Darden student Nicholas Keeley (Class of 2022) is one of just three students selected from across the University of Virginia to be named a Schwarzman Scholar. Keeley will have the opportunity to earn a Master of Global Affairs degree at Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
The MBA/MSDS student looks forward to leveraging the unique opportunity to further develop his knowledge of machine learning and artificial intelligence.
The three UVA students are among 151 Schwarzman Scholars from 106 universities in 33 countries. They are UVA’s ninth, 10th and 11th Schwarzman Scholars since the program started in 2016.
Read the full story on UVA Today.
Keeley commented, “First, I’ll be exposed to prominent business and political figures, as well as the Schwarzman Scholar network,” Keeley said. “I hope that these connections will be mutually beneficial, particularly as I venture into the entrepreneurship space. Second, I’ll finally be able to brush up on the Chinese I studied in college and hopefully attain business fluency. This would open doors to work at offices in China.”
UVA Today reported, “The program’s core curriculum at Schwarzman College focuses on leadership, China and global affairs. It is taught by Tsinghua faculty and international scholars, and incorporates frequent guest lecturers. Outside the classroom, Schwarzman Scholars have access to China through internships, mentors, high-profile speakers and world-renowned researchers. Scholars receive a range of career development resources to help position them following graduation.”
Keeley noted that he feels supported by his two degree programs at UVA. “The Master of Science in Data Science program is one of a kind and was a huge draw to the University for me,” Keeley said. “They’ve been extremely flexible and accommodate taking an MBA simultaneously at Darden, which is a difficult academic scheduling feat to overcome.”
He also shared that attending Darden has been the best academic experience of his life. “The faculty here are unrivaled and the uniquely rigorous core curriculum enforced at Darden, coupled with pure adherence to the case-study method, sets its students apart when they join firms following graduation,” Keeley said. “It often flies under the radar, due to its relatively remote location, but I hope it stays this way – it’s a special place where the student body wants to be overwhelmed by learning and that’s not necessarily what all MBA applicants want out of their two-year experience.”
The Master of Business Administration/Master of Science in Data Science (MBA/MSDS) aims to provide the robust training and cutting-edge tools ideal for students who plan to pursue a variety of career fields, from technology to entrepreneurship to consulting. The MBA/MSDS dual-degree program at the University of Virginia provides a Master of Science in Data Science degree from UVA’s Data Science Institute (DSI) and an MBA from the Darden School of Business.
