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Muniza Hassan '08
United States
Growing up in a Pakistani home within the predominantly Caucasian town of Katy, Texas, Muniza Hassan '08 says she became aware of her cultural differences at an early age.


Muniza Hassan '08

That realization during her junior high school years, she says shaped her outlook on the world. "I've just always had an inclination to learn about different cultures, languages and especially religions," says the 23-year-old. "Although I'm a practicing Muslim, I went to a private Catholic university, because, among other reasons, I wanted to be exposed to another significant world religion."

That interest in the global world led Hassan to a BA in international studies and business administration at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. While a student, she had the opportunity to work as an analyst/associate with PTV Sciences, a boutique VC firm catering to technology start-ups in the material sciences and life sciences.

"Because it was a boutique firm, I was really able to dabble in everything," she explains. "I did everything from organizing our annual meetings and contributing to our quarterly reports to assessing business plans and everything in between."

"There was no international component to the job or firm, which is why I was attracted to Thunderbird," says Hassan, who graduated with her MS in Global Management in December 2008 with plans to return to the VC field. "I felt that gaining those valuable skills would give me the necessary tools to move from a boutique firm in Texas to a firm that is focused on emerging markets around the world."

Thunderbird's MS in Global Management program was the perfect fit. "It was a year-and-a-half program as opposed to traditional two-year master's programs," she says. "My focus and interests lie in international business, and Thunderbird is the No. 1 school for international business. Once I got accepted to this school, I felt like there was really no reason to go anywhere else."

The Urdu-, Hindi-, English-, and Spanish-speaking Hassan says that Thunderbird was definitely the right choice for her career aspirations. In addition to her globally focused academic expereince, she gained valuable hands-on experience as the chief marketing officer for the Thunderbird Rugby Football Club. "I learned about marketing, organized events, worked through various cultural issues, and how to work with the guys," says Hassan, who also spent time as a member of the Private Equity/Venture Capital Club while on campus.