Building Community and Connection
Ketsia Saint-Armand (Class of 2026) attributes her strong community ties at UVA Darden and UVA School of Law to the Forté Foundation. She participated in the Forté Conference in Chicago, a gathering for women in business to learn, share, and network.
Ketsia’s MBA Journey
Ketsia joined Forté’s MBA Launch prep program in 2021, forming supportive relationships and clarifying her MBA goals. At Darden, she continued engaging with Forté to explore her career after roles in nonprofit finance and investment management.
Financial Services Fast Track Conference
In May, Ketsia attended the MBA Financial Services Fast Track conference in New York City, where she learned about financial analysis and valuations, refined her pitches, and built relationships with recruiters and peers in financial services.
MBA Leadership Conference
Ketsia attended the MBA Leadership Conference in Chicago, gaining insights on turning challenges into opportunities, building relationships with sponsors and mentors, and expanding career horizons. She reconnected with Darden students and met her MBA Launch study group member.
Advice for Prospective Students
- Leadership Evolution: Leadership roles will evolve; find your ‘why’ in each role.
- Resilience and Adaptability: Embrace tough choices and pivot by revisiting core values.
- Learning from Challenges: Use a strengths-based approach to explore new opportunities and learn from mistakes.
Darden + Forté
Darden has partnered with Forté for 20 years, supporting women in achieving successful careers. Forté’s community of over 100,000 women is changing workplace dynamics, helping Darden women develop authentic leadership styles and build powerful networks.
Read more here.
