From the Peace Corps to Thunderbird- a natural transition

It was 60 years ago that President John F. Kennedy created the Peace Corps, to “promote world peace and friendship.” In the decades since, Thunderbird has welcomed Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) who, like all T-birds, have a unique perspective on the world.

Moving from the Peace Corps to Thunderbird is a natural transition because the values and perspectives of RPCVs and all T-birds are similarly rooted in global citizenship and a dedication to improving people’s lives. Through hands-on, cross-cultural experiences, RPCVs have cultivated a global mindset, emotional intelligence, and compassionate attitudes. To that experience, Thunderbird adds concentrated training in global business, management, leadership, and international affairs along with opportunities for hands-on consulting in emerging and developed markets. Together, the Peace Corps and Thunderbird equip students with the resiliency, adaptability, and creativity to propel their careers and change the world.

MEET SOME OF OUR RETURNED PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER T-BIRDS

Susan Hayes ’72, Master of International Management Peace Corps 1968-70, Colombia

Susan Hayes served two years in El Tambo and Pasto, Nariño, Colombia, where she lived and worked teaching classes to women and girls on nutrition, cooking, home sanitation, and creating handicrafts from locally available materials that they could sell to supplement family income. Upon completion of her time in the Peace Corps, she attended Thunderbird on a full-ride scholarship based on her Peace Corps service. “Had it not been for the Peace Corps, I probably wouldn’t have gone to Thunderbird. Thunderbird inspired me to pursue an international business career in an era when women didn’t have a lot of career options,” Hayes said. “These experiences opened up the world for me.” In 2019, in an effort to provide others the same opportunity, Hayes funded the Thunderbird Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Scholarship. She encourages other alumni to donate in order to expand the program’s reach.

John Cullison ’72, Master of International Management Peace Corps 1968-70, Ethiopia

During his two-year tour in Ethiopia, John Cullison and his team developed a program to help farmers properly clean and dry cowhides in order to maximize their profits as they sold the hides for leather. The team started with eucalyptus frames to dry the hides and used special knives to remove any remaining meat. The program was such a success that the World Bank funded its rollout to the entire country.

A worker in Ethiopia cleans and dries cowhide for sale.

When his time in the Peace Corps came to an end, Cullison knew Thunderbird was the right next step. “My experience at Thunderbird allowed me to build on my experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer, which led me to an international career,” he said. “The Peace Corps gave me a foundation and Thunderbird allowed me to focus on international business and meet other students who had a similar mindset. Going to Thunderbird opened up a lot of doors for me.”

Stacey Abella ’05, Master of Business Administration in Global Management Peace Corps 2001-03, Nicaragua

Since the seventh grade, Stacey Abella knew she wanted to attend Thunderbird. On her road to the School, in 2001 Abella joined the Peace Corps and was assigned to Jinotega, Nicaragua. While there, she partnered with an NGO that focused on micro-financing for small businesses. She worked with loan officers on business development and with loan recipients on making the best use of their loans.

Stacey Abella '05 as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua 2001-2003

Once her time in the Peace Corps was complete, Abella was thrilled to accomplish her dream of becoming a T-bird. “The Peace Corps opened my mind to a new culture and helped me learn about myself and develop deep relationships,” she said. “But my global mindset was more firmly established at Thunderbird. I was able to expand my network and my perspective.”

Kelsey Teske ’20, Master of Global Management Peace Corps 2015-17, Jamaica

Kelsey Teske always dreamed of joining the Peace Corps, so when she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from ASU, she decided to join. She served in Jamaica for two years as a literacy advisor. She helped improve literacy scores among youth, played an integral part in opening a Boys Club and Girls Club in local schools, coached soccer, and led planning for the first annual Boys Camp using a grant from an initiative of Michelle Obama’s.

In 2019, Teske began her Master of Global Management program at Thunderbird. “The experiences I gained as a Peace Corps Volunteer prepared me for and complemented the specialized knowledge and experiences I gained at Thunderbird,” she said.

Wanting to share this opportunity with others, Teske worked with a team of other RPVCs and alumna Susan Hayes to get the Thunderbird Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Scholarship up and running. “I was happy to have the opportunity to help other RPCVs get a scholarship to attend Thunderbird and propel their global careers.”

Christine Muraguri ’21, Master of Global Management Peace Corps 2013-15, The Gambia

Christine Muraguri is a current Master of Global Management student, set to graduate this year. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in The Gambia from 2013 to 2015, working as a health extension volunteer where her responsibilities included vaccination support, health education and training, and general first aid.

A few years after her service in the Peace Corps, Muraguri decided to attend Thunderbird because of the international focus and diverse student population. “Thunderbird has a dynamic group of fellow RPCVs who have been so helpful in sharing information and developing my community,” she said. “Thunderbird’s cross-cultural mindset and welcoming approach, the diversity of staff, students and faculty, and the opportunities to serve the community make Thunderbird a great choice for RPCVs to continue their education.”

To contribute to Thunderbird's RPCVs scholarship please visit: https://thunderbird.asu.edu/rpcvscholarship