How Thunderbird has evolved over the years

When Thunderbird was founded in 1946 as the American Institute for Foreign Trade, it was the only school of its kind. Our unique perspectives and values quickly made us the go-to destination for international business, leadership, and management education.

Since 1946, the world has experienced wars, decolonization, globalization, climate change, economic crises, natural disasters, and more. “Through it all, the world has evolved,” said Mary Teagarden, Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and Administration and Professor of Global Management. “And Thunderbird has always been at the forefront of that evolution. We’ve added new studies, adopted new methods, and reshaped our curriculum many times over to stay ahead of changes and prepare leaders to be successful, adaptive, and innovative in an ever-changing world.”

We still are today. “Our reputation has spanned across the globe for 75 years,” said Lena Booth, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Associate Professor of Finance. Setting Thunderbird apart is the fact that we’ve always integrated international business, global studies, and languages into the curriculum in a way that no other institution has successfully done. “Our focus on applied learning with many project-based courses is unique,” said Booth. “We also require students to be proficient in a second language because we believe language is the lens to a culture and second-language proficiency prepares students to work in other countries.”

Another key differentiator for Thunderbird is our incredible alumni network that spans continents, ethnicities, languages, and generations. “Over the years, Thunderbird has built an international alumni network that is unsurpassed. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Roy Nelson, Associate Dean of Thunderbird Undergraduate Programs and Associate Professor. “A T-bird can go anywhere in the world and find alumni in prominent positions in international business, nonprofits, and government who take delight in helping their fellow T-birds make connections and succeed.” (Find T-birds around the world on our online community platform at https://tbirdconnect.com)

And unlike other professional schools, “global is in our DNA,” said Mansour Javidan, Garvin Distinguished Professor of Management. “From our diverse student and faculty population to the courses we teach and our extracurricular events, the global mindset is embedded in everything. Inside this institution, we eat, drink, think, grow and live global and we do it as naturally as breathing. It’s just who we have always been and will always be.”

It is because of our unique curriculum, worldrenowned faculty, alumni network, and global mindset that we’ve been able to adapt and evolve through many changes and challenges over the last 75 years.

EVOLVING THROUGH CHALLENGES AND CHANGES

A great example of Thunderbird’s evolution is our decision to partner with Arizona State University in late 2014. Being part of the most innovative university in the world has expanded our opportunities and has enabled us to accelerate our work toward fulfilling our mission and vision. It has allowed us to maintain our reputation as the go-to destination for global leadership, management, and business education.

Another revolutionary marker was hiring Dr. Sanjeev Khagram as Thunderbird CEO, Director General, and Dean in 2018. “Dean Khagram is building on Thunderbird’s great strengths and taking us further,” said Nelson. “His unique global background and experience make him a perfect fit to lead Thunderbird. His emphasis on the Fourth Industrial Revolution is challenging us to help future managers take advantage of the breakthroughs in technologies and mindsets that are creating amazing opportunities worldwide.”

Through every challenge and change – and because of them – Thunderbird is not only surviving but thriving.

“WITH ASU, THUNDERBIRD IS EVEN MORE WELL-POSITIONED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARISEAROUND THE WORLD. TO AN EVEN GREATER EXTENT THAN BEFORE, WE’RE TAKING THUNDERBIRD TOTHE WORLD AS WELL AS HAVINGTHE WORLD COME TO US.” – LENA BOOTH

75 AND THRIVING

In 2021 – even in the throes of a historic pandemic – Thunderbird is doing better than ever. One of the most exciting projects we’ve been working on is our first global headquarters in downtown Phoenix. “We are building the most technologically advanced education headquarters in the world,” said Teagarden. “It’s going to open up so many opportunities for our students and be the heartbeat of our global network.”

And our global network is growing rapidly. “We’re on this exciting journey of expanding our footprint to different countries and markets all over the world,” said Javidan. “Our goal is to have 25 regional centers of excellence by 2025, allowing us to have an even bigger global impact.”

In our global headquarters and at each of the regional centers, we are creating new degree programs and new executive education programs while nurturing new and existing collaborations. “The partnerships we’re building with global universities and organizations will create new opportunities for Thunderbird students,” said Nelson. “They will allow us to serve our students and our alumni networks and will help us advance global change.”

“The same premises that earned us a worldrenowned reputation still persist; however, we have pivoted to meet the demands of the world,” said Booth. “The School is future-ready, emphasizing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a multidisciplinary approach and digital global mindset.”

THE NEXT 75

We are proud of Thunderbird’s history and evolution over the last 75 years. And as we look into the next 75 years, we are excited and hopeful about where we will go, what we will do, and who we will impact. Succeeding will require the coordinated efforts of our global village. “The whole Thunderbird community has to work together to help achieve our mission,” said Booth. “All stakeholders – students, faculty, staff, alumni, and education partners – have to work handin-hand, serving in different capacities to advance the School’s mission. Thunderbird has a great reputation around the world, and that reputation will be expanded more broadly to more countries in the coming years.”

MARY TEAGARDEN Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and Administration and Professor of Global Management, joined Thunderbird as a tenured professor in 1995

LENA BOOTH Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Associate Professor of Finance, joined Thunderbird in 1995

ROY NELSON Associate Dean of Thunderbird Undergraduate Programs and Associate Professor, joined Thunderbird in 1993

MANSOUR JAVIDAN Garvin Distinguished Professor of Management, joined Thunderbird in 2004