Sarah Getachew 

University of Virginia, Darden School of Business

“Ethiopian DC-native, public health activist, strategist, and an avid foodie!”

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have a twin sister who is currently going to medical school at University of Virginia. After almost 10 years of living separately, we are now roommates!

Undergraduate School and Major: Rice University, International Relations major and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology minor, University of Virginia Master’s (Public Health), and currently I am a dual degree MBA/MPH student.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Senior Program Analyst

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I am extremely proud to say that I have a six-year career in public health field specifically working with nonprofits, local health departments, and state health departments to strengthen their capacities to respond to infectious disease and opioid outbreaks and deliver culturally competent healthcare services to oppressed populations (i.e. people living with HIV, people living with hepatitis C, etc.). In my previous position at NACCHO I led a team to develop a grant proposal that secured $150,000 in funding to support key collaborations in public health and criminal justice to help curb the effects of the opioid epidemic within juvenile detention facilities.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Welcoming! There is such a strong sense of community that exists at Darden. My classmates are easily some of the most welcoming, kind, and considerate group of people that I’ve met so far. They are also very respectful, culturally-competent and open to learning from the different perspectives that we all bring to the table.

What makes the case method so attractive as a means to learn and become a better manager? As a manager who leads and manages teams, one must be inquisitive, open to analyzing situations in multiple ways and receptive to feedback from your team. The case method allows one to gain all of these skills on a daily basis! When I visited Darden, I had the chance to see the case method in-action and saw students work in teams, actively discuss problems, provide each other thoughtful input, and work together to resolve ambiguous cases that could easily be applied to every-day work situations.

Aside from your classmates and cases, 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?  When visiting different MBA programs, one of the most important factors for me was that faculty and staff have a sensitivity to cultural diversity. When I interviewed at Darden, I appreciated the fact that the interviews were blind, which allowed me to have an open and relaxed conversation with my interviewer. My interviewer, Whitney Kestner, facilitated a dynamic conversation and allowed me to tell my story in the most honest and forthcoming way possible. The cultural humility that Whitney and the Darden staff presented, by far, made the program an easy choice for me!

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I’m most looking forward to joining affinity clubs such as the Black Business Student Association and the Darden African Business Organization. I’m also looking forward to social impact clubs like Net Impact, a club dedicated to using the power of business to positively impact social, environmental economic concerns across the world.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? If your professional goals don’t work out, what’s your plan B?

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I am currently pursuing a dual MBA/MPH. After working in the public health field for six years, I decided to pursue this dual degree to broaden my leadership, financial, and analytical skillsets and learn new business concepts. I believe this dual degree will also broaden my network of like-minded individuals and allow me to fully develop as a professional.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I applied to Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, Yale School of Management, Columbia Business School, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School, and Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I knew I wanted to pursue a dual MBA/MPH and a career in social impact/healthcare consulting so I prioritized schools that offered dual MBA/MPH programs and a strong curriculum in these areas. UVA has a strong MPH program that can be easily paired with the MBA and Darden is well known for the case method and has a strategy consulting concentration which definitely sets it apart from other schools. I was also looking for a school with a strong sense of community. When I visited Charlottesville, I liked the small-town feel, and as a foodie fell in the love with the restaurant scene!

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My parents came to the United States as refugees from Ethiopia and I grew up in Washington D.C., which allowed me to see, first-hand, how health disparities impact immigrants and other oppressed populations on a day-to-day basis. These experiences shaped my life-long goals of wanting to help transform the delivery of healthcare to improve the lives of individuals and the healthcare system at large.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? In 10 years, I see myself working within the fields of healthcare strategy consulting or social impact consulting.