Passing It On: How One UVA Darden Student’s Kombucha Starter Became a Metaphor for Mentorship

Jessa Ursabia (Class of 2025) swirls a glass jar, watching the scoby — a gelatinous, living culture — drift and multiply in its tea-filled home. Soon, it will belong to someone else.

“I like the idea that something you care for can keep going beyond you,” she says. “That it can keep growing, changing and helping others.”

The scoby is more than a kombucha starter. It’s a symbol of mentorship, of transformation, of passing on what she’s learned. Ursabia received it last year from a Second Year mentor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, continuing a tradition passed down through multiple students. Now, with her May graduation approaching, she’s preparing to do the same — passing on both the culture and the lessons she’s learned.

That mindset of growth, mentorship and paying it forward has defined her career, her leadership at Darden and the way she envisions her future.

Building a Foundation

Long before business school, Ursabia had already built a career on growth and transformation. She quickly established herself in financial services, starting as an auditor at Grant Thornton before moving into corporate finance and strategic advisory roles. At Edwards Lifesciences, she developed financial models that guided multimillion-dollar clinical trials and led company-wide diversity initiatives. At KPMG, she advised Fortune 100 companies on mergers and acquisitions, uncovering hidden value in deals that reshaped industries.

Yet, something was missing. Ursabia had been fortunate to have mentors in her past roles — people who were frank with their feedback and showed her the skills she needed to succeed. One particular conversation served as a wake-up call, shifting her understanding of leadership.

“I had mentors who really cared about me, but they also challenged me. They helped me realize that leadership isn’t just about knowing the right answer — it’s about asking the right questions and bringing people along with you.”

That shift in mindset led her to Darden, where she sought to expand her leadership skills and push beyond the comfort of familiar roles.

Transforming at Darden

Arriving in Charlottesville with years of experience, Ursabia still found herself stretched in new ways.

“Darden is humbling,” she admits. “You think you’re prepared, and then you get in a case discussion and realize there’s so much to learn from the people around you.”

She threw herself into the experience, becoming president of Graduate Women in Business, an active member of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management and a Forté Foundation Fellow. Last summer, her internship at PwC focused on financial services transformation, where she helped design a strategy roadmap for a real estate firm.

While she sharpened her leadership skills in the classroom and through consulting work, she also leaned into mentorship, guiding First Year students and prospective students through their transitions. As a Consortium mentor, she took pride in helping others find their footing at Darden, just as others had done for her.

“The way Darden works, you’re constantly giving and receiving. You support others, and they support you,” she says.

That’s a philosophy embedded in the Darden School Foundation scholarship she received, funded by alumni gifts to the Darden Annual Fund — one generation of Darden students investing in the next.

Reflecting on the support she has received, Ursabia also considers how she can give back in the future.

“Knowing that my scholarship was made possible by so many donors really shifts how I think about philanthropy,” she says. “It makes me want to do the same for others one day.”

That spirit of giving back extends beyond financial support — she hopes to continue mentoring and creating spaces for others to grow, just as she has at Darden.

What’s Next?

As graduation looms, Ursabia is looking ahead. Her next role will build on her past experiences, blending strategy, finance and leadership in ways that create lasting impact. While the details are still unfolding, she’s clear about her priorities: “I want to be in a place where I can drive change, where I can help others step into leadership and where I can keep learning.”

And that scoby? She’s looking for the right person to take it on — another Darden student, someone just beginning their own journey of transformation, much like she was not long ago.

“It’s funny,” she says, smiling. “You think you’re just passing on a kombucha starter, but really, you’re sharing a piece of your journey — one that will keep growing and bringing good things to others.”

Ursabia performs at the Darden Cup Talent Show.

Support Scholarships for All

Day for Darden is Wednesday, 9 April 2025. Every gift to the Darden Annual Fund, no matter the size, directly supports scholarships that empower students from all walks of life. Your contribution helps fund opportunities for future leaders to thrive at Darden. To make a difference, make your gift early.