Meet Virginia Darden’s MBA Class of 2019

Michelle Gauthreaux 

University of Virginia, Darden School of Business 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Inquisitive at heart, avid world traveler, and passionate about helping others.

Hometown: Miami, FL

Fun Fact About Yourself: Because of my French last name people are often surprised when I start speaking Spanish. This is because I am half Cajun (of French descent) and half Cuban.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Florida – Industrial and Systems Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

  • Citrix Systems Inc.
  • Senior Consultant 2016-2017
  • Staff Consultant 2015-2016
  • Technical Analyst 2014-2015

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Having the opportunity to lead project teams as a consultant at Citrix and mentoring junior consultants as they start their careers in consulting.

Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? Leverage MBA organizations such as Consortium and Forte in preparing your MBA application and keep an open mind when researching and visiting schools.

At the beginning of your MBA school search, identify some goals for your MBA experience and ask schools targeted questions to learn how each program will help you reach those goals.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? My interviewer and the many people I met at Darden were some of the friendliest people and best conversations I had throughout the entire MBA admissions process. Coupled with the case study approach to learning, Darden seemed like the perfect environment for me and other learn-by-doers.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Receiving an offer from a top consulting firm for my summer internship and exploring a new country with my classmates.