Also, please vote for my team (Fashion Forward) in the Dell Social Innovation Competition.  Registration is required to vote (”promote”) but I promise it’s painless!  Thanks!

EDIT: Vote for 2 other Darden Teams as well: TeleMed Africa & Clean India.  Thanks!

Let’s see, I’m taking 7 classes, well, 6 and a DBP (Darden Business Project):

• Supply Chain Management
• Leadership, Values & Ethics
• Bargaining and Negotiating
• Innovation (mostly in healthcare)
• Starting New Ventures
• Business Ethics through Literature (aka Dinners with Ed and Greg) 

First, as an aspiring entrepreneur who came to Darden knowing that I wanted to start a company right after graduation I was disappointed last year that there was no specific entrepreneurship track.  At times I felt like I was being guided into a more traditional banking or consulting direction and that was frustrating.  I think there must have been a few of us who felt that way last year and some of my classmates worked with the administration and the CDC to create a career track just for us.  Not only that, but it was actually implemented this year, so the wonderful entrepreneurs of the Darden 2010 could take advantage of it right away!  I hope that they found it helpful.  

Second issue really reared its head for me this year.  Darden is very lucky to have a parking garage right next to the school, however we do have to pay for passes to park there.  Last year I drove to class pretty much every day and so the $600+ fee didn’t bother me so much.  This year, however, I’ve been carpooling with my fiance.  In Q1 he was able to drop me off every morning and so I never drove to class, but in Q2 my schedule allows us to carpool only half the week, which means that I must drive some days.  I’m also not going to be in Charlottesville much after Q3, so when I went to the department of transportation I asked for a temporary pass to last me just until the end of this semester.  Much to my dismay I was informed that I must buy one for the full year, or what’s left of it.  That was almost $500!  You can imagine my delight when I received an email from our DSA President that Darden has decided to make changes to parking rules.  Not only can I now buy a temporary permit, I can actually buy a booklet of 10 1-time use permits which encourages carpooling! That’s in addition to changing the time when you can park in the garage for free from 5PM to 3:30PM.  This change was in response to some afternoon shift workers start at 4PM and who’ve had to pay full price just to park in the garage for a hour.  Amazing!  Not only am I saving money but I also feel like I’m being rewarded and encouraged to do my part for the environment.  

It’s nice to know that while not perfect, Darden is listening and evolving to meet my needs and concerns.  

Skyline Drive

Another one while hiking on Blue Ridge Parkway

Again, on the hike. It was beautiful.

The Rotunda

Looking out to the Lawn from the Rotunda

And don’t forget to check out this New York Times article about Charlottesville.