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Kelly Fuson '11
United States
“The primary benefit of Thunderbird is the alumni network… They are helpful and responsive, but better yet, they are everywhere!”


Kelly Fuson '11

Kelly Fuson ’11 considers herself fortunate to have grown up in Sacramento, CA, one of the most culturally inclusive cities in the United States. Throughout her formative years she had a variety of multi-cultural friends, especially Mexican, Filipino, Chinese and Japanese. Through them she acquired a taste for and knowledge of cultures outside of her own and took this mindset with her when she went to college California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA.

“I think that most people start out learning in a box and they get comfortable with the walls and limitations,” says Fuson, who worked for Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions after graduating from Cal Poly with a bachelor’s in International Management. “I had the good fortune to learn and grow outside of a box and that shaped my desire to look beyond the borders of the U.S. when pursuing my career path.”

Given her early experiences, global management seemed like a rational choice for Fuson, especially because she recognized that is where the world is headed. And, with that frame of mind, she knew Thunderbird was a natural fit. “Globalization is not a bad thing; it's evolution. And I intend to be one of the future global leaders by first pursuing my career in global management,” she says.

Whether her ultimate professional destination is a U.S. company or a corporation abroad, Fuson says she’d be happy either way.  “I am dedicated to working for a company that has multinational operations and recognizes the value in having a diverse and inclusive workforce.”

While at Cal Poly, Fuson joined AIESEC, a group dedicated to cross-cultural understanding that offers young people the opportunity to participate in international internships and global learning environments. “I view Thunderbird as a professional extension of AIESEC because it includes the same level of diversity and inclusiveness,” she explains. “Thunderbird is a great way to extend that experience and take it with you in the rest of your career.”

Despite her undergraduate degree in International Management and her experience with AIESEC, Fuson knew she needed more experience and hands-on learning to make global management an attainable profession. This led her to recognize the value of an MBA in Global Management. “I knew that Thunderbird would further thrust me into the global network because the school truly incorporates a global mindset into everything, including the classes, professors and companies that come to recruit on campus,” she explains. “There is a global perspective that permeates throughout the whole program, and the international student body really contributes to the experience as well.”

Fuson chose Thunderbird because of the strong international focus, but has discovered that the T-bird network is equally beneficial – a value-add that has earned the school The Economist’s #1 ranking for “potential to network.”

“The primary benefit of Thunderbird is the alumni network you become a part of. Every experience I have had with alumni has been positive,” she says. “They are helpful and responsive, but better yet - they are everywhere!” 

Check out Kelly’s blog posts on the Thunderbird’s Student Voices blog.