Experience Darden

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.