
[email protected] brings together the whole of the Darden community to develop and execute initiatives that will drive Darden toward gender inclusive excellence and propel Darden to become the business school of choice for women interested in management education.
Building Meaningful Connections
The [email protected] initiative focuses on building connections and lasting relationships between admissions, prospective and current students, faculty and alumni. The initiative has kicked off with a focus on the student experience, examining ways to enhance the classroom experience for women, increase programmatic offerings and develop increased support and allyship for students.


We are here to help women appreciate their possibilities, to show them that there is a path for them to, through, and after an MBA. Darden is a place that cultivates leaders, and we need more female leaders in all sectors. [email protected] seeks to provide pathways to a Darden MBA, ensure that students have a transformational learning experience, and remain connected to this remarkable community throughout their lives. Darden women have been putting cracks in the glass ceiling for decades, but it’s time for us to shatter it.

Building a Case for Diverse Case Protagonists
The Forté Foundation recently detailed how a student-led initiative helped diversify Darden cases by over 7 percent. Recent work by the [email protected] Steering Committee is building on the work.
By Lisa Beebe, Forté Foundation — Pam Fischer was in her first year at Darden when she and other women noticed how few of the cases they were studying featured women. She remembers thinking, “Most of the case protagonists seem to be men — in particular, white men from the United States. While this might have been the business environment of 20 years ago, it isn’t the one of the future, or probably even of our class.”
While few MBA programs focus entirely on case-based teaching like Darden, the case method is prevalent in at least some limited form in most MBA programs. This suggests that students all over the world may have noticed the same thing as Pam and her classmates.
Spotlight: Featured Alumnae

Mayra Rocha (GEMBA '16)
President, Project M Media Corp.

Katherine Neebe (MBA '04)
VP National Engagement and Strategy and Chief Sustainability Officer at Duke Energy

Lynnette Crowder (EMBA ’10)
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, U.S. Silica

Daniele Wilson (MBA '11)
Head of Industries – Nonprofits, Google Inc.

Christine Davies (MBA '09)
Founder and CEO, Poligage

Goli Sheikholeslami (MBA '94)
President and CEO, New York Public Radio

Laure Katz (GEMBA '16)
Chief of Staff, Conservation International

Marcia Mao (MBA '15)
Director of Portfolio Management, Zenity Capital

Liz Lynch (MBA '84)
Senior Managing Director, Evercore

Nicole Lindsay (MBA/JD ’00)
VP, Strategy and Operations, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Nishita Henry (MBA '03)
Chief Innovation Officer, Deloitte Consulting

Sheri Lucas (EMBA '13)
Senior Vice President, Business Initiatives, Wells Fargo
Alumnae: Connect With Darden's Engagement Team
Pursuing Purpose
Martina Hund-Mejean (MBA ’88), Former Chief Financial Officer of Mastercard Worldwide
Darden alumna Martina Hund-Mejean (MBA ’88) is a purpose-driven leader with inspiring advice for how future leaders can pursue their purpose successfully. Hund-Mejean currently serves as the head of the Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees, which oversees the Foundation’s strategies, providing an important link between the academic and business communities.
Faculty Thought Leadership and Practical Insights
Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning

Women in Leadership
Available 2023 dates: 17-21 April and 23-27 October
Women are called on to lead in organizations and society more than ever, but they face unique challenges along the way. This non-degree program will show you how to create opportunities to leverage strengths and lead confidently at all levels.
Funding Your MBA
Darden strives to be among the most financially accessible business schools in the world. Learn more about scholarships and need-based aid for your MBA.
Read more about UVA’s notice of non-discrimination and equal opportunity.
-
Women's Scholarships
Darden is committed to creating an ecosystem in which women and all students thrive. By awarding women's scholarships, the Darden Foundation not only celebrates the next generation of women leaders but also creates a richer learning experience. No separate application is required to be considered for these awards from the Darden Foundation.
-
Breakthrough Scholars
The Breakthrough Scholars program is a competitive scholarship initiative designed to foster a new generation of diverse leadership in private equity, venture capital (VC) and other areas of asset management.
In its initial year, the Breakthrough Scholars program will be open to students applying to the Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA programs at the Darden School of Business. The Darden School Foundation plans to award students who have a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with potential to break through in areas that are traditionally not sectors associated with diversity and inclusion, and where new leadership would be important and impactful.
-
Diversity Scholarships
We invite you to explore our portfolio of merit scholarships, which do not require a supplemental application and are awarded by the Darden School and the Darden School Foundation. Diversity scholarships include the LGBTQ+, Women and Minority communities.
-
Forté Foundation & Forté Fellowships
At Darden, we are committed to women's leadership, and since its inception have proudly partnered with Forté - a non-profit working to launch women into successful and significant careers. All female students at Darden get Forté's Premium Access Pass membership for FREE. Forté's community of 100,000+ motivated and inspiring women is changing the balance of power in the workplace.
Exceptional female candidates are selected to receive a Darden School Foundation-funded Forté Fellowship. Along with the prestige of receiving this scholarship, Forté Fellows get access to exclusive Forté benefits, such as skill-building workshops, leadership conferences, networking opportunists, job postings and more.
-
Need-Based Scholarships
Darden seeks to make its world-renowned education affordable to all students. Scholarships and financial aid are priorities of the School's Powered by Purpose capital campaign. Award amounts will be up to $20,000 for those who qualify and are based on funds available.

Graduate Women in Business
Darden’s chapter of Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) promotes the role of professional women by developing a greater appreciation for issues of diversity among men, women, faculty and administration. This organization led by women in the Full-Time MBA provides resources related to women’s issues in pursuing a career in business and helps students create and build their professional and personal networks.

Network for Executive Women
Darden's Network for Executive Women (NEW) is a student-led organization in Darden's Executive MBA program dedicated to the professional advancement of women in the program. NEW creates an inclusive community in the Darden Exec MBA program, advocates for an understanding around issues of gender equality specifically related to women executives and connects female students and alumni through professional development and networking opportunities
[email protected] Faculty Advisors
Meet the faculty advisors who are leading the [email protected] Committee along with students, faculty and staff from all corners of the Darden network.
In The News: Darden Students, Faculty and Alumnae
