Experience Darden

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.