6 minute read
Once Again the Vanguard of the Vanguard
T-birds around the world, be proud and confident in our beloved school - we are thriving again! But as you, our incredible alumni fully engage with us again - our potential is limitless. The Thunderbird global family is truly precious, and I am honored to lead it.
As we reflect on the last 18 months I am thrilled with the tremendous turnaround and transformation we have achieved. I am even more inspired about where we are heading and I know that once you’ve read the stories in this magazine, you will be too.
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WHERE WE’RE HEADING
As we enter the fourth phase of our evolution – what I call Thunderbird 4.0 @ ASU – we are guided by the truly historic opportunities and challenges we face as a global community. These make a vibrant Thunderbird absolutely critical in today’s world. The first set of opportunities and challenges is the rise of anti-globalism, hateful forms of populism and nationalism, and increased polarization and violence. Many people were left out of the benefits of globalization, and their frustrations are understandable. Here Thunderbird has an incredible opportunity to be a champion that trains global leaders and managers who will advance equitable prosperity worldwide – a truly inclusive Globalization 4.0. It harkens back to our founding phrase: “borders frequented by traders seldom need soldiers.”
We also face the challenges and opportunities that arise from this period scientists call the Anthropocene. Human beings are now not only the primary but by far the predominant drivers of planetary change. Threatened by the climate crisis, resource depletion, and mass extinctions, the sustainability of our ecosystems and the planet itself is at stake. Here again, Thunderbird can be a champion in training global leaders and managers who will restore a sustainable planet.
Sanjeev Khagram, PhD Director General and Dean
The third set of opportunities and challenges arise from this new era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution – the amazingly transformative combination of technological innovations enabled by the data revolution – indeed data is the oil of the 21st century. From artificial intelligence (what I prefer to call augmented or co-intelligence) to the internet of things, blockchain to gene editing, we are in an unprecedented period of rapid disruptive change transforming business, government, society – even who we are as human beings.
But we’re not technological determinists. The future will be determined by how we as humans lead, manage, and organize ourselves. Thunderbird 4.0 @ ASU will contribute by training global leaders and managers to maximize the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution while minimizing to every extent possible its risks (such as data privacy). Thunderbird 4.0 @ ASU is about training and influencing leaders and managers with digital global mindsets: building on the best of our past and pioneering the future.
We face truly epic challenges and opportunities in our contemporary moment as we embarked less than two years ago on the greatest transformation in the School’s history since our founding. I call it Thunderbird 4.0 @ASU, in which we are not only reclaiming the very best of our past and rebuilding the foundations for long-term success, we are reinventing ourselves to be the vanguard of the vanguard in global leadership, management, and business education.
RECLAIMING, REBUILDING, AND REINVENTING
As I took leadership of the school, we set out to reclaim the best of our remarkable history and legacy. We’re also rebuilding the prestige and foundations of the institution that for
decades offered among the world’s most-coveted, top-ranked global management education. And with the same spirit that Thunderbird was founded on, we’re reinventing ourselves to be the vanguard of the vanguard in global leadership, management, and business education.
Let me be clear - Thunderbird will always educate and train world-class global business professionals. But the world also desperately needs a new brand of global leader and manager across sectors: private, public and non-profit. Thunderbird uniquely lies at the intersection of business, public policy, and international affairs—this is where positive change happens in this new era.
Just consider a few of our remarkable achievements – bringing languages back, regaining our #1 ranking, transforming our curriculum, increasing our internship rate from 50% to 93%, breaking ground on our iconic new global headquarters, launching nine new regional centers of excellence around the world (on our way to 20+), building partnerships with the World Economic Forum and UN among many others, launching Tbird Connect and so very much more …
Over the next 60 pages, you’ll read about the exciting progress we’ve already made reclaiming, rebuilding and reinventing Thunderbird—and our exciting plans for years ahead. We have a bold yet feasible five year plan with clear targets, strategies and tactics. Perhaps most importantly, we are executing this plan with professional precision and discipline.
Reclaiming Languages – Page 31 Accreditation
Page 36
Rebuilding Alumni unity – Page 20 T-bird Connect – Page 26 Reinventing New global headquarters – Page 8 9 centers of excellence – Page 16 Curriculum transformation – Page 30 and Page 44
THE WORLD NEEDS THUNDERBIRD, AND THUNDERBIRD NEEDS YOU
Together, we are so much more than a school. All of us are part of this magical, mystical Thunderbird global family— we are unified. Join me and the thousands of alumni around the world. • Be proud and confident • Recruit, refer, mentor and employ our students • Spread the word about our world-class and truly unique Executive Education programs • Donate to support scholarship programs, our global headquarters, or regional centers of excellence • Bring the Thunderbird Global Alumni Network and our new T-bird Connect platform to life • Be proud and confident
Thunderbird 4.0 @ ASU is possible only through the active engagement of alumni like you who share our vision and love the school. You are our champions - our ambassadors, and I am deeply grateful for your support and friendship. Let me end with one of my favorite poems from Tagore which I have shared with many of you:
I slept and dreamt that life was joy I awoke and saw that life was service I acted and behold, service was joy
Global Leadership for the Fourth Industrial Revolution 64 % RE INVENTING THUNDERBIRD 4.0 @ ASU EARLY VICTORIES (July 1, 2018 - July 1, 2019)
RE BUILDING
RE CLAIMING
#1 RANKING WALL STREET JOURNAL TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION
⇡20 % FALL 2019 RECRUITMENT
⇡34 % STARTING MGM SALARIES AT 90 DAYS
⇡57 % MGM EMPLOYMENT AT 90 DAYS INCREASE IN ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
$ 15m $15 MILLION RAISED
3 9 REGIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE
GHQ DESIGNED NEW GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS
APPLIED LEARNING + CONCENTRATIONS CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION
LANGUAGES ARE BACK!
⇡86 % INTERNSHIP RATE
EXEC ED • THUNDERBIRD FOR GOOD • APPLIED LEARNING • ONLINE DEGREES INNOVATION CORPS
AACSB ACCREDITATION GRANTED
ALUMNI UNITY UNDER THUNDERBIRD GLOBAL ALUMNI NETWORK
UNGC (UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL COMPACT) AWE (ACADEMY FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS) WEF (WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM) B-TEAM DIGNITY HEALTH NEW PARTNERSHIPS
