About Darden - Leadership

Welcome From Interim Dean Michael J. Lenox

It is a privilege to serve as interim dean of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. As a proud “double Hoo,” having earned both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Virginia, I appreciate the distinctive excellence and powerful community that we have here at Darden and UVA.

Darden delivers the best business educational experiences in the world. Our approach is rigorous, immersive and deeply transformational — preparing leaders not just to succeed, but to make a meaningful difference. There is no place quite like Darden, and no community more committed to excellence with purpose.

With Grounds in Charlottesville and Northern Virginia, Darden offers a distinctive learning environment that combines deep academic immersion with close proximity to global business, policy and innovation hubs.

I am inspired every day by Darden’s mission: to develop responsible leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences. This mission comes to life through our faculty, students, alumni and partners — and through the impact they create across business, government and society.

As a scholar, teacher and longtime academic leader at Darden, I believe deeply in the power of business to improve the world. Our faculty’s research and teaching shape how leaders navigate technological disruption and global complexity, such as the emergence of AI or geopolitical uncertainty, always grounded in principled decision-making. At Darden, innovating solutions for the world is core to who we are.

There are many reasons to engage with Darden. Here are just a few:

• The world’s best faculty. Darden’s faculty are globally recognized scholars and exceptional teachers, known for their impact in the classroom and beyond.

• The best education experience in the world. Our case-based, discussion-driven pedagogy develops leaders who can think critically, decide confidently, and act with integrity.

• Entrepreneurship, innovation and technology. From founders to corporate innovators, Darden prepares leaders to turn ideas into impact, with leadership from the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology and the LaCross Institute for Ethical AI in Business.

• Responsible leadership and societal impact. Darden connects business success with purpose and public good, with leadership from the Institute for Business in Society and the Mayo Center for Asset Management.

• An extraordinary global network. Our alumni community spans industries and continents, united by shared values and lifelong engagement.

• Jeffersonian excellence. Rooted in UVA’s public mission, Darden advances a tradition of leadership, inquiry and service.

Whether you are a prospective student, executive, alumnus or partner organization, I invite you to explore Darden and engage with our community. The experience will challenge you, change you, and prepare you to lead — now and in the future.

There has never been a more important time to lead responsibly — and no better place to prepare than Darden.

Michael J. Lenox
Interim Dean
University of Virginia Darden School of Business