UVA Darden Student Spotlighted in Poets & Quants ‘Meet the Class’ Feature
By Dave Hendrick
Poets & Quants spotlighted University of Virginia Darden School of Business student Minnie Lahoti (Class of 2023) as part of its “Meet the MBA Class of 2023” preview story.
Calling the group “pacesetters with a purpose,” the article notes the degree to which the Class of 2023 has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, both personally and professionally. Lahoti, for instance, shared her experience losing a close family member to COVID-19 and being laid off from her consulting job in 2020.
Left with an uncertain career path, Lahoti taught herself to code in Python and landed a data science internship. She then launched a tutoring business before joining the Darden Class of 2023.
“I can honestly say that 2020 was by far the most challenging year of my life,” Lahoti admits. “But I made it through and was able to get my life back on track. Going through these experiences really put things in perspective. My family, mental health, and a healthy work environment are at the top of my priority list. As I head to Darden, I am grateful 2020 is behind me and I am excited to start this new phase of my life.”
Lahoti also shared her early impressions of the Darden community, and hopes for the year ahead.
What makes the case method so attractive as a means to learn and become a better manager? “So what do you think?” – The case method forces you to think actively, which results in a higher retention of knowledge in my experience. The case method is not just about learning from your professor, but gaining perspectives from your peers who come from diverse backgrounds. The Darden MBA prepares you well to become a better manager because you gain and retain the interpersonal communication skills and the technical skills through the case study method.
What word best describes the Darden MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far and why? Humble. Every student or alumni whom I have met so far has treated me with respect and provided invaluable insights into the Darden MBA. The Darden community is very strong, and it has certainly held up to the hype.
Aside from cases and classmates, what was the key part of Virginia Darden’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Darden gives every incoming student a scholarship for a global immersion program. Learning how different companies and industries operate in other countries is a holistic part of the MBA process. Through Darden’s generous scholarship fund, Darden is promoting equity amongst students because it allows every student to experience the program.
Poets & Quants will profile the Darden MBA Class of 2023 in more depth, with additional Darden student features, later this academic year.
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
