Experience Darden

Experience Darden #276: Catching up with Dawna Clarke | Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions

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.

Experience Darden #275: Entrepreneur Spotlight | Kelly Okun

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.

Experience Darden #274: Student Spotlight | Betsy Brandon

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.

Experience Darden #273: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Sasa Zorc

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.

Experience Darden #272: Student Spotlight | Ellie Marsh

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.

Experience Darden #271: International Student Support with Larry Mueller and Merav Frazier

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.

Experience Darden #270: Healthcare @ Darden | Lindsey Moran (MBA ’24)

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.

Experience Darden #269: Healthcare @ Darden | Chris Egbert (MBA ’24)

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.

Experience Darden #268: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Michael Ho

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.

Experience Darden #267: Entrepreneur Spotlight | Alexander Durant & Maximilian Martin

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.

Experience Darden #266: Entrepreneur Spotlight | Curie Chang

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.

Experience Darden #265: Tingting Su, VP Admissions, Graduate Women in Business

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.

Experience Darden #264: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Ian Appel

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.

Experience Darden #263: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Shane Dikolli

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.

Experience Darden #262: Student Spotlight | Jessa Ursabia, President, Graduate Women in Business (GWIB)

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.

Experience Darden #261: Meet Lisandro Sagastume and Hailey Webster, Parents of Darden Student Organization

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.

Experience Darden #260: Student Spotlight | Kristin Scruggs

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.

Experience Darden #259: Meet the Consortium Liaisons | Amari Brown, Chris Woodfolk, Camilla Zhang and Beth Siyoum

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.

Experience Darden #258: Meet Carlos Bortoni (MBA/M.Ed ’19), Senior Director, Tech Hub, Batten Institute

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.

Experience Darden #257: Meet Jen Coleman, Executive Director, Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services

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.

Experience Darden #256: Women@Darden Spotlight | Executive Fellow and Professor of Practice Carolyn Miles (MBA ’88)

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

Experience Darden #255: Spotlight on UVA Venture Capital Conference

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.

Experience Darden #254: Student Spotlight | Sloane Grey

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.

Experience Darden #253: Meet Vincent Truong and Jill Howland, DSA President and DSA Executive Vice President

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

Experience Darden #252: Student Spotlight | Jon Rickords

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.