Thunderbird History - Thunderbird School of Global Management (original) (raw)

	The remnants of Thunderbird's history as a former training facility for WWII pilots still can be seen on the modern campus in a number of landmark buildings, including the airfield control tower.

Thunderbird School of Global Management is the oldest and largest graduate management school in the United States focused solely on preparing international business leaders. It was founded in 1946 following World War II by Lieutenant General Barton Kyle Yount, the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Training Command.

A pioneer and visionary of his time, General Yount saw a growing demand for international executive talent and had a dream to create the first school of business to focus exclusively on international management. That dream was realized April 8, 1946, when the School received its charter and General Yount became the school's first president. The school was founded as a nonprofit organization known as the American Institute for Foreign Trade. Classes began Oct. 1, 1946, and its first class graduated June 14, 1947. The school has since graduated more than 38,000 students who live and work in more than 140 countries.

The graduate school was built on the site of Thunderbird Field, a historic airbase established to train American, Canadian, British and Chinese pilots during World War II. The remnants of that earlier time can still be seen on the modern campus in a number of landmark buildings, including the airfield control tower, barracks and airplane hangars.

The school's unique curriculum is based on the principle that to do business on a global scale, executives must know not only the intricacies of business, but also understand the customs of other countries and be able to communicate in different cultures. Over the years, Thunderbird has undergone countless changes including five different names but has never wavered from its founding principal nor ignored its rich legacy.

Throughout its history, Thunderbird has remained the leader in international business education by offering a cutting-edge curriculum taught by faculty who are recognized as global thought leaders in their respective areas of expertise. The school's uniqueness draws the very brightest and globally minded students from cultures throughout the world. During any given trimester, more than 60 countries are represented among the student body. Over the years, the School has fostered its global presence that now includes operations in the United States, Europe, Latin America and China.

For more about Thunderbird's history and photos, visit the Arizona Memory Project.

To listen to Thunderbird facutly and staff, past and present, talk about Thunderbird's history and legacy, visit Arizona Memory Project Oral Histories.