Meet the MBA Class of 2026: Evan Wieczorek, University of Virginia (Darden) by: Jeff Schmitt on May 09, 2025 | 106 Views May 9, 2025 Copy Link Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Share on Reddit Evan Wieczorek University of Virginia, Darden School of Business “A Cross between Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory and Ryan Reynolds: Nerdy and Witty.” Hometown: Houston, TX Fun Fact About Yourself: I’ve flown both a plane and a spaceship. Undergraduate School and Major: Iowa State University, Aerospace Engineering Most Recent Employer and Job Title: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Flight Controller What makes the case method so attractive as a means to learn and become a better manager? The case method (in my opinion) is the best way to learn because it teaches you how to think critically and problem-solve with real-world examples. By the time we graduate, we’ll have completed roughly 500 cases. For each one of these cases, you’re getting the combined knowledge of your 70 section-mates who each have an average of 6 years of work experience (not to mention the knowledge of the case writers, professors, and your learning team). This knowledge provides you with insights that not only change your perspective, but also change your entire approach to business and life. Aside from cases and classmates, what was the key part of Virginia Darden’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The location is what differentiates Darden from the other Elite business schools. While most business schools are in major cities, Darden is one of the few that is in a quintessential college town. Since most Darden students haven’t lived in Charlottesville before, they come to school with an eagerness to explore the area and build lasting relationships. Darden self-selects for people who care about others and want to help them succeed in the long term. For example, when I moved into my house in Charlottesville, I asked my classmates for some help moving my large furniture. Within 30 minutes, I had 4 of my new classmates over, helping unpack the entire moving truck and talking about their travels to Darden. I’m thoroughly convinced that these are the type of friends that I would only get in Charlottesville. What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Virginia Darden? I’m extremely excited to join the Community Consultants of Darden (CCoD) and work on projects in the local community. CCoD is extremely unique in that most of the student consultants working on the projects are first-years, who are being mentored and trained by second-year students. Using this approach, CCoD can offer first-year students an impactful experience and opportunity to learn from early on in business school. Additionally, CCoD encourages second-years returning to grounds spread the knowledge that they learned from their own impact work and summer internships. Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized Darden was the right program for you? Why? I didn’t have one “aha moment” that solidified my interest in attending Darden. Instead, I had a small curiosity that ballooned into a passionate desire for the program. Aside from campus visits, the major contributing factor to this desire was my discussions with current students. Throughout the application process, I reached out to numerous MBA students to learn more about their experiences. Darden was the only program where 100% of students answered my messages and ALL of them had only positive things to say. By the end of those conversations, I knew that I had found my people. Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: While at NASA, I led my group’s software step-up to a new Operating System in Mission Control. Since the Operating System that we used on the ground to fly the International Space Station was approaching end of service, we had to step up to a newer Operating System. During this process, I led the application upgrades, test plan authoring, and testing for my group’s ground software, and assisted the coordination efforts across the wider organization. Seeing the operating system transition complete without a hitch filled me with pride. The ground software enables us to continue to safely fly the Space Station from the ground and keep the astronauts safe. What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2026? Why? If I had to pick one unique quality that will help me make a big contribution to the class, I’d say it’s the same quality that allows all of Darden to contribute here: the ability to relate to others and learn from their perspectives. With such a large emphasis on community and learning from our classmates, any substantial contribution to the class needs to consider that we all have drastically different experiences, perspectives, and opinions. Without being mindful of these differences, it’s impossible to make a meaningful impact that will further the Darden experience for the entirety of the Class of 2026. What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Virginia Darden’s MBA program? Really engage with the school and show that you understand the program. Admissions wants to see that you understand the culture and learning philosophy that they are offering. The case method necessitates an eagerness for learning and a high level of involvement that are drastically different than traditional lectures. Try to demonstrate that you’re going to lean in to both the culture and the classroom, and that both with be better off with your insights and contributions. DON’T MISS: MEET VIRGINIA DARDEN’S MBA CLASS OF 2026