by Abena Foreman-Trice

Newswise — CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia — 15 May 2014 — The Class of 2014 at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business has raised $241,286, a record-breaking fundraising total for MBA students about to graduate.

Ninety-nine percent of the class participated. Highlights of the campaign include the following:

• The full-time MBA class raised $133,600 and achieved an average pledge amount of $431 — a 15 percent increase over last year’s average pledge.

• The MBA for Executives (EMBA) Class of 2014 raised $83,950 and achieved the highest average pledge per student in history, at $1,163.

• The Global MBA for Executives (GEMBA) achieved 100 percent pledge participation and the highest total dollar raised in the history of its format, at $23,786.

For the first time, students from all three formats of the Darden MBA degree — the full-time MBA, MBA for Executives and Global MBA for Executives — were present to hear the highly anticipated elections of graduation student speakers and faculty marshals.

The Class of 2014 chose Greg Fairchild, E. Thayer Bigelow Associate Professor of Business Administration, and Professor Bobby Parmar to serve as graduation faculty marshals. They will lead the graduates in their procession down U.Va.’s historic Lawn during its 185th final exercises and again through Flagler Court at the Darden School. Johnson & Higgins Professor of Business Administration Jim Clawson and Tayloe Murphy Professor of Business Administration Robert Spekman were chosen to serve as honorary faculty marshals.

The 2014 Darden graduation ceremony will take place on Sunday, 18 May, beginning at 1:15 p.m., in Flagler Court on the Darden School Grounds.

Prior to Darden’s commencement ceremony, U.Va. will hold its final exercises. At 10 a.m., students will follow their faculty marshals to their proper positions on the U.Va. Lawn.

This year’s full-time MBA graduation student speaker is Brandon Guichard of Winchester, Virginia. Guichard is a graduate of Virginia Tech. He received the William Michael Shermet Award and the Samuel Forrest Hyde Memorial Fellowship at the start of his second year at Darden. In addition to serving as a class agent, he is also vice president of finance for the Darden Student Association and a student ambassador.

The EMBA class elected Alfred “Gus” Nicoll its graduation student speaker. Nicoll resides in New York City and is director of flight operations plans and programs for JetBlue Airways. He is a graduate of Yale University, where he majored in economics and political science.

Stephanie Scuderi, this year’s GEMBA graduation student speaker, resides in Tavernier, Florida. She is senior vice president and director of sales for Centennial Bank. She received degrees in communication and integrated marketing communication from Cornell University and Northwestern University, respectively. More information about final exercises is available on Darden’s website.

About the Darden School of BusinessThe University of Virginia Darden School of Business is one of the world's leading business schools, offering MBA, Ph.D. and Executive Education programs. The unique Darden experience combines the case study method, top-ranked faculty whose research advances global managerial practice and business education, and a tight-knit learning environment to develop responsible and complete leaders who are ready to make an impact.

For questions or information, contact Matt Charles or a member of the Communication team.

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