A Married Couple’s Journey Through Darden

They are often known as “Nini and Rod.”

As one of the few married couples at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, Nini Ratto Schol and Rodrigo Delgado Santa Maria weren’t only navigating the intensity of an MBA, but also doing so as spouses and immigrants living for the first-time in the U.S.

Originally from Peru, the two arrived in Charlottesville a month before classes began in 2023.

“We knew Darden was going to be loud,” Ratto Schol said. “Recruiting, academics, and also social because it’s a big part of the MBA too.”

They leaned on each other through it all, comparing case notes, managing different schedules, and adjusting to life in a new country.

“It’s been a great support system,” Delgado said. “At home, it was like, ‘I’ve got a lot of workload – can you pick up the slack and cook something for dinner?’ Or the other way around.”

Though they were in different sections, they shared many cases and helped each other prepare. “Sometimes we realized we were both primary for the same case,” Ratto Schol said. “We’d just do it together.”

The split-section dynamic also gave them access to a broader community. “Instead of knowing 70 people, we were close with two full sections,” Ratto Schol said. “We were part of both.”

Before Darden, they had started building a network of Peruvians also admitted to the program.

“They were going to be our home away from home,” Ratto Schol said.

That community expanded quickly once they arrived. “Each one of us was invited to the other’s events or gatherings,” Delgado said. “It helped us build our network even more.”

They also felt supported by faculty and staff. “Professors would come up and genuinely care about how we were feeling about this whole move,” Ratto Schol said.

Both spent the summer interning at consulting firms and the Darden network showed up immediately. “Someone recognized my Darden headshot and reached out to offer help,” Ratto Schol said. “Just by seeing the photo.”

Delgado added, “That idea of ‘I care about you’ – it’s not just a gimmick. It’s very authentic. It makes you want to replicate it.”

As Final Exercises approaches, Ratto Schol is returning to her consulting firm, while Delgado is still exploring next steps.

But one thing’s certain: they want to pay it forward.

Delgado added, “The more people I can keep in touch with, the better. Including professors.”

And though their time as students is ending, their connection to Darden is far from over.

“I want to come back every year if I can,” Ratto Schol said, “to see how Darden is changing, and to meet the next generations going through the amazing experiences we did.”