As previously noted, students play an active role in the extracurricular life of the business school, and Darden has over 50 student organizations. Today on the blog, we spotlight the Darden Military Association (DMA).

What’s the Darden Military Association (DMA)? The DMA exists to assist group members in leveraging former and current military experiences to enhance career opportunities within the private sector, build esprit de corps and camaraderie within the Darden Community and host recreational events. The organization is open to all members (both current and former) of U.S. and foreign militaries, their partners and any individual who is interested in learning about the military.

We recently caught up the DMA leadership to talk more about the club and the important role it plays in the veteran experience at Darden. Interested in learning more? Check out their webpage for additional information, including contact details. And keep an eye on the blog and the Experience Darden podcast in the coming weeks for additional veteran-related content. 

How does the Darden Military Association (DMA) support the Darden community?

We serve the Darden community in several ways. Here are a few of our main activities:

Support for veterans. The DMA offers a space for veterans from any country to come together for community and support. Our club’s Second Years mentor First Year members, we coordinate various veteran-only recruiting events and DMA alumni are always eager to offer advice and assistance. Whatever concerns DMA members might have about classes, recruiting or anything else, our club is here to help.

Outreach with the student body. The DMA also exists to share our military experiences with the broader Darden community. Our Veterans’ Week programming, which took place this fall, is a great example of this.

The week kicked off with a DMA-sponsored First Coffee, and our club President Andrew Nicholas offered his thoughts on Veterans Day and what it means to U.S. service members. Other highlights from the week include a physical training session, a “Military 101” panel, an evening networking event and a hike where we shared best practices for how to eat Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). We believe that veterans have valuable things to contribute to the Darden community, and we are always looking for opportunities to do so.

Bring outstanding new veterans to Darden. Our club is passionate about paying it forward for future DMA members. We want veterans to make the most informed choice possible when it comes to business school, which is why we put so much energy into helping applicants understand what Darden is all about. We are here to help veterans position themselves for success in business school and beyond.