Early history Thunderbird School of Global Management

thunderbird school of global management seal

thunderbird school of global management founded in 1946 american institute foreign trade. school founded lieutenant general barton kyle yount in glendale, arizona on former world war ii military airfield, thunderbird field no. 1, purchased yount war assets administration 1 dollar, subject condition property used educational purposes minimum of 10 years. yount became school s first president when school chartered on april 8, 1946. classes officially began on october 1, 1946 98% of enrolled students attending on g.i. bill. first degrees awarded on june 14, 1947.

the institute focused on international management , first graduate school train students in global business work u.s. government or overseas american businesses. in history, thunderbird implemented language program focused on spanish , portuguese, using same instructional methods army had used during world war ii. school created international studies program on, focused on latin america, later expanding include other parts of world, such asia.

in school s years, thunderbird awarded 2 degrees, bachelor of foreign trade , master of foreign trade, although after 1975 school no longer offered undergraduate degree. american institute foreign trade later changed name thethunderbird graduate school of international management before again changing name american graduate school of international management in 1970s.