UVA Darden’s news publication, The Darden Report, recently shared a photo story of the 2021 fall semester year-in-review. Students were clamoring for a ‘normal’ start to the school year, and Darden was able to keep the promise of a more traditional back-to-school with 100 percent in-person classes for the Full-Time MBA, Executive MBA and Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA).
Professor Tom Steenburgh, associate dean of the Full-Time MBA, shared just one way that the community was making up for lost time. “To make up for the fact that Full-Time Class of 2022 students never got to spend time in class with the entirety of their sections during First Year core — a hallmark of the Darden experience, Steenburgh said professors came up with a new class called “Core 2.0” that brought sections together in their Second Year to explore their professional passions and grow the crucial section bonds. The Core 2.0 idea, and our willingness to engage with students about the idea and willingness of the faculty to pull it off, highlights a lot of what is good about Darden,” Steenburgh said.”
The Executive MBA students were also eager to resume in-person classes this fall, though the intentionally hybrid format of the program pre-pandemic helped to limit disruptions since students were already accustomed to evening Zoom classes.
Professor Ron Wilcox, associate dean of executive degree programs, said the return to full-capacity in-person classes has also been welcomed by Executive MBA students. Wilcox said the Class of 2022 built an incredible bond last year, which has made their ability to finally come together this year a “big win.”
Darden students attend the GWIB Leadership Conference in September 2021
