Thunderbird For Good

Kellie Kreiser ’04

Fifteen Years of Good

Fifteen years ago, as a new Thunderbird alumna, I volunteered to help in a new women’s entrepreneurship training program. Little did I know that I was witnessing what would become one of Thunderbird’s most iconic and impactful programs, Thunderbird for Good. In January of 2005, Thunderbird welcomed 15 Afghan women entrepreneurs to campus for a two-week “mini-masters” training program. The Taliban had fallen and women in Afghanistan were recovering from years of oppression. Long-time Thunderbird champion, Ambassador Barbara Barrett, approached the School with an idea for an entrepreneurship training program to help these women. “Project Artemis” was the very first program in what would become our extensive social impact initiative, Thunderbird for Good.

“My ability as a businesswoman grew from earth to sky. What I learned about management, marketing, and leadership at Thunderbird had a profound impact on my business. It would be no exaggeration to say I brought a world of experiences back to Afghanistan with me,” said Project Artemis graduate Zainularab Miri of the Ghazni Women’s Beekeepers Association.

Since its inception, Thunderbird for Good has trained over 160,000 people across more than 90 countries, and almost all of these students have been women.

Thunderbird has developed a reputation for creating innovative programs that change people’s lives. One of the widest-reaching programs, DreamBuilder, is a free online entrepreneurship education program. Last year, the U.S. Department of State adopted DreamBuilder as the core curriculum in their Academy of Women Entrepreneurs and launched it in more than 50 countries. So far, over 57,000 people have enrolled in DreamBuilder around the world.

“I was able to buy my oven and start the business I had dreamed of my whole life. Here I am, one year after taking DreamBuilder, I am a different woman! I

have achieved my dream. It’s right here in my hand. I own my own bakery,” said Lily Lujan, owner of La Mamama bakery in Arequipa, Peru.

Not only have these programs helped women gain economic success, but they have given many women the confidence to help others. In Afghanistan, the graduates of Project Artemis have gone on to create over 2,500 jobs and provide training to 15,000 other Afghans. Thunderbird for Good’s impact has not stopped with the program participants; our Thunderbird community has also benefitted. Students have participated in internships, projects, and volunteering opportunities. Prospective students decide to join our community because they want to go to a school that makes this kind of big impact in the world. Alumni have stepped up to become mentors, advisers, and even teachers in Thunderbird for Good projects. Faculty have used their program experiences to fuel research and publishing, and they have brought lessons learned into their classrooms.

At fifteen years old, Thunderbird for Good is only getting started. Through new collaborations and partnerships, such as our recent selection as the Institutional Partner of the UN Global Compact Network USA and our work with the International Budget Partnership, we are helping other companies, governments, and organizations to make big impacts of their own in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Truly, Thunderbird is continuing to change the world… for good.