UVA Darden Mourns a Life of Inquiry and Integrity
The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business is mourning the loss of Andy Wicks, the Ruffin Professor Emeritus of Business Administration, who passed away in Colorado after a battle with a neurodegenerative disease. Wicks, whose career bridged philosophy, religious ethics, and practical business ethics, left a lasting imprint on students, colleagues, and the broader field of responsible management.
A Life Dedicated to Big Questions
Wicks chaired a career-long inquiry into the questions that shape human choices: Who are we? Why are we here? What does it mean to live a good life? His forthcoming work, Ultimate Questions, was conceived as a final and deeply meaningful capstone to a life spent encouraging ethical reflection in business and life. In a candid interview with The Darden Report earlier this year, he described the book as an “invitation to wake up” and to engage with life’s core questions rather than simply seeking external validation.
A Transformative Mentor and Scholar
Joining Darden in 2002 after a decade at the University of Washington, Wicks became a guiding influence across the school’s ethics programs. He served in leadership roles that expanded the school’s commitment to responsible business: director of the Olsson Center for Applied Ethics, academic director of the Institute for Business in Society, and director of Darden’s Doctoral Program, among others. His MBA courses—ranging from Business Ethics to Leadership, Values and Ethics—embodied a holistic approach that linked personal virtue with organizational responsibility.
Impact Beyond the Classroom
Wicks’s work extended into the broader academic and professional community. He collaborated closely with Ed Freeman, the pioneer of stakeholder theory, and co-authored several books and numerous papers with him. Freeman described Wicks as “one of my closest colleagues” who lived with integrity and grace. The respect from peers underscores how Wicks helped reframe how business is taught and practiced, emphasizing character, purpose, and the social responsibilities of corporations.
A Final Gift: Intellectual and Ethical Leadership
Despite the personal illness that would eventually end his life, Wicks continued to think, write, and inspire. His upcoming book, rooted in a lifetime of ethical reflection, aimed to guide readers toward a life well lived by asking difficult questions honestly. The Darden community remembers him not only for his intellectual contributions but for the warmth, humor, and generosity he brought to every conversation.
What We Remember About Andy Wicks
Dean Scott Beardsley and Senior Associate Dean Sankaran Venkataraman paid tribute to Wicks, noting how swiftly he became a beloved figure among students and colleagues. They highlighted his leadership in advancing ethical scholarship, his dedication to nurturing future leaders, and his enduring example of living out one’s professed values. In a testament to his character, his colleagues describe him as someone who cared deeply about people and ideas alike.
In Lieu of Cards: Lighting a Candle
Wicks’s family has requested that friends honor his memory by lighting a candle on November 1, rather than sending sympathy cards. This small gesture reflects the luminous impact he had on many lives—the kind of light he sought to cultivate through thoughtful living and responsible action.
Andy Wicks leaves behind a legacy that intersects philosophy, ethics, and practical management—an invitation to continue asking the hard questions with courage, compassion, and clarity.
