2018 MBAs To Watch: Olamide Alli, University of Virginia (Darden) - Poets&Quants

Olamide Alli

University of Virginia, Darden School of Business

“Passionate advocate for social justice who cares about the intersectionality of empathy and human capital.”

Age: 29

Hometown: Lithonia, Georgia

Fun fact about yourself: I’m a sneakerhead. Here’s the definition from Urban Dictionary.

Definition. sneakerhead. 1. A person who collects limited, rare, OG, or flat out exclusive kicks. 2. A person with background knowledge of certain sneakers.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

Undergrad: Spelman College, B.S. in Mathematics

Graduate: University of Georgia, Master of Arts in Teaching Math Education

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? 6th Grade Math Teacher at KIPP DC Aim Academy

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? Johnson & Johnson; HRLDP (Human Resources Leadership Development Program) Intern

Where will you be working after graduation? PwC; Consultant in the People & Organizations Group

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• VP of Diversity (Darden Student Association)
• Leader of Darden Stories (Darden Stories is our take on Stanford GSB’s “TALK” initiative, and its mission is to positively impact the conversations we have in and out of the classroom.)
• Tri-Sector Leadership Fellow
• Darden Board Fellow for African-American Teaching Fellows (Darden Board Fellows provides a unique opportunity for students to study nonprofit board governance and to learn how board service works by serving on a nonprofit board in Charlottesville. Students gain exposure to the inner workings of nonprofit boards, gain hands-on experience, and connect with the Charlottesville community)
• Student Admissions Committee (Darden’s mission is to improve the world by developing and inspiring responsible leaders and by advancing knowledge. Students in these courses will learn practical skills that enable them to be immediately effective in their chosen career from evaluating their team to interviewing potential hires and possessing the ability to listen. The majority of the learning will occur as a result of course meetings, conducting seven interviews, and receiving ongoing feedback throughout the class.)

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I’m most proud of catapulting the Darden Stories. During my first year at Darden, my colleague (Carlos Escalante Trevino) and I realized that students were only building surface level connections for the purposes of building their business network rather than building authentic long-lasting relationships. In order to make memorable experiences with other people you need to understand where they’re coming from and relate to them on a personal level, because authentic relationships take you the farthest. In partnership with the Darden Business Innovation and Design Club, Darden Stories was created. Darden Stories is our take on Stanford GSB’s “TALK” initiative, and its mission is to positively impact the conversations we have in-and-out of the classroom. Innovation begins with empathy, so we get to know awesome members of our community more intimately as they share with us the moments that made them who they are today. Darden Stories has transformed the dialogue between students. So instead of asking “What’s your name and what are you recruiting for,” students now ask “What’s your name and how are you feeling today?”.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? During my time as middle school mathematics teacher, I wrote a grant that gave my former students the opportunity to attend a summer program in Arts and Media at American University. The grant made it possible for my students to receive a tuition scholarship and gave my kids the opportunity to meet and build relationships with other students from different ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds with similar interests.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? I actually don’t have a favorite professor because I’ve had a lot of amazing professors during my MBA tenure.

What was your favorite MBA Course? Interpersonal Behavior. The biggest insight I gained was that in order to lead well in business, l need to connect with employees, peers, and managers in meaningful ways. This course helped me to learn strategies to build powerful and sustainable relationships with others. The business world is in continuous change and a press for speed. Therefore, sustainable relationships enable effective individual growth and will help me quickly adapt to change in my future roles.

Why did you choose this business school? he academic structure being a 100% case method was what intrigued me the most. Being a former educator, I wanted to go to an institution that had high ratings for their professors and I wanted to learn through an unconventional method.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Be yourself during the interview. The interview is where you get to show the interviewer who you are and what you could bring to the Darden community.

What was your biggest regret in business school? My biggest regret is business school is not participating in a Global Business Experience with my classmates. Sometimes, my practicality and fear of overspending hindered me during business school, but I plan to travel after I graduate!

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I don’t have one specific classmate that I admire the most. I will say that there are a few of my classmates (who shall remain nameless) who have had some traumatic experiences during their time at Darden (i.e hospitalization, multiple deaths in the family, and struggles with mental illness). Despite their trials and tribulations, my classmates still managed to continue their education and support their peers as well.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My dad was the person who most influenced my decision to come to business school. After numerous conversations with my dad, he made me realize that an MBA is a degree that is highly recognizable throughout the world. It can also be used to pursue other career fields and my entrepreneurial ventures since it is highly compatible with other degree programs.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…teaching middle school mathematics or working on developing a non-profit geared towards sending students of lower income communities to residential summer programs at various universities and colleges with full funding for fees and expenses.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would find funding for global business experiences in order to ensure that all students have the opportunity to travel overseas at least once during their MBA experience with all expenses paid.

What are the top two items on your bucket list?

1. I want to have visited 25 countries on the continent of Africa by 35.
2. Have my school loans paid off by the age of 33 (wishful thinking).

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? I’d like to be remembered as a non-judgmental, strong-willed, and passionate woman who believed in employing empathy in all situations.

What is your favorite movie about business? Boiler Room. The biggest lesson I learned was to trust my instinct and don’t let the opportunity to make a lot of capital negatively affect the way I conduct business. Nothing is ever worth sacrificing your dignity and respect.

What would your theme song be? “Laila’s Wisdom” by Rapsody

Favorite vacation spot: I don’t have one just yet…but give me 5 years and I will!

Hobbies? I love live music (i.e music festivals, concerts), theatre, reading, and shoe shopping.

What made Olamide such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“If you met Olamide, you would immediately feel the intent and resilience in her being, the strength of her mind and the kindness in her heart. She is so intensely present that you would want to join her on any journey. Olamide would light a fire in you in the darkest days and inspire you to grab life in the way you deeply want to. She embodies the drive, deep care, and skills of a visionary and that is what makes her one of the best and brightest.

Olamide was a student of mine as soon as she arrived at Darden and then again in her second year. She turned her earlier work to translate her nontraditional background of teaching math to business school into an all-encompassing effort to provide meaning for others around her. Even in the dimmest moments, Olamide chose to create space for many in the Darden community to question, discover and create. In her first year, she brought to life the Darden Stories event, a monthly gathering where students, faculty and staff come together to share stories of vulnerability and strength. The connections made in those events with goosebumps and tears made waves that touched and energized many at Darden.

It is my pleasure to recommend Olamide, who has big things to do in life and many people to empower. I hope your path intersects with hers one day.”

Lalin Anik
Assistant Professor of Marketing
Darden School of Business, University of Virginia

 

 

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2018 Best MBAs: Catherine Aranda, University of Virginia (Darden) - Poets&Quants

Catherine Aranda

University of Virginia, Darden School of Business

“A mission-driven and entrepreneurial public servant, committed to life-long learning and building community.”

Age: 30

Hometown: El Paso, Texas

Fun fact about yourself: As I child and young adult, I was a classically trained violinist. While receiving instruction from various professors, I taught private lessons to children and performed in a quartet. During my first semester at Stanford, I joined the Introduction to Mariachi Ensemble class offered by the music department. On day one of class, I learned I could sing, and haven’t stopped since! I performed with Mariachi Cardenal for four years, during which I met my fiancé, and then in salsa music ensembles in San Francisco for several years. Today, I sing with the faculty Bluesjam band at Darden, and on my own in whatever genre that inspires me.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Stanford University, Class of 2010 – B.A. International Relations

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Citizen Schools, a national education nonprofit organization; served as Deputy Director of Corporate Partnerships

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? Bank of America, Charlotte, North Carolina

Where will you be working after graduation? Actively recruiting for Strategy Consulting and Design Thinking firms in San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, D.C.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

Awards

• Full Tuition Scholarship by The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• Forté Foundation Fellow
• Stewart Sheppard Distinguished Service Award

Leadership

• Student Liaison, The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• Board Member, Hispanic American Network of Darden
• Founder, Darden Mental Health and Wellness Initiative
• First Year Orientation Committee

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Surviving Darden’s rigorous academic core should be the top-ranking source of pride for me, but I am most proud of the opportunity to work with stakeholders across the school to launch the Darden Mental Health & Wellness Initiative.

Since being at Darden, in the background of preparing cases and recruiting, I have had one constant driver: to establish authentic relationships and help the individuals around me develop the best versions of themselves. Over time, through the “Darden Stories” series and at a Board of Trustees dinner, I shared my personal journey.

After many months of listening, visioning, collaborating, and planning, on October 23, 2017, we launched the first-ever Darden Resilience Week. During my public address to the school, I shared: “I lost my mother to suicide when I was 17 years old, fell in love with public service as an undergraduate student at Stanford, came to Darden as a nontraditional candidate, and for most of my First Year, felt like a failure and imposter in the halls of Saunders. Each and every one of us has a story.”

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of my first full-time professional experience working at Jumpstart, a national education nonprofit. In four years, I played various roles and studied nonprofit anatomy: Program, Development, Operations, Marketing, Human Resources, and Finance. Change was constant. Two months into my AmeriCorps term, our supervisor resigned, and I was promoted to lead my peers. As a too-young first-time manager, I aimed to build credibility by advocating for and learning alongside staff, giving them opportunities to assume greater responsibility. Before long, I was a Program Director navigating 13 staff through rampant turnover and financial hardship. Working alongside mission-driven educators offered some of the most rewarding years of my young career. I will always be grateful for that experience, as it inspired me to pursue my MBA to learn how to apply business principles to the social impact sector.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? I had the privilege of learning from Michael Schill who teaches First Year Finance and the Second Year Managerial Finance course. Michael is one of the gentlest souls I have ever met and a genuinely stellar teacher. Because of his warm approachability and patience, I learned the core principles of finance and came to enjoy the process of creating financial models, calculating weighted average cost of capital, and understand that valuation is both art & science.

What was your favorite MBA Course Yael Grushka-Cockayne’s Project Management course, which is one of the most popular electives at Darden, and should be a mandatory course for all students. For me, one of the most valuable lessons was exemplified by the rebuilding of a New York metro station after 9/11. There are rare times when project teams bond together inspired by a seemingly impossible mission. Under the standard Project Management principles, the project should fail miserably (run over budget, deviate drastically from scope, and/or not meet the projected deadline). Despite the odds, the project is completed on-time because

Why did you choose this business school? After interviewing at Google’s Mountain View Headquarters with Darden alumni and interacting a second time with Admissions Director Sarah Neher, I had a gut-feeling. I knew that Charlottesville could become a second home for me; indeed, Darden is a place where students are encouraged to drive change and where faculty are some of my best friends and most trusted advisors.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Darden is an academically rigorous program – in order to thrive here, you need to be thirsty for challenges and being uncomfortable. Come ready to work, individually and in teams.

What is the biggest myth about your school? One myth is that Darden is just about academics. While our school offers an academically challenging core, there is so much at Darden that happens outside of the case-method classroom, including club activities, entrepreneurial ventures, and self-started initiatives.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Mick Denner. Mick was my first-year “Section E” Representative, but over time he has become a close friend. Mick is a spirited young man, a United States military veteran, and a classically trained opera singer. As a bonus, he is the loving-husband of another trusted friend and fellow Darden classmate and Stanford alumna, Kelly Denner. I have grown to respect Mick and admire both his leadership skills and sense of duty. Singing with him is one of my favorite memories from Darden. I look forward to a life-long friendship with The Denners.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? I made the decision to pursue an MBA mostly on my own, when I was serving a Regional Program Director of a national nonprofit called Jumpstart, but have been supported by dozens of advisors, including my family, mentors in the MLT and Consortium networks, Stanford alumni, and respected colleagues from my 6+ years in the social impact sector.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…an Executive Direct of a nonprofit in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

 What are the top two items on your bucket list?

1. Recording original albums in Spanish and in English, in a self-designed home music studio that is open to youth artists.
2. Owning a top-rated restaurant and performance space that is designed for mission-driven/nonprofit events and fundraisers.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? A woman on fire who used her MBA to generate value for society and one of the kindest and most authentic people I’ve ever met.

What is your favorite movie about business? Chef (2014) written and directed by Jon Favreau. Chef Carl Casper quits his job at an up-scale Los Angeles restaurant and rediscovers his love for cooking when he starts a Cuban cuisine-inspired food truck. This heartfelt and comical story offers many lessons in entrepreneurship, harnessing raw talent, and pursuing your passion.

What would your theme song be? At Darden, my theme song is “Try Everything,” by Shakira, written for the 2016 Walt Disney Animation Studio’s film Zootopia

Favorite vacation spot:

Domestically: Carmel Valley, California
Internationally: San Sebastian, Spain

Really…anywhere near water, nature, and access to a spa!

Hobbies? Singing and jamming with other musicians, learning how to cook new cuisines, hosting dinner parties and holiday events, family time, and babysitting my beautiful nieces and nephews, going to musicals and concerts, listening to political shows and podcasts like “Meet the Press” and “Pod Save America,” going on new adventures with my college-sweetheart and soon-to-be husband

What made Catherine such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“Catherine has had a profound effect, both directly and indirectly, on the lives of every student at Darden – from organizing programs that highlight the importance of building resilience to sharing her amazing singing voice at events to demonstrating care and concern for issues of inclusion and respect.

Catherine is a natural leader with a particular talent for being flexible, inclusive, and caring. I think her most lasting legacy at Darden is her work on resilience. I was a speaker at one of the events she organized as part of the Darden Resilience Week (itself part of the Darden Mental Health and Wellness Initiative that Catherine founded) and was impressed by two things. First, the events emphasized the link between self-care and performance to ensure the events were seen as relevant. This was a critical decision since resilience and, more broadly, mental health are important issues that are often overlooked – precisely because we are all so often over-extended and busy. Second, the events focused on building practical skills. The week of activities Catherine organized were not a feel-good exercise in appreciation – there was equal emphasis on seeking and implementing solutions.

As a proud Hispanic woman, Catherine has been a beacon of inspiration and a readily accessible role model. She fully recognizes the challenges facing minority students and women both at Darden and the workplace and is a graceful, though no less impactful, advocate and supporter. She is not shy about who she is but also manages to ensure that she is not solely defined by this identity. Both formally and informally, she has advance the causes of our minority students.

I should note that Catherine overcame a difficult childhood to achieve a string of successes: she graduated from Stanford and is now on her way to graduating from Darden; she has had positions of responsibility at Bank of America and Citizen Schools; and as a minority student and the first to go to college in her family, she has had to overcome obstacles many of us are unaware of. I mention this because her willingness to share her experiences, both informally and very much in public as part of a compelling and emotion Darden Stories event in which she was one of two featured story tellers, has helped foster understanding and compassion among our students.

I mentioned at the start her singing. She has a great voice and a repertoire of songs from her background. The point, however, is not the voice but the willingness to take the stage and share. I have had the pleasure of performing with her, but also being in the audience and feeling the electric charge that comes from her passion and poise. It is riveting – and becomes a vehicle for engagement and learning.

To summarize is easy: Catherine cares deeply about the emotional wellbeing of everyone around her and is not afraid to put herself at emotional risk to help others. She naturally understands the importance of taking care of one’s mental health as a way to boost performance, the importance of embracing one’s difference as a source of pride and motivation, and the importance of mutual support and respect so we can all achieve our potential. I know that I am a better person for having known her – and Darden a better place for her leadership and example.”

Marc Lars Lipson
Robert F. Vandell Research Professor and past Associate Dean of the MBA Program

 

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2018 Best & Brightest: Ilja Orre, University of Virginia (Darden) - Poets&Quants

Ilja Orre

University of Virginia, Darden School of Business

“Positive, disciplined and hard-working. Always looking to improve and be of greatest value to others.”

Age: 29

Hometown: Helsinki, Finland

Fun fact about yourself: Back in my junior years of playing competitive tennis, I gave tennis lessons to two CEOs of Nokia (this was when Nokia was the powerhouse brand of the tech world). I wish I could reverse roles now and have them teach me lessons on how to build a global business and also what they learned from the failure of Nokia.

Undergraduate School and Degree: College of William and Mary, BBA in Marketing

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? I worked as a Segment Marketing Manager for an industrial company, Ferguson Enterprises. I started in a Trainee-program, working my way up from the warehouse to a B2B sales role and later to marketing management. Prior to that I served in the Finnish military working on the Army’s social media communications strategy.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? Bain & Co. in Helsinki, Finland

Where will you be working after graduation? Consultant at Bain & Co. in Helsinki

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: VP of International for Darden Student Association

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? It’s an incredible honor to be elected to serve in Darden’s student leadership by my peers. Student leadership is a big part of how Darden operates, and I am proud of the fact that my classmates have put their trust in me to serve the interests of our international student community. I consider it a great privilege to have the opportunity to spearhead initiatives that help Darden evolve into an even better experience for our current and future international students.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I’m proud of succeeding in a demanding and rather technical B2B sales role at Ferguson despite having English as my second language. I was terrified of calling on customers in the beginning of my sales career, but fortunately I had a great team around me to help build my confidence and skills every day. It was very satisfying to overcome my fears and notice that with hard work, determination and the right team I could succeed at a task that seemed daunting at first. It’s a lesson that I will carry with me, and promote to others, for the rest of my professional career.

What was your favorite MBA Course? I really enjoyed my leadership laboratory course that I got to share with Darden’s military veterans from all over the world. Each week we got together over lunch and discussed leadership themes like character, integrity and inclusion, and what those might mean for us as future business leaders. The key takeaway for me was to never lose sight of the fact that as a leader, you are always leading real people who have real hopes, dreams and fears. It’s easy to think about leadership just from your own perspective and assume everyone else acts and thinks like you. But the reality is that people are different and as a leader it’s your job to find a way to inspire them and help them reach their full potential.

Why did you choose this business school? It took me one visit to the Darden classroom to know this was the school where I wanted to pursue my MBA. I think I raised my hand multiple times in class, even though I was just visiting. That’s how engaging and dynamic the case method experience was (sadly I didn’t get called on though). After class, I could feel the energy in the community as students gathered to start the morning together at what’s called “First Coffee” at Darden. I knew I wanted a close-knit community and Darden fit that bill perfectly. I’m really fortunate to get to re-live that first visit every day.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? At Darden, students work extremely hard for their classes and the case method forces us out of our comfort zone on a daily basis. I’d encourage those who want to get into Darden to emphasize the skills and qualities needed to survive the rigors of the program in their application and interviews. Selflessness, team working skills, resilience and a desire to pursue a professional transformation are key themes that Darden looks for in each candidate and applicants should really focus on demonstrating those in their application.

What was your biggest regret in business school? Given my decision to financially invest in an MBA, I think I’ve always prioritized my academic and recruiting responsibilities, sometimes perhaps overly so. I may have missed out on some of the social aspects of an MBA experience along the way. Then again, the only good direction to move is forward and I’ve been fortunate to end up in a really good place so I think it’s all been worth the work.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I definitely admire our international students, especially those who come to the US for the first time in their lives to start their studies. I went through that experience nearly 10 years ago for my undergrad degree. I know how difficult it can be to move far away from family and friends and to figure out how everything works. I don’t think many people recognize how challenging it may be for international students to integrate into the culture, combat the language barrier and succeed in academics and recruiting. I’m inspired by the energy and the attitude that my international peers bring to our community and how they constantly seek for opportunities to grow in order to succeed in the US despite being out of their comfort zones.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? I’d say it’s two-fold. My dad worked in business his entire life so I think he had a big impact on my orientation towards business studies. He was a very level-headed thinker and exceptionally good with people. He encouraged me to leverage my talents in areas that I felt most interested in and to think how I can do the most good for others through my choices. Business seemed to offer me both. In college, my decision to pursue business was solidified by my marketing professor, Bob Williams, who worked as the VP of Marketing at DuPont during his career. He encouraged me to think of the bigger picture, and not solely rely on the numbers. He was also a highly charismatic business person, and I figured maybe that kind of charisma would eventually rub off on me if I worked in the business world.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…hopelessly trying to figure out how to optimally allocate my marketing budget without all the great tools and techniques I now know!”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I think one of the most important issues at hand for any MBA program is how to keep the education affordable in the global context. An MBA degree is a great launchpad to successful careers, but the cost of the degree is creeping up. I think schools should actively combat tuition inflation. I think about this issue particularly from the perspective of international students who want to pursue their higher education in the US. I can see the cost of an MBA becoming an inhibiting factor for some international students, especially when the path to a high-paying US job is uncertain because of the H1B-visa process. If I were the dean, I would be pulling every lever possible to raise scholarship funding and using that money generously to attract the best and the brightest student talent.

What are the top two items on your bucket list? Hiking Kilimanjaro and obtaining my private pilot’s license.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? As someone who always found a positive side in people and life, was a loyal friend, and made a real difference in the lives of our international students.

What would your theme song be? I’m kind of a square, so definitely “Hip to be square” by Huey Lewis & The News.

Favorite vacation spot: Anywhere with blue skies, sunshine, palm trees and crystal-clear waters. I went to Croatia this past summer and absolutely loved it.

Hobbies? Competitive tennis, gym and reading. I’m also an aspiring traveler and I’m glad I now have a really good excuse to travel the world to see my classmates.

What made Ilja such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“Now in my 25th year on faculty at the Darden School, I can say without hesitation that Ilja is an invaluable addition to his Class of 2018. Although a Finnish stoic, his heart and actions are that of a passionate servant of the school, a clear voiced advocate for fellow international students, and a most outstanding student leader within the Darden Student Association. I have only known Ilja since July 2017, when I introduced myself via Skype, in the newly created position as Assistant Dean for Global Advising. Ilja was elected VP of the Darden Student Association–International in spring 2017. His first conversation with me was that of sharing his vision: “I want Darden to become the first-choice MBA School of all international students.” I knew right away that he would take charge and call upon the support the school could offer.

Ilja knew that such significant change would not occur in a year, or unlikely even in just a few years; but his background of competitive success on the court, in the field of marketing and sales, and in his securing of a top consulting firm position at Bain, gave him the can-do attitude for international student-led improvements at Darden that were all guided towards the vision. He began by advocating for what his Class of 2018 International Students did not have – a specialized multi-day International Student Orientation for the incoming Internationals of the Class of 2019. He worked closely with the Career Development Center because he knew that their preparation of students was the first key to international student success in recruiting. Ilja convinced several of his fellow international student classmates to come back early from their internships in order to be panelists for multiple interactions with the new class of international students of the Class of 2019.

Ilja serves as team leader, cheerleader, and consultant-style investigative confidant. As a team leader, he chairs a committee of student leaders from each of nine international student clubs or internationally focused advisory groups. In each meeting, he seeks their advice for a difference that can be made now and a difference that can be made for future students; and then he secures their efforts toward these goals. Right away in his tenure, he noticed that international students were vastly under-represented in elected leadership positions. Recognizing the failures of e-mail and social media in conveying information, he sought as a mouthpiece, key international constituent members along with himself to speak personally to first-year international students about running for elected positions and bringing their unique diversity to leadership decision making. This would be a first step of continued improvements for the Class of 2019.

As a cheerleader, he shows up at almost everything. Ilja is far from a social butterfly. In fact, I am confident that he would rather not be amongst the crowd, but he attends to demonstrate to all students that international students are active and participative in service, social, and the sporting arenas of the extracurricular activities at Darden. His presence allows him to encourage the participation of all international students at the school. It also allows him to identify areas where international cultural differences many not be recognized and he can call for accommodations. One example is that students from non-drinking backgrounds did not have many choices of non-alcoholic beverages, just water; so he advocated to the student leadership, giving guidance to all social events, to think broadly about the variety of non-alcoholic beverages that could be served, making the events even more special and welcoming to all students who do not drink.

Wearing his consultant hat, Ilja has relished the opportunity to create listening posts and make personal inquiries as to how things can be improved. In addition to his group meetings, he also scheduled individual meetings including academic, student affairs, and career administrators with each student club leader individually to ensure that administrative school leadership was also ‘hearing the message’. Ilja also kept up his connection with the first-year Class of 2019 by scheduling five quarterly lunches with the international students, by section, continuing to include the administrative leadership as listeners. Finally, as any good consultant, he conducted an objective survey to best understand the magnitude of challenge and combined it with the interview results.

Data synthesized, Ilja then requested an assembly of a cross-functional administrative team of decision makers (composed of Deans and Director level from Academics, Admissions, Career Development, and Student Affairs) with whom to share the aggregated qualitative and quantitative findings, as areas of improvement for international students. His ask of this new committee was to hear the findings, “treat everything with positive intent”, and to help define action items, delineated as either low-hanging opportunities that could be accomplished within a year, or opportunities that could be started but had a longer runway.

Ilja recognized, all along, that he had a vision for the Darden School that faculty, staff and students would all embrace. He also knew that it would be an effort that would take time to accomplish, but believed it needed to begin immediately. He initiated our efforts to become the first-choice MBA school of all international students, raised the bar for student leadership engagement with faculty and staff, involved all the constituent students; and now prepares for succession by a new student leader, by creating the encouraging documents and detailed history of the first year of this effort, in order that this vision might be carried forward.

Lest it be thought that Ilja simply has one focus; it should be known that he has been a great servant beyond his leadership. He conducts many mock interviews for students interested in both full-time and internships with consulting firms, provided a briefing to our First Year students in a Kaizen class going to Helsinki Finland, and continues as a strong performer in the classroom.

Please accept Ilja Orre as my highest recommendation for recognition as a Poets&Quants Best and Brightest for the MBA Class of 2018. Ilja is and will always be recognized as an invaluable addition to the Darden Class of 2018 and to the Darden School as a whole; as we continue to strive to be “the first-choice MBA School of all international students.”

Laurence G. Mueller
Assistant Dean, Global Advising

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2018 Best MBAs: Devin Underhill, University of Virginia (Darden) - Poets&Quants

Devin Underhill

University of Virginia, Darden School of Business

“Will drop anything for great conversation or a friend in need; third kid of four.”

Age: 28

Hometown: Fairfield, CT

Fun fact about yourself: Hiked the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Virginia, Socioeconomic Status – Interdisciplinary Major

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? University of Virginia Office of Undergraduate Admission, Admission Counselor

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? Boston Consulting Group, Chicago

Where will you be working after graduation? Boston Consulting Group, Consultant

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Pride at Darden – VP of Admission, First-Year Liaison
• Section D, Career Development Representative
• Admission Committee, Fundraising Co-Chair
• Community Consultants of Darden
• Board Fellows – Charlottesville Pride
• Mental Health Committee Member
• Second Year (Career) Coach
• Raven Society – Oldest academic honor society at U.VA

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? As VP of Admission for Pride at Darden, I’ve worked to create a more diverse and inclusive student body at Darden. My main role has been to speak with prospective and incoming students who identify as LGBTQ in order to be another level of support in the application process and answer any questions that students might have about Darden. I’ve also worked with the Admission Office to increase Darden’s visibility at LGBTQ recruiting spaces – CHecK uS out and ROMBA, formalizing Darden’s partnership with ROMBA this year as a sponsoring school. We’ve also created LGBTQ specific resources for prospective students to answer common questions they might have about the Darden experience and redesigned demographic questions on event sign-ups and applications to be more inclusive.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Immediately after I graduated from college, I joined the Virginia College Advising Corps and moved to rural Virginia to serve as a college adviser in a public high school. I worked for two years helping to develop a college-going culture in this economically depressed area. I created programs for 9th-12th grades to begin thinking about their futures early; worked with local non-profits to connect with students transitioning to community college; eased parents’ fears and filing financial aid applications; and mentored at-risk-of-failing 9th graders to implement early interventions. Those two years were challenging and frustrating, but my relationships with the students were incredibly rewarding. I helped to change the conversation about college, changing it from an unlikely path into a valuable option for many students. That experience shaped much of my professional outlook and future goals.

Why did you choose this business school? As I reflected on my undergraduate experience, although I loved it and built incredible friendships there, I felt that I didn’t have lasting connections with faculty. When I looked at business schools, that became a top priority – I wanted my network to go beyond just my peers. At Darden, faculty are excited to engage you; whether in class, over coffee in their offices, or at dinner, they’re focused on understanding how you think and learning with you. That stood out almost immediately and became a differentiating factor that I didn’t find elsewhere.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Showcase your best self. That requires being authentic and true to your interests, but it also means reflecting on what makes you unique and different from other applicants, and highlighting those aspects. Take the time to craft your story, clearly outline your goals, and showcase your passions. In putting in work up front, talking about yourself in interviews will become second nature and you’ll feel more relaxed going through the whole process.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Catherine Aranda is one of the more inspirational people that I have met in my life. She has overcome adversity, dedicated her life to serving others, and is incredibly talented musically. When she arrived at Darden, she struggled to adjust initially and felt discouraged. One year later, she started Resilience Week and helped the Darden community reflect on self-care and mental health, a topic that is often overlooked. She has changed this community for the better.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My colleague and role model, Macy Lenox, knew that I wasn’t feeling fulfilled in my previous job and pushed me to imagine what I wanted out of a future job. Through that conversation, it was clear that I had an interest in organizational behavior and strategy. Her husband, Mike, was a professor at Darden and so she connected me to him to talk through what I might gain from attending business school. From there, I was hooked and began searching all over the country for where might be the best fit.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? In the First Year, your section is central to your Darden experience. In Second Year, although you’ll see your section regularly at social events, there’s no academic opportunity to come together. I would create a course for 4th quarter that has everyone come back together in Second Year and talk about key takeaways and insights from the two-year business school experience.

What are the top two items on your bucket list? Write a novel and visit every continent

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? I want to be remembered as someone who knows where to focus his energy – whether as an intensely loyal friend or creative problem solver.

What is your favorite movie about business? The Pursuit of Happyness – there is never any excuse not to try for the things we want.

What would your theme song be? “Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967” by John Mayer

Favorite vacation spot: Ocean City, NJ (my family hosts a reunion there each year and I love reconnecting with cousins from all over the world.

Hobbies? I’m an avid hiker, board game lover, and aspire to write in my journal daily.

What made Devin such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“I met Devin when he was a first-year student in my business ethics course. Devin was never afraid to voice his perspective and took every opportunity to be inclusive and compassionate with his classmates. On several occasions, Devin was able to ask a powerful question to a classmate or share his perspective in a way that changed our conversation and make people think differently.

In addition to the class, I have had the pleasure of engaging with Devin on other important topics. One, in particular, is helping the Darden community cope with the tragic events of August, 11th in Charlottesville. Devin was keenly interested in what could be done to help students process and talk through their reactions and feelings of the NeoNazi March and subsequent violence. He was aware that not everyone in the community was affected in the same way, and was looking for ways to foster dialogue and better understanding among his peers. Devin reached out to other student leaders, and together they settled on the idea to write a case about how different Darden students were processing the situation, to help create consensus on what could be done going forward.

In my experience, Devin Underhill is a compassionate and caring leader who consistently reaches out and connects with colleagues with different experiences, ideas, and values. He firmly believes in the power of diversity to improve ideas and has repeatedly shown that he is willing to do the hard work of listening, empathizing, and constructively engaging to build bridges. In today’s increasingly politicized and fractured social landscape, Devin sets an example for all of us, by reaching across identity lines to connect, engage, and understand.”

Bidhan L. Parmar
Associate Professor of Business Administration

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