Our Crowdfunding Groups
Thanks to the support of a Thunderbird alumna, the Thunderbird Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) Endowed Scholarship has been established to award financial aid to exceptional students beyond current Coverdell Fellowship offerings. You can help increase the impact of this fund by making a gift today!
The Thunderbird RPCV Scholarship is awarded to returning volunteers who are enrolled in a masters program at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University who demonstrate both academic and professional achievement. Peace Corps has had a long tradition at Thunderbird. From emerging as leaders in finance, education, the private and nonprofit sectors, the intersection of the Peace Corps and the Thunderbird education has created truly global citizens. The year 2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the Peace Corps and what better way to celebrate this landmark occasion with an investment in this scholarship fund to help volunteers emerge as global leaders.
Beyond providing additional financial support for RPCVs at Thunderbird, Thunderbird students are working together revitalize the Peace Corps community both on campus and with alumni. Initial ideas include organizing monthly gatherings in Phoenix of RPCVs and establishing a unique mentor program between Thunderbird alumni who served in the Peace Corps and current Thunderbird students who also served. To start becoming more involved, join the Thunderbird Returned Peace Corps Group on T-bird Connect!
Your investment in the Thunderbird RPCV Scholarship will not only attract high caliber students with unique global experiences but also strengthen the RPCV community at Thunderbird. Be sure to check with your employer's matching gift programs to multiply your impact!
To donate by check, please send the check to:
ASUF - Thunderbird
Attn: Financial Services
PO Box 2260
Tempe, AZ 85280-2260
Please make the check payable to “ASU Foundation – Thunderbird”; Memo: "RPCV at Thunderbird"
*Your donation will increase the impact of this endowed scholarship. In managing the Fund, ASU Foundation will pay on an annual basis to Thunderbird the board-approved endowment distribution (“Fund Payout”) to provide support for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who received this scholarship award.
Meet the current RPCV T-bird students!
Christine Muraguri, MGM, 2021
Christine Muraguri served in The Gambia in West Africa from 2013-2015, as a Community Health Extension worker. In addition to working with the community health center to increase education in related health fields, she also worked with the local community to start a school, which led to the enrollment of 385 students who had not previously had an opportunity to attend school. She also formed homework and health clubs, worked to enhance women’s education and worked with the local community to increase business and development opportunities at a grassroots level. On her return from service, she worked as a HR specialist, while also working with local non-profits to do fundraising, operations, and managing teams of volunteers in different community events. Christine will graduate from Thunderbird in May 2021 with a Master in Global Management.
Santosh Umesh, MGM, 2021
Santosh Umesh served for more than 2 years in the northern Ethiopian region called Tigray. He taught English as a second language to 11th grade students at the village’s local secondary and preparatory school. He hosted Camp Ambessa in Selekleka, Tigray, Ethiopia with the help of 5 other volunteers and 4 Ethiopian counterparts for more than 40 grade 9 and 11 students from across the Tigray region. In addition, he started an awareness campaign against open-defecation at his site, where he collaborated with local administration to educate about proper sanitation and created signage to deter open-defecation. He also served as Media and Communications Chair for the Peace Corps Ethiopia “Developing Racial/Ethnic Allyship with Multicultural Support” (DREAMS) Committee and was the Editor-in-Chief for DREAMS countrywide newsletter “The Quarterly Cup”.
Ampofo Mensah Jr., MGM May 2021
Ampofo Mensah Jr. served as a Primary Literacy Advisor in 2017-2019 in rural Jamaica. Ampofo’s main duties were assisting students with struggles in Reading Comprehension and Sentence Structure. Ampofo went on to complete many projects during his service and one highlighted was his completion of a comprehensive computer lab through successful awarded Grant Proposals. Ampofo is currently a Masters of Global Management Candidate concentrating in Global Affairs at Thunderbird School of Global Management slated to graduate from the program May 2021.
