A Marathon, Not a Sprint: Thriving Through a Three-Year Part-Time MBA

When Samantha Karp arrived at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in the late summer of 2023, the Part-Time MBA program was still finding its footing.

Rather than simply moving through it, she chose to help shape what it would become.

Now a co-president of the Part-Time Student Association (PSA), Karp has played a central role in defining the student experience for a program still in its early years.

A soon-to-be “Double Hoo” (PTMBA ’26) and UVA undergraduate alum (2015 graduate), Karp had long heard about Darden’s strong sense of community and student engagement. Business school stayed in the back of her mind, but stepping away from her career or relocating for two years never felt like the right fit.

“I didn’t want to give up my job or uproot my life,” Karp said. “When Darden announced the part-time program in the D.C. area, it just sounded like a really great fit.”

Samantha Karp (left) with Yael Grushka-Cockayne, Senior Associate Dean for the Full-Time (Residential) MBA, and PSA Co-President Christine Mehr at the PTMBA Winter Ball.

The program offered access to the same faculty, case method and academic rigor as the full-time MBA, without sacrificing the ability to stay grounded professionally and personally.

“Having a cohort of students made it feel personal, even though it wasn’t a residential program,” she added.

Karp works fully remotely at Common App, the organization that provides a standardized application used by thousands of U.S. colleges and universities, where she serves on the product strategy team and leads the organization’s direct admissions efforts. The immediacy of the part-time program allows her to apply classroom learning directly to her work.

“There’s no delay,” she said. “What we’re learning, we’re bringing back to work every day.”

Stepping into leadership without a blueprint

Karp didn’t come to Darden with plans to take on a leadership role.

Like many part-time students, her initial focus was figuring out how to balance coursework, a full-time job and life outside of school.

“I didn’t initially dive straight into student leadership,” she said. “I wanted to understand what that balance would look like first.”

Her first leadership role — Vice President of Academics — felt like a natural entry point. It offered a way to get involved without being overwhelming, while also serving as a bridge between students, faculty and the program team.

As one of the earliest cohorts in the Part-Time MBA, which enrolled its first students in 2022, Karp quickly recognized the opportunity and responsibility that came with being part of a program still taking shape.

“Especially being only the second class, there was a lot of opportunity to leave our mark on the program,” she said.

Karp in Morocco on a Global Residency with other Part-Time Classmates.

That realization ultimately led her to run for co-president of the PSA. There was no prescribed leadership path, but Karp felt compelled to step up.

“If I wanted things to change in the program, then I wanted to be the one to help steward that process,” she said.

Leading in a program built for working professionals

As co-president, Karp works closely with student leaders across five PSA committees, helping ensure each is supported and positioned for success. Much of the role centers on building structure where little previously existed — from leadership continuity to new student traditions.

“We’re still setting the foundation,” she said. “What traditions do we want? How do students interact with the PSA? What’s the right level of engagement for people who are already juggling so much?”

Karp with her learning team.

That question has shaped many of the PSA’s recent initiatives, including the launch of a Darden Friendsgiving and efforts to streamline communication.

“Students get so much information,” Karp said. “We wanted to be intentional about how we communicate and make sure students still feel represented and informed.”

Karp describes her leadership style as collaborative and inclusive, with a focus on ensuring quieter voices are heard.

“It’s really important to me that everyone feels like they have a voice,” she said. “Especially in a part-time program, not everyone has the same time or space to speak up.”

Growing confidence through the case method

Karp credits Darden with validating her ability to excel at a multi-disciplinary curriculum.

Coming from a psychology and women and gender studies background, without formal coursework in finance or accounting, she entered the program unsure how she would fit into a traditional business school environment.

“The case method was one of the biggest surprises for me,” she said. Karp was even asked to lead a session on “How to Prep a Case,” which was something she was honored to do.

The format, she said, reinforced the value of speaking up, a skill that has translated directly into her professional and leadership roles.

“You learn very quickly that it’s important not to be afraid to share your perspective,” she said.

A marathon, not a sprint

Balancing school, work and student leadership remains challenging, but Karp emphasizes perspective.

“It really depends on the week,” she said. “Some weeks school is the priority, some weeks work is, and some weeks life takes over.”

She describes the three-year part-time program as “a marathon, not a sprint,” crediting flexibility at work, supportive colleagues and a strong partnership with her co-president for making it sustainable.

Looking ahead

As she nears the end of the program, Karp sees her Darden experience extending far beyond the classroom.

Perhaps most meaningfully, her time as a student leader has clarified what she hopes to carry forward.

“Having an impact has always been important to me,” she said. “Being a student leader at Darden helped me find my leadership voice — and renewed that energy moving forward.”