The mission of the Darden School of Business is “to improve society by developing leaders in the world of practical affairs.” As an international leader in management education, the school seeks to create edifying opportunities and produce relevant research that advances practices and knowledge in the business community. Darden follows a core set of values established by the University of Virginia. These include interactive pedagogy where students take responsibility for their own learning; a passion for hard work and excellence; and collaboration supported by a commitment to honor and integrity.

Darden believes strongly in the case method of study, which requires strong individual and group preparation as well as thoughtful discussions in class and outside with teams. This method of learning involves daily, discussion-based learning in which students are active collaborators in their business education. Particularly meaningful to the program is its strong foundation in principled behavior. Based on the core values of UVA, Darden teaches the important connection between business and ethics.

Darden boasts a community that is highly supportive and founded on teamwork and communication. The school holds a number of events to encourage respect, camaraderie and genuine friendships. One of the most popular traditions is First Coffee, where professors and students gather together in a common area after the first class of the day to grab a cup of coffee and socialize.