Classes recently kicked off for Darden’s newest members of the full-time MBA and Executive MBA programs. Though the start of school is usually ushered in with in-person fanfare and welcome events at both the Charlottesville, Virginia and Arlington, Virginia locations, the coronavirus pandemic necessitated thoughtful and engaging virtual sessions for the Class of 2022. Excerpts below are shared from the Darden Report.
Full-Time MBA
The full-time MBA students’ week included sessions on building community, living one’s values, mindfulness and career planning, among other topics. Students have also met their learning teams and sections, attended socially distanced Yoga sessions on Flagler Court, participated in virtual Zumba courses and learned more about each other through the popular Humans of Darden storytelling program. “Darden trains future leaders to navigate through uncertainty, and there is more than a bit of uncertainty as we embark on an unprecedented new academic year,” said Tom Steenburgh, senior associate dean for the full-time MBA program. “What we do know is that the entire Darden community is committed to ensuring an exceptional education experience for the Class of 2022.”The start of the new academic year for most Darden students followed a remarkable admissions year for Darden, with applications to the full-time MBA up roughly 25 percent and up 45 percent for the Executive MBA. In March, as the coronavirus pandemic spread across the world, Darden added additional accommodation and flexibility for applications and extended the Round 3 admissions to mid-July. The result was the most applications in more than two decades, leading to one of the most competitive admissions cycles in Darden history, and a larger-than-usual First Year class.
Senior Associate Dean for the Full-Time MBA Program Tom Steenburgh shared, “Darden trains future leaders to navigate through uncertainty, and there is more than a bit of uncertainty as we embark on an unprecedented new academic year. What we do know is that the entire Darden community is committed to ensuring an exceptional education experience for the Class of 2022.”
The full-time MBA Class of 2022 welcomed 343 students to a traditional August start spread over five sections. An additional full section will begin in a first-ever January cohort, an option Darden offered to provide flexibility to the scores of admitted students who needed additional time before being able to fully join the class.
Executive MBA
The Executive MBA Class of 2022 welcomed 151 students from over 20 industries and more than 100 employers. The welcome for the new class included an address from Class of 2020 Executive MBA student Dr. Taison Bell, director of the medical intensive care unit at the UVA Health System, who paused his MBA career in March to help battle the coronavirus.
“We’re thrilled with the way the Class of 2022 has come together,” said Yael Grushka-Cockayne, senior associate dean for professional degree programs. “We’re excited to fully engage with them in the classroom through dynamic case discussions, to explore the world through curated global experiences and to be a member of a vibrant, relationship-driven community.”
Read the full Darden Report story online, including more highlights about the Class of 2022.
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