The Next Round at the Pub

By Griffin Gosnell '18

Thunderbird is a mindset, but where does that mindset come to life? Some say it’s in the classrooms, some say the dorms. And many believe that place is the Pub.

What defines a place? What gives a place that special feeling of comfort, meaning, or joy? What is a place without the people and the memories made, the lessons learned, the inside jokes, the friendships forged, and the love blossomed?

Architects and designers build and envision spaces, but it is the people who use the space who give it meaning. When asked about the Pub by people who aren’t familiar with the School’s rich history, it’s a hard place to explain. “A bar on campus?” Yes, that. But so much more...

The Pub is an emblem, a symbol, and an icon. A global meeting place. A dance studio. An international jukebox. A beers-and-brats post-rugby celebration. A language lesson. A recruiting lounge. A FORAD (Multinational Corporate Finance) competition. A billiards game. An executive program mixer. A study hall. A concert. A regional night afterparty. A matchmaker’s dream. A beer lover’s delight. A business think tank. And a place for all T-birds to call home.

T-birds have been making places around the world their own for 75 years now. Whether it’s a chance encounter at the airport because you saw the Thunderbird logo on a luggage tag, a First Tuesday at a bar in Lima, a reunion on the beach in Goa, a Zoom room, a T-bird’s own start-up, or a Thunderbird Emerging Markets or Global Challenge Lab team finding their niche within the client’s organization. T-birds have always “T-birdized” places, including our Pubs— the original Pub in the Hangar, the Tower Pub, and now the impressive rooftop Pub at the new Thunderbird Global Headquarters.

This new incarnation of the beloved Pub will honor the vibrant Thunderbird history we all cherish while embracing the modernity of its new home. Alumni will be delighted to see historic images showcased throughout the space, those familiar alumni license plates adorning the bar, chalkboards for strategizing or keeping score, and yes, even Mary the Marlin.

Donna Vallone, Niki Saulino, and Shane Mehrer of Vallone Studio, the designers behind the Pub, with nearly a century’s worth of experience between them, were honored by the opportunity to be involved in the Pub’s design. Not too proud to age herself with good humor, Donna revealed that she used to frequent the original hangar Pub back in the 1970s. She thought highly of T-birds and of the prestige of the Thunderbird degree, so she was excited to be involved personally in this unique and compelling opportunity. “The vision was always to keep the history and respect what it represents while incorporating the past into something more modern and contemporary,” Vallone said of their mandate.

When describing the Pub’s layout, Mehrer spoke of the way the bar would lend itself to varying experiences within one space. The bar serves as a central hub surrounded by several gathering places, ranging from high-top tables for a quick snack between classes, to booths for teams to compete in trivia, and standard tables for T-birds planning their next business adventure. The designers also knew that T-birds jump at the chance to shake, rattle and roll (and salsa!) on the dance floor, so don’t worry, the floor is easily cleared for those impromptu dance parties.

Saulino added to the vision by highlighting the design elements the team is incorporating – nodding to the aviation beginnings at Thunderbird, the storied history of the School, the memorabilia, the license plates, and opportunities for alumni donors to leave their mark on the space.

After all, T-birds have been making positive impacts and leaving our mark around the world for 75 years— on the School, on gathering places globally, on enterprises, on the planet itself, and on each other’s hearts. From the first Pub at the Hangar to the Pub at the Tower, and everything in between, the Pub is the central place for T-birds past, present, and future. The Pub at the Thunderbird Global Headquarters will be a place for you and me, and importantly a place

where future T-birds can make memories as we did. I hope you will join me in making your mark on the Pub and inscribing your name in Thunderbird history for generations to come with a gift to support this effort. And most importantly, please join me for a drink at the Grand Opening and 75th Anniversary Global Reunion, taking place November 4-7, 2021, when we officially make this place our own.

Please join me by donating at: https://thunderbird.asu.edu/tbirdpub

MEMORIES OF THE PUB FROM T-BIRDS THROUGH THE AGES:

Saturday afternoons after rugby matches, rehydrating and singing ridiculous songs.

Bringing everyone together to celebrate the camaraderie of a global vision.

Discussing politics and economics while sharing ideas with cohorts from all over the world.

Free beers for rejection letters.

I was a single mother while at Thunderbird. Going to the Pub every other week was my refuge.

My girlfriend, Jeri Bidle, was Assistant Manager at the Pub. She has now been my wife for 30+ years.

The night of my first trivia night, during Foundations week- -singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody with everyone in the pool room, that was the first time it sank in for me that I was among kindred spirits!

Gathering with fellow faculty members and students as well as playing drums for a jazz band at the Pub.

There are too many to count... I probably learned as much at the Pub as I did in class because the student body itself is a critical part of the learning process! It was so stimulating - and so incredibly much fun - to be amongst such great people.