Meet Thunderbird School of Global Management's Recruitment and Admissions Team

Thunderbird School of Global Management's admissions & recruitment team assists prospective students and applicants with a customer-focused recruitment approach, providing information on upcoming events, student connections, alumni, faculty, and advice to aid program selection.

Each fall, Thunderbird conducts a worldwide tour visiting more than 60 cities around the globe to meet with prospective students and local alumni. The team attend regional graduate school fairs, host one-on-one information sessions and scheduled networking events.

The team consists of: Amber Stenbeck; Katie Prado; Sogol Homayoun; MaryAnne Riodique; Suzanne Sanchez; Becca Clarke; Dinora Gonzalez; Niky Chokshi.

What characteristics do you think make a good applicant to graduate business programs?

Someone who is well organized, has a strong work ethic, persistence ability, self-aware, is flexible, optimistic, driven with a high level of emotional intelligence.

What is the one characteristic you believe makes candidates stand out in the admissions process?

We look for students who have a global mindset, or those who have a strong interest in acquiring one. We want students with an open-mind, a natural curiosity of the world and other cultures, and are interested in global business training as a means to create solutions, create value and make a global impact in whatever industry or sector they happen to pursue.

What is the process you go through to decide who is admitted?

The committee reviews candidates together on a rolling basis, taking a holistic approach and look the likes of academics, test scores, employability, leadership, teamwork, career goals, global entrepreneurship, international exposure, languages, thoughtfulness of essays and alumni interview scores.

How do you involve current students or alumni in the admissions process?

We’ve developed a Campus Ambassador program where students who’ve demonstrated leadership conduct campus tours, engage with prospective students and submit feedback forms.

Current students talk to prospective students if they’ve worked in a similar industry to provide perspective, and students also represent the school in events on and off campus.

We utilize alumni in four ways: 

• Most admissions interviews involve an alumnus interviewing a prospective student;
• Alumni also interact with prospective students during monthly networking events;
• We provide an alumni referral form to nominate their prospective students which can possibly help them be considered for additional alumni related scholarships;
• Each incoming student is paired with an alumnus in the initial industry they like to explore.

What is your favorite place to travel to recruit business students?

One of my favorite places to recruit is Texas. We have a large number of alumni that create awesome events once a year for prospective students to interact with recruiters.

What one thing do you love about your city or campus?

After more than seven decades with its headquarters on a former air base in Glendale, Arizona, Thunderbird School of Global Management is now in downtown Phoenix, bringing its global student body and executive education partners into the heart of America’s fifth largest city.

Phoenix is one of the most affordable large cities in the US and we have around 299 days of sunshine each year.

What is the one piece of insider advice you’d give applicants?

Keep an open line of communication with the admissions office and your recruiter. Do some cursory career research up front, have an idea what type of companies you’d like to target. If you’re offered admission and start the program with a general direction, you’re already ahead of the curve.

What do you think is the biggest myth about applying to business school?

It's too expensive and I can't afford it. There are many opportunities to get others to pay for your graduate studies, so you can earn your degree with minimal personal expense or debt:

Check with your current employer, as many offer educational benefits.

• Work with a Thunderbird admission specialist. More than 80 percent of Thunderbird students receive financial assistance through loans, scholarships or other awards. Arizona State University’s Financial Aid team works with you hand-in-hand to find the financing solutions for your unique situation. 
• Do you know a Thunderbird alumnus? Get a referral! Through the Thunderbird Alumni Referral Program, any student referred by an alumnus and accepted for admission is eligible for a Global Excellence Scholarship.
• Apply for scholarships and fellowship funding. There’s more available for grad students than undergrads. Look at the US Department of Education; civic organizations such as your local Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, Elks Club, Masons, etc., and religious organizations. 
• As tuition costs rise, so usually does funding for scholarships, and far more financial help is available than you may think. Some of these options come with 'strings attached'—a method of service or commitment to continuing to work for a period of time after graduation.