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Tamaho Quinn '11
Japan
“Not only does Thunderbird provide a solid education focused on global business, but it puts me in contact with global leaders and global companies. This exposure and networking are key to getting into the global management field.”


Tamaho Quinn '11

Tamaho Quinn was born and raised in a suburb of Tokyo, Japan. When she was in high school, she had the opportunity to participate in an exchange program that brought her to Phoenix for four weeks in the summer. “It was my first time outside of Japan,” Quinn recalls. “I realized that there really was a world outside of Japan. I was shocked by the diversity of the people and culture in the U.S., compared to Japan which is known as one of the most homogeneous countries. This experience changed my entire life.”

After that, Quinn decided to come to the U.S. to study and got her undergraduate degrees in Supply Chain Management and Marketing from Arizona State University. While studying at ASU, Quinn participated in AIESEC, a group dedicated to cross-cultural understanding that offers young people the opportunity to participate in international internships and global learning environments.

“Coming to the U.S. from Japan on my own was such a challenge, but it was also a thrilling adventure for me,” says Quinn. “By the time I completed my undergraduate degrees, working in a foreign country (outside of Japan) was the next step for me, so I decided to stay in the U.S.”

Working in the U.S. for the following several years, Quinn gained enough confidence to know that she could live, work, and communicate with people anywhere in the world. She came to realize that working in the global field would be the underpinning of her career.

“Working in the global management field fits naturally with who I am and what I want to accomplish,” explains Quinn. “Global management can sometimes be challenging but I like the challenge. It gives me opportunities to continue to grow and see the world in various ways from different viewpoints. In this global business environment, I get a chance to interact with people from different countries and cultures every day.”

When Quinn decided to pursue her MBA, she gravitated to Thunderbird because the culture and environment meshed so well with her experiences through AIESEC and she knew it would further propel her towards her goal of becoming a global manager.

“Thunderbird values people from different cultures and backgrounds, and I felt at home right away when I first visited Thunderbird,” recalls Quinn. “Studying at Thunderbird, you not only gain knowledge in international business, but also develop skills in adaptability and flexibility that you can apply to any business or personal situation anywhere in the world.”

Quinn knew that Thunderbird had a strong international focus that led to its being ranked #1 in international business (U.S. News & World Report, Financial Times), however, what really made the difference for her was the people at Thunderbird.

“The primary benefit of coming to Thunderbird is the people that you meet - they have incredible global experience. As you study with these people, you have opportunities to learn about the global environment, not just from books but from citizens of the globe. It is one thing to read about how business is done in another country, but at Thunderbird, you can get firsthand knowledge of how business is really done. There are many other places to get an MBA degree, but only Thunderbird gives you such incredible hands-on experience.”