Springing Forward

What does not move forward, this French saying reminds us, moves backwards. Surely this is as true in business school as anywhere in life, and here at Darden, we are always seeking to understand, innovate and grow. But as you will see in this issue of The Darden Report, we do so from a set of human-focused values that connect our future to our past.

One example came this fall with the 550 new MBA students who arrived for their “first day of school” (Page 7), something every one of our alumni has experienced. Yet this year, it was also a sign of innovation, as we welcomed students from all MBA formats to Grounds on the same day for the first time, including those from our new Part-Time MBA program.

Darden continues to adapt to the rapidly changing business of business school while maintaining our focus on faculty excellence, a high-touch education experience and a tightknit community. On Page 12, we examine the shifting landscape of business education and explore how Darden’s signature approach can thrive by meeting today’s students where they are and finding talent everywhere.

When you read the profile of Professor Roshni Raveendhran (Page 30), you’ll see that her cuttingedge work on artificial intelligence is grounded in a deep understanding of human psychology. Leaders who remember that people use this rapidly changing technology will be better positioned to succeed no matter where it goes.

This spring, we’ll celebrate another new beginning with the opening of The Forum Hotel here on our

Grounds (Page 6). This amazing venue will create more learning opportunities and deeper connections for everyone at Darden — and across UVA and Charlottesville. We will also open the new C. Ray Smith Alumni Hall, which will house the Darden School Foundation and the Sands Institute. None of it could have happened without one of Darden’s most powerful traditions: giving back.

The Forum will be a LEED-certified facility surrounded by a verdant arboretum and botanical gardens — part of our sustainability strategy — and it reflects our conviction that business, and business school, can be a force for good. In the world of practice, this idea has taken shape in corporate sustainability efforts. But with fears of a recession looming, our cover story asks if sustainable actions can be sustained (Page 16).

As ever, Darden’s top-ranked faculty will be central to the solution for any challenge we face, and we were delighted to welcome 12 talented new professors to the School this fall (Page 10). Our faculty members win awards (Page 11) and advance critical new ideas (Page 26). If you are thinking about ways to help Darden, support for our faculty is one way to ensure we maintain excellence in all we do.

SCOTT C. BEARDSLEY Dean and Charles C. Abbott Professor of Business Administration

The Darden Report is published twice a year with private donations to the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation.

© 2023 Darden School Foundation

Winter 2023, Volume 50, No. 1

University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Office of Communication & Marketing

P. O. Box 7225

Charlottesville, Virginia 22906-7225 USA communication@darden.virginia.edu

Scott C. Beardsley Dean and Charles C. Abbott Professor of Business Administration

Carolyn Miles (MBA ’88) President, Darden School Foundation

Juliet K. Daum

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

EDITOR

Jay Hodgkins

ART DIRECTION & DESIGN

Tira Hightower

FEATURES AND COVER DESIGN

Ross Bradley

WRITERS

Dave Hendrick

Molly Mitchell

Tom van der Voort

CLASS NOTES EDITOR

Egidijus Paurys

PHOTOGRAPHY

Ali Johnson

Sam Levitan

Stephanie Gross

Andrew Shurtleff

Susan Wormington

22

VC Has a Gender Equity Problem

Sustaining Sustainability

Profiles

30

70

75

90

98 20 Questions: Cathy Friedman (MBA

New Faculty, New Ideas

From