Meet Virginia Darden’s MBA Class Of 2027

FACULTY MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE

That said, the case method requires intensive collaborative. Before classes, case teams, consisting of students from different sections, meet to discuss their cases. This enables them to “compare notes, hear different takes, and catch things [they] might have missed, says Samina Mondal. It is a process that is also followed by the faculty before classes to provide a similar consistency. More than that, faculty facilitation provides a model to students for the types of questions they need to ask themselves – and their reports and counterparts when they encounter similar situations in the workplace. For alumni like Jill Howland, it is the Darden faculty who truly bring the case method to life. In her case, she credits Steve Soltis for elevating her performance as a student and a professional.

“Drawing from his years of experience at Coca-Cola, [Steve] brings real-world insights into the classroom, making content both practical and relatable. His direct, in-the-moment feedback challenges students to think critically and refine their communication skills, ensuring we are well-prepared for workplace expectations. Beyond his expertise, he cares about each student’s success and well-being, creating an environment where we feel supported and inspired to grow.”

Howland’s classmate, Anuoluwapo Rogers, praises Elena Loutskina for instilling confidence in him. “Elena brought me out of my “few words in class” shell and kept pushing me — stretching me beyond what I thought was my capacity. That experience improved my confidence and made me a more decisive thinker and communicator.”

THE CHARLOTTESVILLE DIFFERENCE

That’s not to say Darden is all serious all the time, Rogers continues. He points to the 100 Case Party, a milestone honoring the completion of the first 100 cases, where “classmates who were once strangers now feel like family.” Add to that, he lists the formal Winter Ball and the Darden Cup among his favorite traditions. With the latter, student sections compete year-round in events like pickleball, basketball, trivia, and yard games. The Darden Cup even includes a talent show! Such events only deepened the class’s connection says ’25 alum Luis Otero.

“Similar to Hogwart’s houses and quidditch tournament, it is a series of yearlong games and events where our sections compete in a friendly competition for points. Darden Cup was a great way to show friendly competitive camaraderie with our classmates across both years and all sections. It always made for a fun-filled environment after a rigorous week of business cases.”

The Class of 2027 also cite Darden’s Charlottesville digs as another unexpected pleasure. Nearby, you’ll find the homes of three founding fathers: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. It also boasts the Downtown Mall, eight blocks that feature over 150 shops and restaurants, not to mention art galleries and theaters. Caroline Kim frames Charlottesville as a “granola girl’s paradise,” with the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park that enable students to enjoy everything from hiking to kayaking to skiing. Josephine Kong also highlights amenities like the area’s “vineyards, breweries, live music, farmer’s markets, [and] nature trails.” For Alem Bello, Charlottesville is just a great place to get away.

“Charlottesville feels like a storybook. The views are calming, the air feels light, and the landscape invites reflection. The people I’ve met have been warm and full of great recommendations. From the hiking trails to the food scene, there’s a rhythm to life here that lets you breathe. I’ve found a sense of peace just driving through town and waking up to green hills. It clears my mind and helps me stay centered.”

The area is particularly significant to Samina Mondal, who earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia as well. “Charlottesville has shaped every chapter of my academic life. I’ve met lifelong friends, swapped stories with professors who remember your name long after class ends, and tasted my way through the food scene ranging from Carter Mountain’s warm apple cider donuts to hidden gems on the Downtown Mall. The town’s magic is its people: students, faculty, and locals who greet you like family and push you to think bigger every day. I may be biased, but there is simply no better place to learn, grow, and belong!”

‘DARDEN STRETCHES FAR BEYOND CHARLOTTESVILLE’

Darden Worldwide Courses – or DWC for short – is another unique wrinkle to the Darden MBA experience. An elective, it earned P&Q‘s 2025 MBA Best In Class Award For Student Immersions. Supported by a $15-million scholarship fund, the DWCs are 7-14-day faculty-led international treks held during the winter and spring, where students can explore business ecosystems in a variety of countries.

“I loved it so much, I opted to do two – the first to Argentina and the second to Vietnam,” shares ’25 alum Amanda Golden. “These weeks studying abroad allow students to immerse themselves in different cultures while exploring global business practices. I loved traveling with classmates and broadening my perspectives on different countries’ business practices and key issues.”

Gabriela Siem is equally bullish on Darden’s global offerings. “Darden offers that not only through immersive, faculty-led global experiences, but also through professors who bring deep international expertise into the classroom,” she tells P&Q. “For a small program tucked into the mountains of Virginia, Darden stretches far beyond Charlottesville. Its global perspective is embedded in the way students learn, lead, and think. For someone who has worked cross-culturally and aspires to continue to lead across cultures and markets, that kind of environment felt essential.”

Specifically, Samina Mondal is looking forward to the Global Client Project (GCP), which is available to second-year MBAs. “The GCP gives students the opportunity to work directly with an international company on a live business challenge, guided by faculty and grounded in classroom tools. The project culminates in a global immersion, where teams spend a week on-site, testing their ideas in real time and learning how strategy plays out on the ground. Working shoulder‑to‑shoulder with executives abroad will push me to navigate unfamiliar market forces, blend data with cultural nuance, and see first‑hand how strategic recommendations land when the stakes are tangible. Needless to say, I’ll be brushing up on my consulting frameworks and my Duolingo streak.”

Another Darden staple is entrepreneurship. In the 2025-2026 MBA Entrepreneurship Ranking from Poets&Quants, Darden ranked 9th globally. Last year, 98% of Darden students took an entrepreneurship-theme elective, with another 70% belonging to an entrepreneurship-related club. What’s more, 45% of the Darden faculty teach a course involving entrepreneurship and innovation according to P&Q research. The programming is run through the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology, which offers everything from pitch competitions to workshops to incubation space. Such support caught the attention of Josephine Kong.

“I am passionate about technology and aspire to start my own business related to tech, food, and sustainability. Therefore, I look forward to immersive experiences like the Charlottesville Entrepreneurs + Espresso events, the Innovation Bootcamp, and the Tech Series. These programs will allow me to learn from business owners and build connections within the Darden and Charlottesville community. I am also eager to deepen my knowledge through related courses such as Data Science in Business, Digital Product Management, and Minds and Machines: Flourishing in the Age of AI, which align closely with my interests and future goals.”

A CLASS PROFILE

As a whole, the MBA Class of 2027 includes 361 students. They hail from 28 countries and speak 43 different languages. As undergraduates, they attended 206 different institutions before working for over 300 employers in 33 different industries. 35% of the class consists of women, with 21% being racial minorities and 30% hailing from overseas. Nearly a quarter of class has brought their partners with them. Another 13% are first-generation college students, with 12% adding military experience.

In terms of GMAT scores, the class hit a 671 on the GMAT Focus edition, with a 715 high and a 626 low. Among students taking the GRE, they achieved a 322 median, where the high was 335 and the low being 311. As undergraduates, the class averaged a 3.54 GPA.

Professionally, 22% of the class last worked in Finance. Technology (14%), Consulting (13%), and Government (11%) professionals also account for double-digit shares of the class. The remainder of the class includes representatives from Biotechnology, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals (9%), Consumer Packaged Goods (6%), Communications, Media and Entertainment (5%), Nonprofits (4%), Energy (3%), Manufacturing (2%), and Real Estate (2%).

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DARDEN ADMISSIONS TEAM

Call it a year of transition for Darden. In October, the school announced the retirement of Dawna Clarke, the schools Admissions Chief. Two months later, the University of Virginia named Dean Scott Beardsley as its new president, replacing him with legendary faculty member Michael Lennox. In March, Darden replaced Clarke with Willie Green, a Google executive who had previously served as an admissions leader at both the University of Michigan’s Ross School and Duke University’s Fuqua School.

Those aren’t the only developments at the Darden School.

Earlier this year, P&Q reached out to the Darden School for the latest news, along with insights into Darden’s career services and support for international students. Here are the responses to these questions – and many others – from Whitney Kestner, Managing Director of Full-Time MBA Admissions, and Brett Twitty, Managing Director of Admissions and Strategic Initiatives Professional Degree Programs.

P&Q: What have been the two most important developments in your MBA program over the past year? What type of impact will they have on current and future MBAs?

Kestner/Twitty: “We have embedded AI and data-driven decision-making more fully across courses, ensuring students graduate with not only foundational business knowledge but also the ability to leverage emerging technologies responsibly and effectively. Across programs, we are experimenting with AI in classrooms, competitions, ventures, and internships.

In First-Year courses this year, students have used tools like CAiSEY, an AI-powered case prep platform that simulates live case discussions, to help students prepare for classroom conversations, and Yoodli, an AI-power communication coach that helps students practice real speaking scenarios with judgment-free feedback.

In electives, experiments such as an AI-powered Alexander Hamilton in the Alexander Hamilton: Lessons in Management, Strategy and Leadership elective or the use of ChatGPT and other GenAI platforms as a thought partner in the AI in Marketing elective are pushing us to rethink how technology can enrich learning. In addition, our students have been great about sharing feedback from their summer internships, and it’s clear that employers are expecting students to be comfortable with AI tools when they show up for work. In response to these conversations, our faculty have developed an asynchronous, non-credit course, Business Applications of Generative AI, to help students build fluency with these technologies.”

P&Q: What do you see as the main differentiator that distinguishes your MBA program from other schools? How does it enhance the student experience and make them more attractive to employers?

Kestner/Twitty: “Our defining differentiator is our full commitment to the case method as a way of developing judgment, not just knowledge.

At Darden, students are placed in the role of decision-maker every day. Rather than learning passively through lectures, they engage with real-world business challenges, debate alternatives, and take a position on what they would do. This immersive, discussion-based approach builds the ability to think independently, communicate persuasively, and lead in ambiguous situations.

What makes this especially powerful is that it is not about arriving at a single “right answer.” Instead, students learn how to weigh trade-offs, listen to competing perspectives, and exercise sound judgment under pressure – skills that cannot be taught through theory alone. Over time, this repeated practice fundamentally shapes how they think and act as leaders.

For students, this creates an intensely engaging and collaborative classroom experience. For employers, it translates into graduates who are ready to contribute immediately; individuals who can analyze complex problems, collaborate with various stakeholders, make decisions with incomplete information, and communicate those decisions with clarity and confidence.”

P&Q: What types of services do you provide to first-year MBAs to ease their transition into business school?

Kestner/Twitty: “The transition to Darden is one that our faculty, MBA Program Team, and Career Center care deeply about and have thoughtfully designed many resources to help students feel prepared for the start of school. These resources include academic preparation around accounting, finance, and Excel. We also offer career preparation, in particular a program called Career Foundations that equips students with the knowledge and tools to clarify their career goals and make a great first impression with alumni and employers during the recruitment process. In the summer prior to the start of school, each incoming student has a 1:1 call with a career coach. We take a personalized approach to career support at Darden, and this meeting allows the Career Coach to begin to formulate a career plan for the student and prepare the student career journey ahead.

P&Q: What types of support do you provide to international students before and during business school to enable them to better acclimate to your country?

Kestner/Twitty: “We provide extensive support to international students both before arrival and throughout their MBA experience.

Before matriculation, students receive guidance on visas, housing, and relocation logistics, as well as access to peer networks and pre-arrival programming. We host a tailored pre-matriculation program called International Student Orientation Program that gives students the opportunity to get to know their classmates, learn about recruiting in the U.S., and explore keys to academic success at Darden.

International student organizations and administrative support further foster community and belonging. Many of these organizations are touchpoints for students as they navigate the application and decision processes, and these groups function like communities within the broader Darden community, ensuring international students are able to fully engage academically, socially, and professionally from the start.”

P&Q: How does your program integrate other disciplines, such as the liberal arts and STEM, across your curriculum to provide students with a more interdisciplinary experience in business school?

Kestner/Twitty: “The case method itself draws on diverse disciplines—economics, psychology, ethics, and data science—encouraging students to approach business problems from multiple angles. We also offer electives and experiential opportunities that connect business with areas such as technology, public policy, and global studies. Darden offers several combined degree programs in connection with other schools and departments at the University of Virginia. These joint degree programs are designed to enhance the educational experience beyond what could be achieved if the two degrees were pursued independently.

By blending analytical rigor with human-centered thinking, we equip students to lead in complex environments where business decisions intersect with broader societal and technological considerations.”

Next Page: Profiles of 12 Members of the MBA Class of 2027.

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