UVA Darden Celebrates Student Excellence at 2026 Fall Awards Ceremony

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business celebrated students whose academic achievement, leadership, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to the Darden community stood out throughout 2026.

Students across Darden’s Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA and Executive MBA programs were recognized with scholarships and awards honoring excellence in areas ranging from marketing and entrepreneurship to leadership and service to the Darden community.

Full-Time MBA Awards

Members of the Full-Time MBA Class of 2027 were recognized during Darden’s annual Fall Awards Ceremony, where faculty and School leaders presented scholarships, fellowships and awards.

Robert Strauss Marketing Award

Professor Ron Wilcox presented the G. Robert Strauss Marketing Award to Andreea Loghin.

Established in 1989 by the Class of 1987 in memory of classmate G. Robert Strauss Jr., the award recognizes a student who demonstrates innovative thinking, strong marketing analysis, creativity, compassion for classmates and a willingness to challenge ideas while contributing to the success of others.

Loghin was recognized for her rigorous case analysis and ability to find new ways of looking at problems, as well as the poise, warmth and collaborative spirit she brought to classroom discussions and team settings.

Kenneth Nahigian Memorial Entrepreneurial Award

Professor Mike Lenox presented the Kenneth Nahigian Memorial Entrepreneurial Award to Rohan Boyapati.

Established in 1981 in memory of Kenneth Nahigian (MBA ’67), the award honors a Second Year student who demonstrates outstanding entrepreneurial ability and the promise of building a career around those capabilities.

Nahigian served as class president while at Darden and went on to a successful career in real estate investment and management.

Lee R. Johnston Entrepreneurial Award

The Lee R. Johnston Entrepreneurial Award was presented to Second Year student Andrew Katz.

The scholarship recognizes a Second Year MBA or Ph.D. student with a particular interest in entrepreneurship.

The scholarship honors Professor Lee R. Johnston, one of Darden’s founding faculty members. Johnston taught at Darden for 33 years and played an important role in the development of the School’s MBA, executive education and doctoral programs.

Daniel Family Scholarship

Professor Panos Markou presented the Daniel Family Scholarship to Michael Kleine, Mauricio Garza Treviño and Ariana Gaudry Gensollen.

Established through the generosity of Dan Daniel (MBA ’91) and Robin Daniel, the scholarship recognizes Second Year students who demonstrated strong academic performance during their First Year and are pursuing careers in general management with interests including leadership, lean thinking and kaizen, and technology and operations management.

More than 50 students applied for the three scholarships this year. Each recipient receives a half-tuition scholarship.

Class of 1986 Peter J. Niehaus Memorial Scholarship

Amy He and Cam Smith received the Class of 1986 Peter J. Niehaus Memorial Scholarship.

Established by members of the Class of 1986, faculty and friends, the scholarship honors classmate Peter J. Niehaus, who died during his Second Year at Darden.

The award recognizes Second Year students who distinguished themselves during their First Year by combining academic excellence with an ability to foster the supportive, relaxed and welcoming atmosphere that is central to the Darden community.

William Michael Shermet Award

Dean Yael Grushka-Cockayne presented the William Michael Shermet Award, which recognizes students who demonstrated academic excellence during their First Year while providing an example of determination, service, constructive attitude and responsible competitive spirit for their classmates.

Ugo Okeke and Carter Goodwin.

The award honors William Michael Shermet, a member of Darden’s Class of 1971 who continued his studies while undergoing treatment for cancer. His perseverance and commitment to his classmates have continued to inspire generations of Darden students.

The 2026 recipients are:

Nate Geerdes
Luke Lillehaugen
Pauline Jaffe
Michael Kleine
Alem Bello
Ben Hawkins
Ugo Okeke
Blake Dietrick-Seifert
Colin Quirk
Proud Tantasathien
Nick Wey
Bobby Moffitt
Elliott Wilson
Brandon Morgan
Carter Goodwin

Samuel Forrest Hyde Memorial Fellowship

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of the Samuel Forrest Hyde Memorial Fellowship, considered the highest honor bestowed upon a Darden student. This year’s Samuel Forrest Hyde Memorial Fellowship was awarded to Scott Grant.

Awarded annually by a vote of the faculty, the fellowship recognizes the student who, after completing the First Year, has contributed most to the welfare of the School and whose character, dedication and leadership show exceptional promise for a meaningful career.

The fellowship honors First Lieutenant Samuel Forrest Hyde, who graduated from the University of Virginia in 1950 and was killed in action while serving during the Korean War. His family and friends established the memorial to ensure that his character and commitment to service would continue to inspire future generations at the University.

Part-Time MBA Awards

Members of the Part-Time MBA Class of 2027 were recognized during Residency II in Charlottesville in March as they concluded their academic core coursework and prepared to transition to electives.

Stewart Sheppard Distinguished Service Award

Christine Mehr and D’Auria Henry Brown received the C. Stewart Sheppard Distinguished Service Award during the residency’s closing dinner on 12 March at King Family Vineyards.

Executive MBA Awards

Members of the Executive MBA Class of 2027 were recognized during the program’s Mid-Program Celebration and Awards on 5 June at Sands Family Grounds.

Stewart Sheppard Distinguished Service Award

Claudia Weason and Chris Clark received the C. Stewart Sheppard Distinguished Service Award.

Marian Chapman Moore Executive Leadership Award

Michael Bechara received the Marian Chapman Moore Executive Leadership Award.