By, Rick Beitman
Fall 2014 has been a trimester of changes with one of the most recent occurring the day before Thanksgiving. Wednesday, November 26, was the last day at Thunderbird School of Global Management for Alisha Bach, Housing Coordinator, as she makes a career change. – While it is good that Bach is getting a very deserved opportunity to progress professionally, her departure is still a melancholy moment for Thunderbird.
As Housing Coordinator, Bach was the face of campus of life, managing all dormitories as well as the Thunderbird Executive Inn. A native of Long Island, New York, Bach relocated with her family to Arizona in 1998. She came to Thunderbird in 2011, following her employment at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, a five-star resort in Scottsdale. At the Fairmont, she worked numerous operational positions in both the front and back of the house.
A paragon of excellent customer service, Bach found the relational aspect of her job at Thunderbird quite rewarding, “I loved building personal relationships with students, getting to know them, and seeing them grow on a personal level during the two years they were on campus.”
Being very customer-service oriented, Bach also encountered challenges in her position: “I always had a hard time saying ‘no’ to students! I always tried to accommodate everyone to the best of my ability, and when I ran across a situation where I had to tell someone no, it was always hard for me.”
While she is moving on, there are aspects Bach will miss about her former position: “[I will miss] the people I worked with on a daily basis. Over the last four years, they have become like family to me. I [also] still keep in touch with many students who have graduated.”
Although not a T-Bird by education, Bach does hold a BA in marketing. She also has gained an appreciation for the Thunderbird mystique: “One of the things I love about thunderbird is the extreme diversity. It is what makes Thunderbird special and unique.”
Bach will be the Senior Occupancy Manager at prestigious Barrett, the Honors College, at Arizona State University. While her friendly smile will likely be very welcome in Sun Devil country, Bach will still be a T-Bird in spirit. In a final message to the Thunderbird community, Bach stated, “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives these past four years. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to get to know so many staff and students!”