On 11 August 2025, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business welcomed 576 new students to Grounds in Charlottesville for the start of the academic year.
361 Full-Time MBA, 132 Executive MBA, 76 Part-Time MBA and 7 Ph.D students gathered in the Forum Hotel ballroom for a rousing introduction to the Darden community, led by Dean Scott Beardsley.
Launch Week continued with class photos, shared meals, bonding at the Poplar Ridge Challenge Course, yoga on Flagler Courtyard, Dogs of Darden and sessions about career journeys and community building. Students met their learning teams and spent time preparing for their first case.
For the Full-Time MBA students, one highlight of the week was Section Reveals — imagine a business-school version of the Hogwart’s sorting ceremony. Students learned whether they would be spending the year in class with Section A, B, C, D or E!
While Executive MBA and Part-Time MBA students are based in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, Launch Week in Charlottesville is a special time to kick-off their time at Darden. The working professional students bonded with their learning teams and dove head first into the case method experience.
Read more about Launch Week on the Darden Report.
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We encourage you to continue exploring whether Darden is the right fit for you!
