Professional Degree Programs - Clubs and Organizations

• Matthew Boyd, Co-President
• JB Norcott, Co-President
• Contact BEMBA: BEMBALeadership@darden.virginia.edu

The Black Executive MBAs (BEMBA), chartered in 2017, is dedicated to the recruitment of Black business students and the professional and academic advancement of its membership. In addition to its professional and academic goals, BEMBA hosts social outings throughout the year to foster relationships within the groups' membership and the Darden community at-large.

Mission Statement:

We support the advancement of prospective and current Black students in their endeavors to become intentional and transformational leaders through academic and professional initiatives. We bring diversity in thought to forge equity and inclusion within the Darden community and beyond. 

Recent News and Articles:

https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admissions/2021/02/24/black-executive-mbas-insights/

https://poetsandquantsforexecs.com/2021/09/04/2021-best-brightest-embas-michael-long-university-of-virginia-darden/

• Bahara Stapelberg, Chief Executive Officer
• Jon Dengel, Director of Research and Events
• Alex Arinsmier, Chief Investment Officer

The Darden Executive Fund (DEF) is an independent study providing Executive MBA students hands-on experience researching, pitching, and directly managing a portfolio of active investments in publicly traded assets.

Students in the course research, prepare, and pitch a stock to the fund's leadership team for investment consideration. Other students are also welcome to pitch stocks to the team, participate in all stock pitch sessions, and attend all DEF-sponsored events.

• Joshua Rubbelke, Co-President
• Remington Roth, Co-President

The Darden EMBA Consulting Club at UVA is established for the expressed purpose of:

1. Bringing fellow students interested in careers in consulting together to provide a peer-enabled, transformational learning experience in preparing EMBA students in preparing for the management consulting interview process and successful careers in this industry.
2. Collaborating with other CIOs and departments to host career-focused events on grounds.
3. Providing opportunities for recruiting and networking with key industry stakeholders, experts, and target firms.

• Johnny O'Boyle, Co-President, Growing Ventures
• Hannah Solomon, Co-President, Emerging Ventures
• Jon Dengel, Vice President

We will foster an inclusive culture that supports established and aspiring entrepreneurs across executive MBA classes, facilitate communication and relationships with Charlottesville and D.C. entrepreneurial ecosystem, and provide a platform for Darden entrepreneurs to exchange ideas, and best practices and connect resources in Charlottesville and D.C.

EMBEC aims to support Darden students in growing or developing new business endeavors by providing a supportive and inclusive platform from which Darden entrepreneurs can exchange ideas, learn best practices, and connect with resources to begin or continue their business journeys. Through cooperation with Darden students, faculty, and alumni in Charlottesville, DC, and beyond, EMBEC intends to facilitate the expansion of professional networks in order to best serve its members’ entrepreneurial goals.

• Lauren Powlovich
• Jessica Lukens
• Matthew Boyd

• Leah Svoboda, President
• Clare Atzert, Vice President
• Allison Landis, Corporate Secretary
• Contact NEW

The Network for Executive Women (NEW) is an organization dedicated to the professional development and advancement of females in Darden's Executive MBA Program. NEW empowers women to reach their full career potential whether that is a C-suite position or another leadership position; we aim to see more women leaders. According to a 2019 McKinsey & Company Report “Women in the Workplace,” only 21% of C-Suite Executives are women. Together we can change this statistic one “rung” at a time.

NEW’s goals include:

• Connecting female students and alumni through professional development, career support, and networking opportunities;
• Creating an inclusive community and a sense of belonging among women in the Darden EMBA program;
• Advocating for an understanding of issues of gender equality specifically related to women executives;
• Expanding the pipeline of female applicants into the Darden EMBA program; and,
• Inspiring females to reach their fullest potential as leaders in business.

• President : Jarred Mack (USN)
• Vice President: Ryan Shipley (USN)
• Director of Veteran Employment: Jesse Searls (USA)
• Director of Outreach / Communications: Alex Kelley (USN)
• Director of Strategy and Operations: Molly Burns (USN) 
• Director of Professional Development: Nora Momani (USN)
• Director of Finance: Paddy O’Brien (USN)
• Contact DEV Leadership

The Darden Executive Veterans (DEV) serves the Executive MBA community as an affinity group by leveraging former and current military experiences to enhance career opportunities and foster camaraderie within the entire Darden Community.

In addition to supporting veterans in the Executive MBA Program, the organization's programming touches upon a variety of veteran-related topics, including advising others on what it means to hire and work with a vet. 

Though not yet official and formally organized, there are a number of groups that are in the process including: 

• Tech Club
• Pride at Darden
• Jefferson Spirits Society