Thunderbird school welcomes first-of-its-kind cohort to ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus

On Aug. 13, the Haas Digital Global Forum at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University welcomed its latest cohort of professionals and recent graduates.

Director General and Dean Charla Griffy-Brown greeted 246 students at the F. Francis and Dionne Najafi Thunderbird Global Headquarters on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus, where tables stocked with coffee, pastries and other essentials helped kick off Foundations, Thunderbird’s new student orientation.

“The start of a new academic year is undoubtedly an inspiring time at Thunderbird. Our building comes alive with the energy of students, faculty and staff from every corner of the globe,” said Griffy-Brown. “As we come together for this new beginning, we are reminded of the strength of our community and the incredible impact this generation of T-birds will make in shaping the future.”

This year’s incoming class saw a 22% increase of enrolled students across all Thunderbird programs when compared to fall 2024, with a class coming from over 30 countries, including Malawi, Germany, Serbia and Ukraine. While this semester also boasts a marked increase in domestic enrollment with students coming from over 20 states, 70% of students join the school from abroad.

Thunderbird hosted Foundations from Aug. 13–15, with events including the historical Flag Ceremony, in which students shared their cultures and backgrounds with their new classmates while presenting flags of their home country.

Numerous other sessions were held across the three-day program. Students connected with new and old T-birds in the Pub at Thunderbird, freshly reopened for the academic year, and faced off in a number of athletic contests for the ThunderOlympics. This year, the Scorpions placed first in the competition, winning this semester’s trophy.

Among the Scorpions is Alexandra Paddy, an incoming Accelerated Master of Global Management student from Mesa, Arizona.

“The campus is filled with people from diverse backgrounds, and everywhere you go there are opportunities to meet someone new. The community is incredibly welcoming; both returning and incoming students are eager to connect. It’s also uniquely international, which makes it easy to learn about and engage with a range of cultures.”

Matthew Scarlett, an incoming Master of Global Management student from California, shares similar views on the school’s community.

“I’m most looking forward to meeting people from all over the world with a global mindset and contributing and working together toward the mission of Thunderbird.”

In previous years, the people he referenced would be mostly other MGM students, but this fall marks the first time that the school’s undergraduate programs were integrated on-site at Thunderbird Global Headquarters with Thunderbird's existing graduate programs, creating an enriched academic environment.

This reunification might have been partly responsible for a recent uptick in undergraduate enrollment. Enrollment in undergraduate online programs, including the Bachelor of Global Management and the Bachelor of Science in International Trade, increased by 48% compared with fall 2024. Likewise, undergraduate immersion programs in these same degrees grew by 26% over the same period.

“While many institutions are experiencing enrollment declines, Thunderbird remains steadfast in our commitment to expanding access for learners around the world," said Griffy-Brown. "Our strong growth across both online and immersion programs reflects this dedication. By bringing all of our students together under one roof, we are creating powerful synergies and cultivating a vibrant, highly collaborative and globally connected learning environment that elevates the student experience at every level.”