Meet Virginia Darden’s MBA Class Of 2021

RE-CONNECTING WITH A TWIN SISTER

Tennyson’s experiences in China tested him in other ways too. For nearly a month, he was detained in a Chinese prison due to police misconduct. In some ways, it reinforced the hard lessons he’d learned on how power can be abused and people dehumanized. On the other, it provided time to heal over recent deaths of family members and exposed him to the humanity of those around him.

“This experience demonstrated for me the importance of purposive communication in building relationships, as my 25 cellmates and I shared no common language. However, the community we developed over that time sustained me, for our communication was not one based on words but rather on deeds and on the love that flowed through those deeds. As a result of my detention, I am now more aware of what lies at the center of my experience, more assured of the necessity of inter-connectedness, and more relentless in my pursuit for a more just and equitable world.”

Outside of her work as a paralegal, Rachel Barnes is an ordained minister. In college, Annie Espinosa was a certified EMT who responded to student emergencies. Sarah Getachew’s life has come full circle: her twin sister is attending medical school at Virginia, so they’re back to being roommates. For his 21st birthday, Henrique Lopes completed the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile hike across Spain, in 26 days. Then again, Andrew Pinckney trekked across Spain’s Pyrenees Mountains with his family…when he was just 13.

FEARLESS, NURTURING, INTENTIONAL

Not surprisingly, Emma Finkelstein describes her classmates as fearless. “Whether traveling the world, launching a new venture, or pivoting careers, I have been blown away by the bold way my Darden classmates pursue their passions. I am in awe of their energy and find it incredibly inspiring.”

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Tennyson, III has been struck by how nurturing his peers have been so far. “Whether we’re spending hours helping each other prep before an interview at Consortium orientation or hyping each other up after the interview is finished, I’ve felt an intense level of care and support that nurtures the confidence, hopes, and motivations of each classmate here.”

For Annie Espinosa, being intentional is the defining virtue of her classmates. “Every classmate I’ve met so far is leading their life with intention — whether it’s the type of career they want to grow into, the impact they want to create, or the people they want to surround themselves with. I’ve found that my Darden classmates are deeply thoughtful about their direction, and they set a course to achieve it.”

MORE WOMEN, MINORITIES, AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

By the numbers, Darden maintained its high standards during the 2018-2019 admissions cycle. The program received 2,183 applications for a spot in the Class of 2021, down just 65 applications in a year defined by decreased demand. Overall, the school accepted 36.5% of applicants, up from 32.9% the year before.

In terms of GMAT scores, the incoming class fell short of the previous class. The Class of 2021, as a whole, scored a 713 average on the GMAT, down five points. At the same time, their undergraduate GPA came to 3.48, nearly equal to the 3.5 average that second-years produced. Among the students who took the GRE, the class scored a 161 on verbal and 160 on quant.

While the inputs held relatively steady, the class composition shifted in subtle ways. Women now account for 40% of the class, up two points. The same could be said for underrepresented minorities, which rose three points and now make up 21% of the class. By the same token, the percentage of international students rose from 31% to 33% of the class. In other words, Darden is more diverse than ever.

Still, the Class of 2021 represents a return to normalcy for the school. Last year, the school attracted a larger number of consultants, with the percentage jumping from 15% to 21%. That shift was offset by a five-point dive in the percentage of students who came from a financial services background (23% to 18%). Now, the pendulum has swung to financial services, which beat out consulting by a decisive 25%-to-13% margin. Technology (12%) and Non-Profits (11%) also compose double-digit shares of the class. At the same time, Darden is truly a business-oriented program in terms of academic backgrounds. Business and Economics majors hold 44% of the class seats, the same as the previous class. STEM (30%) and Humanities and Social Sciences (27%) majors take up the remaining spots.

HIGH PAY AND SUPPORT

Regardless of background, Darden MBAs start strong after graduation. Take the Class of 2019, which produced the highest starting salaries in the school’s history. This year’s class snapped up $162,000 in median base and bonus, up $10,000 from the previous year. At the same time, 97% of the class received job offers within three months of graduation. On top of that, Darden MBAs added $72,600 in pay within five years of graduation according to Forbes data.

Money isn’t the only metric where Darden excelled in 2019. In The Economist’s annual student and alumni survey, the program ranked among the top five schools in Education Experience, Faculty, Culture and Classmates, and Overall Satisfaction. When Bloomberg Businessweek reported its annual survey results, the school ranked 1st for Inspiring Faculty, also earning high marks in Academic Excellence and Career Development from alumni. In fact, Darden finished 5th in the world in November’s Bloomberg Businessweek ranking, ahead of Wharton, MIT Sloan, INSEAD, and Northwestern Kellogg.

Stakeholders have taken notice. In May, Darden received the largest gift in its history – $68 million dollars – from ’63 alum Frank Sands Sr. With the university’s matching gift program, the gift grew to $82 million dollars in impact. The money will be used to fund a Sands Institute for Lifelong Learning, a program designed to expand Darden’s “reach” to working executives in both degree and non-degree programs. It will also fund the construction of a new hotel and conference center and renovations to Alumnae Hall – with $35 million overall earmarked to add faculty and boost research. At the same time, Darden launched its “Powered by Purpose” fundraising campaign in October, with the goal of raising $400 million dollars from the school’s 16,000 alumni by 2025. The initiative, according to the school, will fund faculty growth, curriculum innovation, student financial aid, and new facilities.

In other words, this funding will accelerate Darden’s already-swift momentum. In recent years, the program has opened a 40,000 square foot campus outside DC, which serves as the home for the Executive MBA program. The school now offers a STEM-designated Master of Science in Business Analytics program, along with funding Batten Scholarships – a program that enables every Darden MBA to complete a worldwide course. More than that, Darden boasts stability, with Dean Scott Beardsley reappointed to a second five-year term last April.

What else is on the docket at Darden? Earlier, P&Q reached out to Dawna Clarke, Executive Director of Admissions, to learn more about recent developments and underappreciated aspects of the programs. Here are her thoughts on what future Darden MBAs can expect.

A Q&A WITH ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR DAWNA CLARKE

P&Q: What are the most exciting new developments in your program?

Clarke: “One of our most exciting recent developments is the launch of a STEM-designated, Management Science specialization. This curricular innovation has significant potential implications for our international students’ employment prospects in the United States, and there are 40 electives across a wide range of content areas that potentially satisfy the requirements for this specialization.

Beginning with the Class of 2020, every full-time MBA student has the option to go on a Darden Worldwide Course thanks to the Batten Foundation Darden Worldwide Scholarship that covers the course fees for one global experience. This scholarship makes it possible for every student to take advantage of the incredible learning opportunity to travel abroad and experience new cultures.

In addition, the career outcomes for our recent classes have been extremely strong, with our Class of 2019 reporting record salaries and 97% of the students receiving a job offer within three months of graduation. There is a palpable feeling of momentum across the school’s degree programs.”