Thunderbird grad’s passion for travel connects her to the world

A small-town girl from Parker, Arizona, Jurni Anderson has always wanted to explore the world. Naturally, she fit right in at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, from where she will graduate with a Master of Global Management this May.

“Thunderbird is truly a community of multinational people with global ideas that get down to local impacts,” the recipient of both the Thunderbird Alumni Scholarship and Big River Garden Club Scholarship said. “I resonate with Thunderbird because of my love for travel and new experiences, technology and ideas.”

As for her plans after graduation, Anderson must do what a T-bird does best: travel. 

“I am accepting a job offer as a product owner for Werner Enterprises, a position I have also negotiated to be remote,” Anderson said. “By the end of summer, I will be in France for a couple weeks to visit family and friends before descending to Spain for a couple of months, then I will be off to Australia for at least the next year!”

Question: What’s something you learned while at Thunderbird — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective? 

Answer: This last semester, I was teaching assistant  for a professor, and as a part of grading I was pleasantly surprised at the plethora of social-impact enterprises that Thunderbirds show interest in starting, spreading and sharing! It gave me reassurance to this generation of leaders that are about to enter the workforce that we can and likely will make a major positive difference in the world! That is something I am super proud of, as well. 

Q: In regards to our recent grand opening and 75th anniversary global reunion, what does it mean to you to have been part of this historic moment in Thunderbird’s history?

A: I am very proud and grateful to be here for the launch of this new journey Thunderbird is embarking on! The event was about recognizing and celebrating diverse regions and cultures, sharing ideas and visions to create the future for the world; it was a true global reunion. I think that ASU is providing the grounds for Thunderbird to spread these progressive, inclusive, positive, future-thinking ideas to many more minds throughout the world, and that's an exciting chapter for Thunderbird!    

Q: For what in your life do you feel most grateful? 

A: I am beyond grateful for the amount of traveling that I have done. Traveling, by far, has been the most impactful in helping me perceive the world and all the humans in it. Traveling before and during my time at Thunderbird has concretely contextualized many of the things I have learned at Thunderbird, particularly about cultures and people. 

Q: What advice would you give to a student just starting a program at Thunderbird? 

A: Get to know the professors! They want you to succeed; if you're willing to put in the work, they will connect you with anyone they know (and they know a lot of people!). You'll even find a mentor that way.