BJ Glenn (EMBA ’19) is a long-time commercial real estate professional who moved from the Washington, D.C., area to New York City to take a senior associate position with Silverstein Properties before graduating from Darden this spring. Shortly before his time at the School concluded, Glenn described his experience earning an MBA, how Darden helped him see the world differently and what he would tell prospective students.
Why did you choose Darden?
There are a number of reasons why I chose Darden, but I would say the differentiating factor for me was my belief that Darden would make me a more well-rounded person, not just a better business professional. Throughout my career, I have had the pleasure of connecting with several Darden alumni (most significantly, my soon-to-be father-in-law and my former supervisor at Brookfield Properties), and all of them were known within their fields for not only being intelligent, but also for being good-natured people. Then as I started to go through the application process and visit other prospective programs, I could tell that the values I had observed within those individuals permeated through Darden’s culture and educational foundation. For this reason, I decided to apply only to Darden.
What’s been the most surprising thing about your experience?
I think the most surprising aspect of Darden for me has been the effect that the “soft-skill” classes have had on me. Classes such as Lynn Isabella’s “Leading Organizations,” Connie Dunlop’s professional advancement courses, and Andy Wick’s “Business Ethics” classes all trained me to be a more introspective individual. I came to business school to gain a financial foundation, something I knew was integral to my future growth and success in the commercial real estate industry. I had not given much thought to the soft-skill classes I would take, but I can say now that I am so grateful for what I learned in each of those classes, and I recognize them as equally valuable to my future career growth.
What were two or three highlights or a favorite memory from your time at Darden?
There are almost too many highlights to name. I am so grateful for the experiences I shared with my classmates during some of the Global Immersions. From climbing to the top of the Great Wall of China, to driving go-karts through the streets of Tokyo, touring the Dharvi slums in Mumbai, and seeing the Taj Mahal in Agra and Christ the Redeemer in Rio De Janiero, I have gotten to see so much of the world with some amazing people that I know will be lifelong friends. With that being said, no memory will ever be able to top watching the men’s basketball team win the national championship as a cohort during our leadership residency and then celebrating with everyone on the Corner and the Lawn!
What will you miss about Darden?
I think what I will end up missing the most is the way Darden made me think, or look at the world, differently. I think it is easy to get wrapped up in your day-to-day responsibilities. Whenever I was on Grounds, I felt that my cases, professors, and classmates really made me expand my way of thought or look at things differently. Even though those weekends were a lot of work and mentally draining, I always found myself heading back to work better equipped to deal with whatever was on my plate or coming down the pipeline. So I think I will miss that feeling of confidence or growth that came during those times.
Any advice for prospective students considering Darden’s executive formats?
Commit to investing as much of yourself as you can to the entire experience. I feel as though I came to Darden at a very formative period of my life and, because of that, I was open to everything Darden had to offer. Whether it was a case study that stuck with me, a lesson from a professor in class, an experience shared by one of my classmates, a better understanding of global business through traveling or a better understanding of who I am as a leader, Darden allowed for me to experience all of this. But had I not been truly open to new experiences and committed to the process, I know I would not have gotten as much out of the past two years as I did.
