Meet Vaibhav Khare, a rising Second-Year MBA student at UVA Darden! Hailing from Allahabad, India, and having lived in multiple cities across the country, Vaibhav brings a rich tapestry of cultural insights and experiences to Darden. His background in healthcare consulting and a passionate commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are just two factors that contribute to his success as a Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) fellow.
Read on to learn about his MBA journey and the generous ways he gives back to the Darden community.
Introduce Yourself
Hello! My name is Vaibhav, and I am a rising second-year MBA student at UVA Darden. My pronouns are he/him/his. I was born in Allahabad, India, and have lived in Mumbai and Hyderabad for the past six years. Having been brought up in over 10 different cities across India, I consider all of them my hometowns. This diverse upbringing has given me a deep appreciation for various regional cultures and languages, fostering an innate curiosity to learn about others.
Fun fact: Every experience in a different city has served as inspiration for my writing, particularly in my poetry. I am a published poet, and currently, Charlottesville is my muse.
What was your background before coming to Darden?
I pursued Electronics and Communications Engineering as an undergraduate, but life had different plans for me. I began my career in healthcare consulting at ZS Associates, where I thoroughly enjoyed working in the biopharma segment. This experience led me to join Novartis, where I became part of the commercial excellence team. At Novartis, I had the opportunity to collaborate with global teams across the company’s top 11 geographies.
How has being a member of the LGBTQ+ community impacted your professional, academic and personal journey?
Being a strong proponent of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) and LGBTQ+ community, I have always valued a sense of inclusivity and welcome that I hadn’t experienced before. The persistence and sense of belonging it instills is not just inspiring; it is all-consuming. During my career at Novartis, I had the opportunity to work closely with DE&I employee resource groups, which provided me with a deeper sense of community in the workplace and highlighted the importance of corporate inclusion and advocacy for diverse individuals.
I organized several open forums, discussion panels, and inclusion events, including activities for Global Transgender Awareness Week. This involvement also allowed me to step up and serve as the India Liaison for the APAC leadership on DE&I inclusion, helping to establish a stronger foundation for inclusion at the Novartis India site.
Why did you choose Darden for your MBA?
Pursuing higher education abroad was always a dream come true opportunity for me. My first interaction with Darden was through the Digital Product Management course offered by Professor Alex Cowan on Coursera. I thoroughly enjoyed the coursework and began to learn more about Darden. As I became more familiar with the school’s pedagogy, alignment with my career goals, and the vibrant community of students and faculty, I realized that Darden was my dream school.
Throughout the application and interview process, my interactions with the Darden community solidified this feeling. I was particularly impressed by the strong emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Now that I have completed my first year at Darden, I couldn’t be prouder of the choices I made.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about leaving the world a better place than I found it. This sense of purpose drives everything I do. My prior work and aspiration to continue in the healthcare industry are motivated by a desire to create better outcomes for patients. To help improve communities, I offer pro-bono support to non-profits working in healthcare and community development.
I am also a strong proponent of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEI&B) in the workplace and strive to make the spaces around me more inclusive. In the short term, my goal is to leverage my MBA education to gain a deeper understanding of the healthcare industry and refine my leadership skills. In the long term, I hope to lead initiatives that drive significant improvements in patient care and community health, while fostering inclusive environments wherever I go.
While at Darden, I aim to make the most of the diverse learning opportunities, build meaningful connections, and contribute to the school’s commitment to DEI&B.
How would you like to impact Darden as a ROMBA fellow?
Being a ROMBA fellow at Darden has been an exciting journey, filled with opportunities to forge new friendships with fellow LGBTQ+ students across various schools in the US and Europe and to create corporate networks. I aspire to transform these networks and friendships into a robust community that supports both my peers and future Darden students, enabling them to learn and grow together.
Additionally, I will be serving on the board for Pride at Darden (PAD), and I hope to utilize this role to create a safe and supportive space for fellow LGBTQ+ students. My goal is to foster an environment where everyone can learn, share, and grow, building a stronger, more inclusive community at Darden.
What has been the highlight of your Darden experience so far?
Honestly, the whole journey at Darden has been a thrilling roller-coaster ride. From getting to know my peers during orientation to forming true friendships and creating lasting memories, every moment has been special. Some standout events include PAD mixers, Bollywood nights, Eid dinners, and the 100 Case Party. Additionally, the supportive and loving community of ROMBA has been an incredible highlight, extending the sense of belonging beyond Darden and Charlottesville.
What advice do you have for prospective students about to embark on the application process?
I have one crucial piece of advice: be your authentic self. Be proud of who you are and share your story and life’s work as you navigate the application process. Show genuine curiosity about Darden, and in doing so, help the admissions team learn about you. When you bring your true self to the center stage of your application, you can effectively showcase your reasons for “Why Darden?”
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business is proud to partner with Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA), a global organization that focuses on educating, inspiring and connecting current and prospective LGBTQ business students.
This podcast episode with former ROMBA Fellow Aidan Connell (Class of 2024) details how this organization impacts Darden students.
