MBA - Industry Focus Electives - Media, Entertainment & Sports

Media, Entertainment & Sports

Darden’s preparation for careers in the media, entertainment and sports industries is robust not only because of the breadth of the curriculum offerings and cases dedicated to these industries, but also because of the numerous opportunities available beyond the classroom.

These come in the form of the popular Media, Entertainment and Sports Club, job treks to New York and Los Angeles, numerous alumni in senior management positions at high-profile companies and the music management and film production enterprises both founded and located in Charlottesville. Darden is an excellent fit for students interested in media, entertainment and sports because like the School itself, these fields tend to be highly entrepreneurial, as well as relationship-driven.

Batten Media Fellowship

Visit Scholarships for details about the Batten Media Fellowship, a full-tuition fellowship awarded to a candidate with a career at newspapers or in other news gathering organizations.
Clubs & Events

Media, Entertainment and Sports (MES) Club

The mission of the MES Club is to increase awareness of Darden within these industries while also encouraging employment opportunities.

Media, Entertainment and Sports Job Treks

In conjunction with Darden's The Career Center, the MES Club organizes recruiting trips to New York and Los Angeles, meeting with companies such as ESPN, NBA, Sirius Radio, Sony Productions, Reuters, ABC, NBC, The New York Times, Universal Music, MTV and Disney.

Virginia Film Festival

This four-day festival held each fall in Charlottesville includes over 60 film screenings and nearly one hundred speakers. Directors, actors, scholars and writers enrich the experience and welcome the opportunity to reflect with audiences on the art and purposes of film making.

Annual Film Producers Forum

As part of the Virginia Film Festival, the MES Club organizes the Annual Film Producers Forum, bringing high-profile movie producers to speak at Darden.
Charlottesville & UVA Resources

Charlottesville's vibrant cultural community is very supportive of the arts, hosting annual film, photograph and book festivals. Charlottesville is also home to UVA Sports and the Dave Matthews Band and their spin-off companies, including music management and movie production companies. Numerous UVA alumni are highly involved in the film industry; to learn more, read the Making Movies feature from the online version of the University of Virginia Magazine. Relationships with these entities are a robust source for speakers, teachers, internships and research opportunities.

Visit Scholarships for details about the Batten Media Fellowship, a full-tuition fellowship awarded to a candidate with a career at newspapers or in other news gathering organizations.

Media, Entertainment and Sports (MES) Club

The mission of the MES Club is to increase awareness of Darden within these industries while also encouraging employment opportunities.

Media, Entertainment and Sports Job Treks

In conjunction with Darden's The Career Center, the MES Club organizes recruiting trips to New York and Los Angeles, meeting with companies such as ESPN, NBA, Sirius Radio, Sony Productions, Reuters, ABC, NBC, The New York Times, Universal Music, MTV and Disney.

Virginia Film Festival

This four-day festival held each fall in Charlottesville includes over 60 film screenings and nearly one hundred speakers. Directors, actors, scholars and writers enrich the experience and welcome the opportunity to reflect with audiences on the art and purposes of film making.

Annual Film Producers Forum

As part of the Virginia Film Festival, the MES Club organizes the Annual Film Producers Forum, bringing high-profile movie producers to speak at Darden.

Charlottesville's vibrant cultural community is very supportive of the arts, hosting annual film, photograph and book festivals. Charlottesville is also home to UVA Sports and the Dave Matthews Band and their spin-off companies, including music management and movie production companies. Numerous UVA alumni are highly involved in the film industry; to learn more, read the Making Movies feature from the online version of the University of Virginia Magazine. Relationships with these entities are a robust source for speakers, teachers, internships and research opportunities.

“Darden opened doors for me in media. The coursework prepared me for the fascinating business challenges facing the media world. The links with Darden alums at places such as NBC, Media General, Google and ABC helped me get connected in the industry. And the Media, Entertainment and Sports Club gave us the opportunity to meet media executives in New York and Los Angeles. Every year we add to the network of Darden alums pursuing careers in media, entertainment and sports. Together, we help make each other more successful.”

Ryan Davis

MBA ’07