Calling all UVA Darden MBA Applicants: (2017 Intake) Class of 2019!!

Here is an email that was sent out this afternoon from the UVA President which addresses the recent executive order:

"To the University community:

On Friday, the White House issued an executive order prohibiting people from seven countries from entering the United States. Late Saturday night a federal judge in New York issued a temporary order limiting the enforcement of the executive order with respect to persons holding valid visas, persons already accepted into U.S. refugee programs, and other persons previously authorized to be in the United States. A federal judge in Virginia issued a similar order protecting persons with permanent resident status and arriving at Dulles International Airport. The situation remains fluid with additional court orders in other states, and will continue to evolve in the coming days. At UVA, we are taking numerous steps to respond to these developments and to other emerging changes in immigration laws and policies that could affect members of our community.

We have communicated individually with UVA's students and scholars who are from the seven countries affected by the executive order and advised them not to travel abroad until we know more about the specific practices that will be implemented as a result of the executive order. We have communicated with the larger population of international students as well. Also, UVA leaders met with our Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students on Friday to welcome them back for the spring semester and to offer our ongoing support. At the same time, we are consulting with University leaders and others with expertise related to these issues, and we are seeking advice from the immigration attorneys appointed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to serve the state's public universities.

Any international student, scholar, or other community member with concerns may consult with UVA's International Studies Office. Any faculty or staff member on an H-1B or green card may consult with UVA's Human Resources office. Contact information follows this message. In the coming days, we will hold a University-wide forum to share information on the executive order and to address questions.

Beyond our concern for individual students, faculty, and staff at UVA who are affected by the executive order, we are concerned about the larger effect this and related actions may have on American universities, including UVA, as we seek to expose students to international experiences. Being a great university in the 21st century means being a global university, and our entire University community is enriched and enlightened by interacting with teachers and students from other nations. Providing these experiences is an investment in the future as we seek to build international cooperation and peace. Higher education leaders around the world continue to emulate America's colleges and universities because of the excellence we have achieved in teaching, research, and innovation, and an essential element of that excellence is our openness to people from other nations. Our University continues to enunciate values that support the bedrock principles of individual freedom, including freedom of expression and freedom of religion.

The Association of American Universities (AAU) has issued a statement concerning these issues here. The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) has issued a statement here. We join our higher education colleagues in expressing concern about recent policy initiatives that affect members of our University community and peers elsewhere.

As we continue to work on these issues, please join us in expressing support to the members of UVA's international community who are so essential to the vitality of our University.

Teresa Sullivan, President
Tom Katsouleas, Executive Vice President and Provost"

Thks for sharing; was this sent to all applicants or only interview invited/admitted?


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I received this mail as well. It says 'as a prospective applicant', so I'm assuming it'd have been sent out to every applicant. Haven't heard anything yet on the interview invite.

Ok thks for your reply gramkali


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All applicants.


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Any Indians heard anything yet for R2 interview invites?

When will interview invites be rolled out for R2?

I believe they should come out next week. This is going by last years posts on this forum.


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FROM Darden Admissions Blog: Darden Worldwide Course: Data Science and Technology in India 2017

By Kristen Egan, Associate Director of Admissions Last month, a group of students from Darden’s Full-Time MBA format had the opportunity to experience India’s vibrant culture while digging deeper into the challenges of doing business in this developing country. The group was comprised of First Year and Second Year students and mirrored Darden’s global community with students coming from Brazil, Ghana, Guatemala, Japan, Korea, and the United States. While the Darden Worldwide Course focused on data science and technology and the role these disciplines play, students received a much broader perspective on business in India and its impact on commerce across the globe. “I think the biggest takeaway for students was the opportunity to see India’s thriving entrepreneurial spirit and to gain a better understanding of the complexity of demographics throughout the country – a country that is ranked 130th in terms of ease of doing business, “ said Casey Lichtendahl, faculty lead for the course. Throughout the week students had the opportunity to hear from top executives at Nasscom’s Startup Warehouse, Walmart e-Commerce, Coca Cola, Times of India, EXL Service and the U.S. Embassy. Additionally, Darden alumni and entrepreneurs at Integra Connect, ZipGo and Yatra.com shared detailed insight on their companies and how their Darden experience has contributed to their success. Cultural visits throughout the week included the Taj Mahal, a Hindu temple and the Red Fort in Agra, and Humayun’s Tomb, a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi and a Sikh temple in Delhi. Students from both the full-time and Global Executive MBA formats reconvened in Delhi for case discussions and were welcomed by VN Dalmia D’84 and Alumni Chapter President Akash Premsen D’08 to the Dalmia House for a networking reception with Darden alumni, faculty, and recently admitted and prospective students. Second Year student Sarah Grothaus reflected, “While Darden consistently encourages us to be globally-minded, this trip illuminated the fact that there’s truly no substitute for witnessing and experiencing a culture on the ground, person-to-person. I was blown away by the forward-looking spirit and innovative ideas that India has to offer, and our trip gave me great insight into both the challenges and opportunities inherent in doing business here.” https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 25x300.jpg Darden students hear from Guarav Agarwal D’10, Co-Founder of ZipGo – a smart bus app aiming to change the urban commute. https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 00x225.jpg Darden students learn about India’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem at Nasscom’s Startup Warehouse. https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 25x300.jpg DWC India group enjoying Tandoor-cooked Indian dishes at Bukhara in Delhi. https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 00x225.jpg Darden students hear from Jitendra Gupta D’08, President of Global Operations at Integra Connect. https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 00x225.jpg Darden students at the Red Fort in Agra. https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 00x225.jpg Darden students at the Taj Mahal in Agra. https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 00x225.jpg Darden students jumping in to help at the Community Kitchen at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi. https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 00x225.jpg Darden students hear from Darden alum Alok Vaish D’97, CFO of travel site Yatra.com. https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 25x300.jpg Darden students visiting Gurudwara Bangla Sahib – a Sikh house of worship. This post originally appeared on Darden’s Global Voices blog. https://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/virginia ... 3NfeaDKmdg

Looks like darden is completely ignoring internationals students thanks to Mr. President's recent actions...

Any new calls guys ???

No update except from LBS.

I think game is over now. It is going to be very tough for International students after H1 Visa Reforms.

No call for me. I'm from Vietnam


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I totally agree with you ...
Btw did LBS gave any feedback or do they encourage to ask for it ?

Man you already have few awesome admits ....

No, LBS clearly said this "Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regret we cannot give individual feedback. "

FROM Darden Admissions Blog: Meet Darden’s EMBA & GEMBA – Christine McLean, EMBA ’18

Much like our residential students, the students enrolled in the Executive Formats of the Darden MBA come from a wide variety of backgrounds, careers, goals, and interests. We have asked several of our EMBA and GEMBA students to answer a few questions about their MBA experiences, which we will post over the coming weeks. We hope you enjoy getting to know them, and if you have any additional questions about our Executive Formats, we encourage you to schedule a conversation with a member of our Admissions Committee. https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... 01x300.jpg EMBA Student Christine McLean Name: Christine McLean City: Alexandria, VA Employer: United States Air Force Section/Format: EMBA/Charlottesville Why did you decide to pursue an MBA? As a veteran, a mom, and a woman who wants to lead an organization, I viewed business education as an essential step to building an impactful career.  Although I’ve had quite a bit of leadership experience, I lacked the knowledge of finance, accounting, and general business management that are needed in the private sector.  There is no perfect time in life to get an MBA, and even though I have a lot of major life events going on, I ultimately decided to simply take the first step and make it work. [*]Why did you choose Darden?[/list] The Darden EMBA program perfectly suits my priorities and accommodates the competing demands in my life.  As a mother of small children, I value every minute spent with family.  My most valuable asset is time, and the structure of this program maximized my family time, while offering a top-ranked program taught by world-class faculty.  I was also impressed by the incredible cohort of females in the class who want to lead and take on new challenges in business.  I have always believed that if you want to improve, you have to surround yourself with people that can elevate you, and there is no better place for that than Darden. [*]You just had a baby. What was it like having a child in the first couple months of the program? How did you balance the demands of being a new mom with school, work, etc.?[/list] Starting the program while 9-months pregnant was challenging – no doubt.  However, all parents have to be masterful at prioritizing time and effort.  For me, this was just amplified by the addition of a new baby in the first semester of classes.  I have had a lot of help from a very supportive spouse, family, friends, and my learning team, who have all been incredibly helpful whenever asked.  The faculty have also been incredibly gracious and understanding that students have families, work demands, and lives outside of the program, all while expecting the same level of commitment to the program as the full-time students. [*]What’s your favorite thing about your classmates so far?[/list] They are an incredible source of inspiration.  They come from such impressive backgrounds and have amazing experiences and insights.  We all have so much going on in our lives, but everyone is making it work and is so energetic and happy to be a part of the class.  Our diverse experiences make class discussion insightful, thought-provoking, and motivating. [*]What’s your favorite thing about the program so far?[/list] My classmates and the opportunity to learn a completely new skillset directly from the best professors in the country. [*]What advice do you have for moms considering pursuing their executive MBA?[/list] There is never an ideal time to pursue an MBA.  If you want to make this a priority, commit to the program and work with your family and loved ones to develop a plan to make it work.  You will have to be creative to manage your time, but the program will benefit you and your family for a long time to come.  This is an investment in your education, and you are well worth it. https://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/virginia ... P45s0o9gEI

I have just received an interview invitation