From GameStop to the Miami Dolphins: UVA Darden’s Aldo Sesia Wins 2025 Gerry Yemen Award for Case Writing Excellence

At the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, the case method isn’t just a teaching tool — it’s the heartbeat of the School. Every day, students step into the shoes of leaders at companies like Rivian, General Motors, Capital One, Amazon and even the Miami Dolphins, making high-stakes decisions with incomplete information. These conversations are fueled by meticulously researched case studies written to capture the ambiguity, urgency and complexity of real-world business.

Behind every classroom debate, however, lies a team of case writers and researchers whose names rarely make headlines. Last week, that unseen labor was celebrated when Aldo Sesia, senior case researcher, was named the newest recipient of the Gerry Yemen Award for Excellence in Support of Case Writing.

A Career Built on Cases

Sesia, who joined Darden full time in 2022 after years as a freelancer and case writer at Harvard Business School, has authored or co-authored dozens of cases now taught in Darden classrooms and downloaded worldwide through Darden Business Publishing. His work ranges from the GameStop short squeeze and crypto winter collapses to Silicon Valley Bank’s implosion to global finance, housing and sustainability challenges.

One of his most widely cited works, “A Dolphin Bullied: Jonathan Martin’s NFL Experience in Miami,” co-written with Professor Allison Elias, won the 2024 Wells Fargo Award for Course Materials and has been recognized for sparking thoughtful classroom dialogue around mental health and workplace wellness.

An Award Rooted in Legacy and Philanthropy

Sesia’s award received carries the name of Gerry Yemen, who retired in 2024 after 25 years of case writing leadership at Darden, co-authoring more than 400 cases and mentoring generations of researchers.

The award was established by Larry Franklin, a former Darden lecturer, along with his wife, Mei Kwong Franklin, and brother, Sterling Franklin, as trustees of the Morris S. Smith Foundation. They are members of Darden’s Principal Donors Society, supporting scholarships and initiatives that strengthen Darden’s experiential learning.

The Case Method Advantage

Why does this investment matter? Research shows that students trained through the case method perform just as well on fact-based tests as peers taught by lecture — but when faced with messy, unstructured real-world problems, they have a clear edge.

As student Grace Hagerty (Class of 2026) recently put it:

“The difference with the case study method is that it’s stories, it’s experiences and you’re taking action — which is so much easier to remember going forward, because you lived that experience.”

The cases Sesia helps craft — from fintech lending (“Upstart’s Upshot”) to industrial strategy (“Re:Build Manufacturing”), from Japanese whisky supply challenges to BBB disputes over T-Mobile’s 10G campaign — are the raw material that makes this pedagogy possible.

The Future of Case Writing at Darden

Together with faculty and editors at Darden Business Publishing, Sesia and the Case Writing Research Group add approximately 150 new cases each year to a catalog that now spans over 4,400 titles used in more than 130 countries. Explore the collection through Darden Business Publishing to see how the case method continues to shape leaders worldwide.

Professor Emeritus Jim Freeland (left) and Larry Franklin (right) congratulate Momena Javaid (Class of 2027), recipient of the James R. Freeland and Laurence C. Franklin Fellowship. (Photo by JB Fitts)

Celebrating the Franklin Fellowship

The Franklin family’s support of case writing was not the only way their impact was felt at Darden last week. At First Coffee, the community also celebrated Momena Javaid (Class of 2027) as the newest recipient of the James R. Freeland and Laurence C. Franklin Fellowship.

Javaid, with a background in strategy consulting and performance analysis, has worked with startups, governments and corporations across the US and the Middle East. The fellowship, created by the Franklins and Professor Emeritus Jim Freeland, supports students while honoring Freeland’s four decades of teaching at Darden. It is among more than 100 new MBA scholarships created during the recently completed Powered by Purpose campaign, advancing access and affordability at the School.

Contribute to Darden’s Case Library

Have an idea for a great business case or real-world example that could inspire Darden students? Share your lead with our faculty through the Case Idea Form. Your experiences and insights can help shape the next generation of case studies taught around the world.