and we recently connected with him via Zoom to talk about how things are going at the school and the University, the current state of planning for the Class of 2022, his advice for international students and much more.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two leaders of the Darden African Business Organization (DABO), Meti Aberra and Sindara Oyekola. Meti and Sindara are both second year students in our Class of 2020, and we sat down with them in Charlottesville a couple months ago to talk about their decision to pursue their MBA, what led them to Darden, what attracted them to their leadership positions with DABO, how DABO builds awareness about the African continent within the Darden community and more. Fun fact: Meti also has her own podcast. Check it out!
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Greg Fairchild. In addition to serving as a Professor in the Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship area, Greg is also Associate Dean for Washington, DC Area Initiative, and we recently connected to talk with him about the Ethics through Literature elective he leads in the full-time MBA program. If you’re looking for a few reading recommendations during this time of social distancing, this podcast is essential listening.
In this episode, we welcome Executive Director of Admissions Dawna Clarke back to the podcast! We connected with Dawna to discuss recent updates to our Full-Time MBA application process in light of the global Coronavirus pandemic as well as her advice for Round 3 applicants. If you’re applying in Round 3, this episode is essential listening. Podcaster’s Note: This was our first “distance” podcast interview, and we’re excited to keep the podcast on the air during this time of social distancing.
In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Lindsay Johnson. Lindsay is a First Year student in our Class of 2021, and we sat down to talk about her background in entertainment and media, why she decided to pursue an MBA, her interest in brand management as well as her experience applying to Darden through the Consortium. We recorded this episode with Lindsay a few months ago, and over the next couple weeks, we’ll be clearing out our interview vault, but stay tuned for new episodes as well. We’re excited to announce that we’ve identified a remote solution that will allow us to keep the podcast going during this time of social distancing.
In this episode of the podcast we catch up with Clement Le Royer and Yun “Chris” Lou, two Second Year students in our Class of 2020. Clement and Chris are leaders of the Asia Business Club at Darden (ABCD), and we recently sat down with them to talk about their backgrounds, what led them to Darden, how ABCD supports students and what they hope to accomplish in the months prior to graduation.
In this episode of the Experience Darden podcast, we catch up with Sarah Costa. Sarah is a First Year student in our Class of 2021, and she is also mom. We recently sat down with Sarah to talk about her decision to pursue an MBA, what brought her to Darden, how her Learning Team has helped her navigate the first year experience, and how she has juggled the demands of school and parenting.
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In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two leaders of the Finance Club, Anne-Catherine Begley and Jay Patel. Anne-Catherine and Jay are both Second Year students in our Class of 2020, and we sat down with them to talk more about the job search process for students interested in Financial Services and how the Finance Club supports students pursuing this career path. Did you know that, for our Class of 2019, Financial Services was the second most popular post-graduate destination, with 24.4% of graduates accepting jobs in this industry? True story.
In this episode, we catch up with Director of Employer Engagement and Recruiting, Casey Floyd. Casey recently launched her own podcast, The Employer Perspective, in which she sits down recruiters to talk about the hiring process and what they’re looking for in candidates. We talk with Casey about the inspiration for her podcast as well as the work she does leading Darden’s Employer Engagement efforts.
In this episode of the podcast, we welcome back Director of Admissions, Whitney Kestner. Whitney shares updates about Round 2, tips and insights for Round 3 applicants as well as guidance for applicants prepping for their Darden interview. We also find time to bust up some common myths around Round 3. Essential listening for anyone applying to Darden’s Full-Time MBA Program.
In this episode, we catch up with Second Year Adam Miller. Adam Miller applied to Darden through the Consortium, and he also hosts a popular MBA podcast called, The MBA Candidate. We sat down with him to talk about what led him to Darden, life as both a first year and now a second year student, his work with Darden’s Prison Program, his goals for his final months as an MBA student and what inspired him to launch his own podcast.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Robyn Swift. Robyn is Director of West Coast Initiatives for the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and we caught up with her during her recent trip to the East Coast to talk about the work she is doing to deepen the connections between Charlottesville and the Bay Area, the Batten Institute’s Connect program (now in SFO and Austin!), and Darden’s growing alumni presence in San Francisco and Tech generally. This episode is highly recommended for anyone interested in innovation, entrepreneurship and/or technology.
Meet Haley Whitlock Gyory! Haley is a Director of Admissions, and she leads our women’s recruitment efforts. During this episode, we talk with Haley about her background, the work she does with our Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) club as well as the Forte Foundation, why she’s passionate about women’s recruitment, and next steps for candidates seeking to learn more about Darden.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jordan Hart. Jordan is a Second Year student in our Class of 2020, and we recently sat down with her to talk about her summer internship, her extracurricular activities as well as her plans post-graduation. Jordan is President of the Tech Club, VP of Admissions for the Graduate Women in Business club and she also serves on the Second Year Student Admissions Committee (SAC).
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Joey Burton. Joey is Executive Director for Darden’s Institute for Business in Society (IBIS), and we recently sat down with him about what brought him to Darden, how IBIS supports faculty research and how this research impacts the classroom experience as well as how Darden helps train responsible leaders.
In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Ed Yu. Ed is Senior Director for Investment Banking Careers with Darden’s Career Development Center (CDC), and we recently sat down to talk with Ed about his background, how the CDC prepares students for the Investment Banking interview process as well as why Darden is such a great fit for future investment bankers.