Class of 2018 Announces Class Gift, Faculty Marshals, Graduation Speakers

With graduation less than a month away, members of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Class of 2018 came together at a special First Coffee to present the class gift to the School.

Representing 89 percent participation, the full-time MBA class presented Dean Scott Beardsley with a check for $131,348 for the Darden Annual Fund.

With 99 percent participation, the Executive MBA Class pledged $70,278.

Beardsley thanked the assembled students “from the bottom of my heart,” and noted the pride he took in seeing the first class of students he helped recruit now poised to leave Darden.

Students also announced their elections for faculty marshals for graduation, naming Professors Yael Grushka-Cockayne, Bobby Parmar and Dennis Yang to the ceremonial positions. Retiring Professor Ken Eades was named an honorary faculty marshal.

The Darden graduation will take place on Sunday, 20 May.

The elected class speakers for the Darden ceremony will be Whit Abraham (Class of 2018) for the full-time MBA class and Christine McLean (Class of 2018) for the Executive MBA class.

The morning’s celebration concluded with a series of spring awards, including:

• The Theo Herbert International Award: Denise Karaoli
• The Kitty Smiley Friend of the Student Award: Margaret Weeks
• Executive MBA Friend of the Student Award: Kathy Masloff
• The Faculty Diversity Award: Professor Yael Grushka-Cockayne
• The Outstanding Faculty Award: Professor Tim Kraft
• The Club Prize for Excellence: Darden Outdoors Club