Today we continue our podcast retrospective with some of our favorite The ExecMBA Podcast episodes from the past year. Of course, you could always begin at Episode 1, but here are a few of our recommendations to get started:
The Washington, D.C., area is the home of our Executive MBA program. If you are curious about the programming and initiatives Darden is pursuing in the D.C. metro, be sure to check out this recent conversation with Director of Washington, D.C., Initiatives Laura Martens. Highlights include the Leadership Unscripted speaker series and Darden’s robust alumni presence in the area.
Additional listening: Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation and Carolyn Miles (MBA ‘88), former CEO of Save the Children were the first speakers in our Leadership Unscripted speaker series. Check out recordings of their remarks below, and make plans to join us in the D.C. area this spring. Our next event on 2 March features Melissa Thomas-Hunt, head of global diversity and belonging at Airbnb, and Erika James, dean of Goizueta Business School at Emory University, in conversation with Darden Professor Laura Morgan Roberts.
Listen to Jean Case | Listen to Carolyn Miles
Bordoni is the primary student affairs resource for our executive format students. In her recent interview, she shared more about her background and what led her to her current role, as well as her advice for students seeking a balance of work, life and school. She also offers insights about the extracurricular experience for EMBA and GEMBA students, including student organizations, class-wide networking opportunities and partner/family programming.
One of just a few repeat guests on the podcast, Ron Cook (Class of 2020) joined us to talk about his roles as president of the Executive MBA Entrepreneurship Club and a leader of our Black Executive MBA student organization. We also found time to check in about his startup in Kenya, which is focused on creating an organic pesticide from pyrethrum, a flower that grows in abundance in Kenya. This unique business venture will be the basis of a Global Consulting Project later this year.
Cook’s earlier interview is also not to be missed. Learn more about his background, what led him to Darden and why he chose our Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) format.
In late 2019, Executive Director for Professional Advancement Connie Dunlop joined us to talk about a few different topics, including the decision to move the “Professional Advancement” course to Quarter 1 (i.e., the first two months of the program), as well as the work Darden faculty and staff have been doing to update the program’s experiential learning components.
Interested in learning more about the “Professional Advancement” course? Check out Dunlop’s first interview for additional insights about this course and the important role it plays as students chart the next steps in their careers.
Additional listening: 2019 was a year of innovation in our Executive MBA program. In addition to the experiential learning enhancements noted above, we also announced a number of global updates. Check out our podcast conversation with Director of Global Executive Programs Ladi Carr to learn more about our new slate of global residency destinations.
Jonas Porcar Ferrer and Bhavin Patel
The ExecMBA Podcast has an ongoing conversation series with two executive format students in the Class of 2020, Jonas Porcar Ferrer and Bhavin Patel. As prospective students, Ferrer and Patel were both podcast listeners, and when they started at Darden, they wanted to use the podcast platform to tell the stories of their Executive MBA experience. What started in November 2018 with a single episode is now four episodes, with two more slated in 2020. Until then, catch up on our earlier entries:
- Part 1: Episode 48 In the beginning! Orientation and Quarter 1
- Part 2: Episode 62 Quarters 2 and 3, including the Brazil global residency
- Part 3: Episode 73 Quarters 4 and 5, including the China global residency
- Part 4: Episode 102 Quarters 6 and 7, including the Europe global residency
Before he landed profiles in The Washington Post and Washington Business Journal, Brian Larsen (Class of 2020) was a guest on The ExecMBA Podcast.
When we sat down with him, he had just started the program and things were beginning to accelerate for his business, RestoraPet. Just 18 months later, Larsen is nearing graduation and his business is on track to gross around $2 million this year. Not too shabby.
Truly one of our favorite episodes ever. In this wide-ranging conversation, Melinda Woods (EMBA ’19) discusses her career path in semiconductors to the Department of Defense, as well as how she balanced the demands of school, work and being a mom.
UVA Darden podcasts also feature a host of other great content, including Darden Ideas to Action conversations with faculty experts, Leadership Speaker Series talks, Leadership Unscripted interviews, Darden Founders Project conversations and more. Subscribe and never miss a post!
Check out faculty thought leadership published on Ideas to Action. And stay connected with us via social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, WeChat
