Darden Admissions recently hosted a webinar featuring students in the graduating Executive MBA Class of 2022. Panelists reflected upon the impact of their Darden experience and provided an insider’s view on the Darden MBA.
Watch: An Insider’s Look at the Darden MBA with the Executive MBA Class of 2022
Panelists included:
- Caroline Darney, BetFTW, USA TODAY (EMBA ‘22)
- Jane Eilbacher, Director, Payment Innovation, Anthem, Inc. (EMBA ‘22)
- Kristofer Green, CPA, Vice President, Comstock Companies (EMBA ‘22)
- Perry Kaneriya, MD, Neuroradiologist, Direct Radiology (EMBA ‘22)
- Hannah Poland, Product Manager, Starbucks Reserve Coffee (EMBA ‘22)
The session took place just before graduation, and after the students had completed their final academic activity in the Executive MBA program, Leadership Residency 2 in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Executive MBA program begins and ends with weeklong leadership residencies that take place in Charlottesville, and the focus of the final Leadership Residency for the Executive MBA Class of 2022 was “Creating the Future.”
During the weeklong programming, students heard from alumni speakers, participated in a team-based strategic management simulation, and took a mini-course focused on a forward-looking topic. Course topics included “Water for the Future”, “Strategy in the Digital Age” and “Positioning Your Business and Professional Brand for Success.”
The webinar conversation covered a wide range of Darden-related topics, including the panelists’ favorite class, how their career goals evolved during the program and more. Several of the panelists shared career updates during the session, highlighting new roles, a venture launch and a promotion.
Read on for three key takeaways from the session:
Interested in joining the Executive MBA Class of 2024? There is still time to apply! We have two remaining deadlines – 10 June and 25 June – and a host of resources to help you craft your best application. Check out the application tips section of the blog as well as our application-focused playlist. It’s basically like having an Admissions Committee on demand!
Here are three key takeaways from the webinar:
1. Growing confidence
The panelists discussed how the program helped them push beyond their perceived limitations and find their voice.
The root of this growth can be found in the case method and the impact of this growth could be seen throughout the session — from speaking up in a Finance class to advocating for a promotion. As one of the panelists shared, it’s not necessarily about having the right answer. It’s about taking a position and advancing the conversation.
2. It’s about the people
No one gets through the Executive MBA program on their own, and each of the panelists talked about the deep and meaningful relationships they gained during their time at Darden.
Prospective students often believe they have to sacrifice community to have the schedule, time and convenience of a working professionals MBA program. The reflections of the panelists provided a strong counterpoint to this assumption and shared clear examples that deep relationships are foundational in all of Darden’s MBA formats.
3. You can do it
One of the most powerful aspects of the Executive MBA student experience is that the program allows students to create a different story for themselves. When it comes to school, students often have lots of formed ideas about who they are, what they can do, and what they can’t do, and these ideas often directly intersect with the MBA. The program gives students a platform to challenge these self-conceptions and prove to themselves they can do more than they ever thought.
In this revelation lies this true transformational power of the program. As the panelists shared, there are so many different kinds of students in this program, and there is no one right background for Darden. But the program will help you become an even better version of yourself.
