The Power of Giving Back: How One Small Gesture Sparked 500 More
By David Buie-Moltz
It started with a pen.
A simple thank-you note, written by a Full-Time MBA student at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, to someone they’d never met. Someone who, without expecting anything in return, had changed their life.
Then came another. And another.
By the end of the first-ever Day of Gratitude last fall, more than 500 handwritten notes filled the tables of the South Lounge — each one a testament to what the Darden Annual Fund makes possible.
“You Are The Reason I’m Here”
Darden is fueled by ambition, but generosity makes it possible. Here’s what students wrote to the donors who changed their lives:
These aren’t just students. They are scholars, parents, first-generation graduates, global citizens and future leaders — and they are here because of you.
From left center, clockwise: Natalie Crow (Class of 2026); Sunmisola Alade (Class of 2026); Mercy Ogbleba (Class of 2026); Dallin Robins (Class of 2026); Spencer Holmgren (Class of 2025); and Elsa Joy (Class of 2025).
What Does The Annual Fund Do?
A lot.
Alumni giving touches every part of the Darden experience:
- Scholarships: Expanding access for the best and brightest.
- Clubs and Student Initiatives: Funding case competitions, career treks and industry conferences.
- Faculty and Curriculum: Supporting groundbreaking research and experiential learning.
And here’s the part that surprises most people — tuition alone does not cover the full cost of a Darden education. The Darden Annual Fund fills that gap. Students took note — literally:
This Isn’t Just Philanthropy — It’s a Movement
Something bigger is happening at Darden.
The next generation is watching. They see what alumni do, and they want to be part of it.
In the thank-you notes, students didn’t just express gratitude. Many of them committed to paying it forward:
Your Legacy Starts Now
Philanthropy is not about wealth. It’s about impact.
A single gift — whether it funds a scholarship or a plane ticket for a global consulting project — can alter the trajectory of someone’s life. At Darden, those lives go on to change industries, companies, communities and the world.
The cycle of giving starts here. And it starts with you.
To continue making moments like these possible, consider making your next gift to the Darden Annual Fund: drdn.mba/give.
Students write thank-you notes to Darden Annual Fund donors during First Coffee.
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible global leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences. Darden’s graduate degree programs (MBA, MSBA and Ph.D.) and Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs offered by the Darden School Foundation set the stage for a lifetime of career advancement and impact. Darden’s top-ranked faculty, renowned for teaching excellence, inspires and shapes modern business leadership worldwide through research, thought leadership and business publishing. Darden has Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area and a global community that includes 18,000 alumni in 90 countries. Darden was established in 1955 at the University of Virginia, a top public university founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Press Contact
Molly Mitchell
Senior Associate Director, Editorial and Media Relations
Darden School of Business
University of Virginia
MitchellM@darden.virginia.edu
