David Darnell

Arizona State University, W. P. Carey School of Business

“Authentic leader with the enthusiasm and grit to constantly grow as an individual.”

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona

Fun Fact About Yourself: Growing up, I practiced playing the piano for 10 years. By high school, I could play most songs I heard by ear. I stopped playing to pursue baseball and played division one four years in college.

Undergraduate School and Major: United States Military Academy at West Point, Engineering Management

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: U.S. Army, Operations Planner and Manager

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: It is difficult to pinpoint my biggest accomplishment in my career so far. As a captain in the army, I had the opportunity to get to know and lead some of the smartest and most talented soldiers in the service. My biggest accomplishment occurred when I was able to see them complete their missions, and most importantly, all coming home to their family after our deployment in 2015.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Experienced but curious. My classmates are very transparent about their past industries and endeavors, but also forward-looking at future opportunities and committed to putting in the hard work to accomplish their goals.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? W. P. Carey’s close-knit community “Where business is personal” was the key driver in my decision-making. With a small class size, everyone knows each other, helps each other, and learns from each other’s experiences at a meaningful level. At W. P. Carey, I can make my experience tailor-made and grow during my two years. I want to be a leader and push myself to take on new activities and skills; a small family-like community will both hold me accountable and encourage me to achieve these goals. It is amazing how this closeness has made the learning experience more intimate and worthwhile.

Arizona State is renowned for its innovation. How have you seen innovation in the philosophy, curriculum, or resources at W. P. Carey? We live in a complex world that is constantly changing. In order to keep up with the changes, we also must constantly innovate. At W. P. Carey, innovation is brought into every aspect of our day-to-day lives. I have seen new classes being introduced that build upon new technology and policies, program clubs being organized to bring in experienced CEO guest speakers, and faculty who are always available for help and discussion on new ideas. The program is built to create business leaders that can navigate transforming business landscapes. At W. P. Carey, the innovation and ability to change sets this foundation.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? What concerns do you have about getting an MBA? This is a difficult question because it asks you to point out flaws in MBA programs. However, an applicant could respond with the concern of putting as much as $200,000 into the program, which includes lost earnings. Or, an applicant could answer by talking about the “nerves” of returning to the classroom and the challenges of starting a new support system in a different geographic location.

How did you determine which business schools best fit you? For me, cultural fit was the most important factor to prioritize. Other factors such as rank, location, and employment rates were easy to find and quantify. However, understanding that my goal was to get a challenging education in a collaborative setting and grow my network base, I searched programs where I thought I would feel a sense of belonging. Initially, I spent my time searching through LinkedIn to learn about career transitions and industry diversity within the networks. Then I relied heavily on school visits by talking to and getting to know current students and faculty. I determined that W. P. Carey was the right cultural fit because when I came to campus for the first time, I felt welcomed, inspired, and motivated by all the people I interacted with. Ultimately, the best way for me to evaluate fit was to visit during the welcome weekends, and W. P. Carey’s countdown weekend sealed the deal.