program spotlight
THUNDERBIRD
share fellowship Program’s Founder, Marshall Parke ’77: An Update
D
ear T-birds, Since I graduated from Thunderbird in 1977, I have lived and worked in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. In that time, I have consistently encountered successful Thunderbirds using their educations and relationships to build businesses that make an important contribution both globally and locally. Ten years ago, I reached out to a number of my classmates with the idea of building a scholarship program that would help outstanding students from some of these emerging economies gain a Thunderbird education and, perhaps equally important, benefit from the support of alumni mentors. We named the program SHARE. Early on we benefited from four very important breaks: 1. The program resonated with my contemporaries that had similar experiences around the world, and we were able to quickly able to
raise enough money to place four SHARE Fellows on campus in the first year. 2. We found that there was a segment of alumni that wanted to give back by mentoring students. We quickly built a core mentor group that brings passionate leadership to the program today. 3. We had the tremendous good luck to connect with Maria Houle ’87, the SHARE program director on campus, a 1989 T-bird with a successful career in international banking who wanted to return home to Arizona to raise her daughter, and 4. Thunderbird gave us unwavering support. Since the program’s inception, we have brought 53 Fellows into the SHARE program, and they have far exceeded our expectations. As an added value, we have received consistent feedback from the School that the diversity and strength of the SHARE Fellows is an important contributor in the class-
L to R, Barbara Barrett, former President of Thunderbird, Marshall Parke, and current CEO & Director General, Dr. Allen Morrison.
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rooms. The Fellows’ enthusiasm has carried us all along. Recently, I was asked to speak at the Thunderbird convocation for the graduating class of 2017. The evening before the graduation we held a dinner for the SHARE Fellows and had a chance to speak with each one. They have big powerful ambitions that are well-conceived and ready for action. What struck me most was their maturity and their warmth, and the steely determination that it took to bring them to our doors. It’s no surprise that when they leave Thunderbird, they go off to accomplish remarkable achievements. Earlier this year, with the help of the School, we began to explore how to fund a broader program, and I’m pleased to report an excellent start. This year a number of our very senior alumni from around the world have joined me to provide funding for the next stage of the SHARE story. We want to put more Fellows on campus, achieve more diversity, and provide more support. I ask that you consider joining me and help provide the education and support that will allow SHARE Fellows to expand and realize their ambitions. Over the next ten years, we would like to see 100 Fellows come through the SHARE program. Since we started the program, we’ve earned the support from over 40 alumni contributors and countless mentors who have helped us transform SHARE Fellows from students into global leaders. There is so much more we can do, and I know we can accomplish, thanks to the support of the Thunderbird community. I think we are on to something special, and I look forward to the coming years. winter 2018
