Courtesy: Rebecca Henriksen
Hello T-Birds!
I hope that your studies are going extremely well but that you managed to find time to enjoy a fun Halloween! I am always impressed by the way our students balance the rigor of their coursework, the importance of their career search, and the value of fun and friendship. Thunderbird students are the best.
I know that many of you have been wondering about Travis Richardson and want to know how he’s doing. I am happy to report that he is making great progress! A detailed update is included at the end of this communication.
Here is what you’ll find in this week’s update:
Project Management Club Special Event: Join the Project Management Club on November 7th at 6:00pm in the Najafi GM Auditorium for World Project Management Week. The Arizona chapter of PMI will be on campus for a series of talks on the latest in project management from PM professionals, including Thunderbird’s own Karen Brown and Bill Youngdahl. You will have the opportunity to earn credit towards the PMP/CAPM certification, as well as network with over 20 project managers from multinational and national companies! The topics for the PMC event are: “Why Your Project Needs a ‘Why?'” and “Dealing with Global Teams.” Dinner and beverages will be provided. Hope to see you there!
Winterim and Module Abroad Deposits due: For those who have been admitted to and plan to attend one of the upcoming Modules Abroad or Winterim programs, the deadlines for your deposit / administrative fee is approaching quickly.
Module Abroad Deadline: Monday, November 4th
Winterim Deadline: Friday November 8th
Individuals who fail to make their deposits for these programs will be dropped to make room for additional candidates currently on the wait-list.
Clash of Consultants – TMCA Case Competition: Great opportunity! TMCA is holding ‘Clash of Consultants’ case competition, this flagship event will be on campus again on November 21st. This is a great opportunity to show your consulting skills and sharpen them. The winners will get certificates and $200 prize. There is a greater news! KPMG will be one of the judges, and winners and runner ups will be awarded a round table with KPMG after competition. Stay tuned for more details in TMCA’s this week newsletter and its Facebook page event.
Fall Thunderbird Volleyball Tournament: The Net Impact Club and the Volleyball Club are partnering to host the Fall Thunderbird Volleyball Tournament. The event will include a volleyball tournament and an after-party at the pub, with prizes for the winning team and the best-dressed team. Proceeds from the event will help to fund the Global Citizen Forum in March, a two-day conference hosting over 15 speakers here on campus. Clubs that sponsor a team will be included as Global Citizen Forum sponsors. Come out enjoy a day of fun in the sun with your friends and fellow club members!
What: Thunderbird Net Impact Volleyball Tournament
Date: November 9, 2013
Where: Outdoor sand volleyball courts at the YMCA
Time: Volleyball tournament: 1 – 4 pm; After-party at the Pub: 4 – 7 pm
Details: $40 per team
4-6 players per team
Dress code: team-themed costume
Register by November 7th (sign up and transfer funds) Prize for winning team
Prize for best-dressed team
2014 Hult Case Competition: The 2014 Hult prize is a good opportunity to Thunderbird students to unleash their skills and knowledge. Click the link to learn more! (http://www.hultprize.org/en/)
Women’s International Club:
What: BYO Lunch
Topic: Improving the roles of women leadership
Where: Board room at Tower
When: 1-2 pm, November 5th
Mormon Culture Night*: Mormon Thunderbirds are proud to host a Mormon Culture Night at Thunderbird on November 12th at the TEC. There will be panels about everything from prominent Mormon leaders in business, to how to get started with your genealogy. Come prepared for a wonderful experience, and a lot of education.
Today, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (or The Mormons) spans the entire globe. Though headquartered in Salt Lake City Utah, it may surprise some Thunderbirds that since its inception, the church has always been an international presence. Soon after being founded in 1830, by the first President of the church Joseph Smith, Smith sent missionaries out across the ocean into Europe, Asia, and beyond; seeking to unite the people of the world into one family. Today, the church sends missionaries of all ages to its global network of training centers, where missionaries train in the language of the people they will be serving, learn about local customs and sensibilities, and spend between 18-24 months serving their host country, without being paid.
From this long multi-cultural tradition, it makes sense then that many of these missionaries look to Thunderbird to continue their training as global citizens, and international business developers. Today, members of the church make up about 15% of the Thunderbird student body, and also contribute to a global membership of over 15 million members. Mormon Thunderbirds love collaborating with globally minded people, and sharing with others who we are.
(*Important note – Thunderbird does not promote or prefer any particular religion or faith, but values diversity and respects all religions, faiths and lifestyles. Please know that if you would like to plan an event of this type, I would be happy to promote it in this publication.)
Student Competition Update: Just a quick update to let you know that the details surrounding the Student Competition to visit some of Thunderbird’s proposed future international locations are still under discussion. The competition will take place, but not until later this spring. The hosts want to make sure the objectives for student participation are clear, and that we make the most of this opportunity. We apologize for the delay – stay tuned for more information in the weeks ahead.
Update on Travis Richardson: Travis was transferred from Flagstaff Medical Center to Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Center on Oct. 24 and has made incredible progress. The facility is one of the top ones in AZ and the country and he will be surrounded by speech, physical and occupational therapists each day to work on rebuilding his life. It is not known how long he will be at the center (assuming 3-4 weeks) and it is also not known where he will be performing his outpatient therapy, yet he is the next step closer to getting better. Travis is having a strong week. He has had so many wonderful visitors and has accomplished so much in all of his therapies. Every day, he does at least 2-3 new things or improves on something he has been working through.
Travis has had many friends from T-bird. Although he doesn’t yet remember everything of what is brought up in discussion, it sparks memories about the situations (including trips, school activities and more) his friends and the three of us were referencing. As the conversation progressed, he did actually remember many things. He even spoke a little Spanish! Travis has now played the guitar and harmonica and even sings songs during his music therapy sessions. He is also starting to stand on his own/beginning to walk more, showing much more balance and the ability to move more. This will continue to take time but he is impressing the PT ladies every day. His OT work is also going well and he is building upper body strength during these sessions as well as using his mind for puzzle solving and various games. He is starting to carry conversations as well and entertain his guests, which is fantastic. Speech and memory are two of the most important asks of recovery that are truly signs that a full recovery may be achievable. Since the time with friends opened up many memories, Terry (Travis’ mom) and Jen told him a bit about the updates we send about his progress and how amazing the outpouring of support has been. Travis was even a bit emotional about learning how much people cared about him.
We want to continue to thank everyone for their support in every way possible. Again, if you are interested in contributing to support Travis and his family, here is the link to donate: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=M62CA8HY8DAYU
All right, T-birds! That’s all for today!
Have a great weekend,
Rebecca