UVA Darden Grad Trades in Island Hopping for Career Switch to Consulting

Lauren Bowden (MBA ’17) was living and working in the tourism industry — and learning to captain large ships — in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, when she decided she needed a career pivot to bigger and better things.

Bowden came to the Darden School, interned at a technology company, and will soon start a consulting career with a boutique firm in its telecommunications, media and technology practice. She recently shared how her Darden experience and the resources at the School helped her pull off a successful career switch.

Bowden found herself surrounded by a number of resources during her First Year while exploring her next career steps. “Every day, you’re surrounded by influencers in a company briefing, lunch, Leadership Speaker Series, or hearing from a Darden alum at an event or in class. There are also great professors that can spark an interest that you never thought you would explore,” Bowden said. “My peers were probably my greatest career resource. Having access to so many talented individuals to brainstorm ideas about what you are thinking about doing with your future career, the steps to get there, and your short- and long-term goals was incredible.”

Read more on Darden’s The Network section.