Abstract
Amidst a policy context that is ardently promoting participation in world politics, trade, and cultural exchange, institutions of higher education are increasingly committing their campuses to preparing students for professional and civic lives in a globalized world. Yet among the many approaches taken by institutions to internationalize their campuses, career development and career counseling are underutilized methods of preparing students for international careers. This study examines the effects of an international career exploration module in general education classes on students’ interest in and knowledge of international career options, arguing that the use of such a module is an effective component of preparing students for international careers.
Keywords
Researchers, policy makers, and experts in wide-ranging fields have called upon institutions of higher education to produce students who can apply their intercultural knowledge as both global citizens and professionals. Rationale ranging from economic to political and from academic to sociocultural undergird the push to develop graduates who are globally competent professionals. Economic rationale for internationalization emphasize preparing students for domestic and international careers to ensure success in world trade. Political rationale “emphasize the need to equip students with an awareness of world cultures and skills necessary to address national security and foreign policy concerns” (Childress, 2009, p. 290). Academic rationale include the necessity for students to gain a diversified worldview, comprehend international dimensions of their major fields of study, and develop global critical thinking skills to have a liberal arts education. Sociocultural rationale emphasize understanding and communicating between cultures to ensure social justice and equity (Childress, 2009).
Unfortunately, research literature on this topic has tended to focus on the impacts of study abroad and other types of educational exchange (Crowne, 2008; Hunter, 2004; MacDonald & Arthur, 2004). Ultimately, there is a lack of information on the effects of other strategies that institutions of higher education might use to prepare their students for global engagement in a diverse range of professional fields.
This study explores a low-cost, easily implementable intervention by examining the effects of a short international career exploration module delivered to U.S. college students in general education courses. The analysis addresses the following research question:
Research Question 1: How does inclusion of an international career exploration module in a general education course affect (a) students’ interest in international careers, and (b) students’ knowledge of international career options?
The author uses the term “international career” in the most broadly defined sense, referring to an individual’s series of jobs over a lifetime that are substantially international in focus, but may take place either within or outside of a person’s home country, and most probably, in a combination of the two.
Student Interest in International Careers
There is no doubt that many students today have a keen interest in working internationally and in participating in educational opportunities to develop their global competencies. One particularly illuminating study was conducted by the American Council on Education (2008). Their nation-wide survey of more than 1,500 U.S. college-bound high school students revealed that 55% of students were certain or fairly certain they would participate in study abroad while in higher education. A plan to participate in an international internship was indicated by 35% of respondents. Most notably, 37% of student respondents indicated that they were very interested in acquiring career-related work experience in another country. These results clearly support the contention that there is strong student interest in developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for global career success.
Evidence suggests that institutions of higher education both recognize this student interest and have adopted the rationale and rhetoric supporting the need to prepare students for professional lives in a global world. In fact, a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities conducted in 2006 (Green, Luu, & Burris, 2008) found that 53% of 4-year institutions include a reference to international or global education in their mission statement.
Despite the institutional commitments, the same study found that only 18% of 4-year institutions had developed specific international or global student learning outcomes for all students and less than 30% of the institutions have a foreign-language graduation requirement for all of their undergraduate students. Furthermore, although approximately half of the 4-year institutions require undergraduates to take at least one course focused on regions outside of the United States, less than 10% of 4-year institutions require their undergraduates to take three or more courses focusing on areas outside the United States as part of their general education requirements. Despite the commitment set forth in the mission statements of these institutions, the evidence indicates that too few students are purposefully guided toward international careers over the course of their undergraduate experience.
Educational Approaches to Build Global Competency
Within the context of increasing national expectations from policy makers and educators, institutions of higher education are under pressure to train their graduates for the new reality of global interconnectedness (Norris & Gillespie, 2009). Aiming to prepare students to be effective global workers and informed citizens, many colleges and universities are taking deliberate action to develop the foundations of global competencies in their students. These actions include revising general education curricula, emphasizing study abroad and internship abroad opportunities, expanding foreign language study, and creating international certificates and tracks within majors (Green & Shoenberg, 2006).
Unfortunately, the emphasis of most institutions on developing students’ global competencies through curricular and academic exchange initiatives does not adequately address students’ need for guidance in career exploration. Although there is little literature on career counseling in a higher education setting preparing students for global careers, MacDonald and Arthur (2004) argue that it is essential that career counselors develop knowledge of global trends and ways of helping students to be competitive in global labor markets. Despite this, journals in the career counseling field spend little time on this important topic. In fact, in a review of four major U.S. vocational/career journals over a 34-year time period, Nilsson et al. (2007) found only 2.4% of the total articles published focused on international careers. Moreover, the preponderance of the empirical research on international careers focuses on study abroad as a potential pathway but fails to address the vast majority of students who do not study abroad. This research attempts to address these deficiencies in the literature.
Research Design
This study was conducted at a Western U.S. public university as part of the researcher’s doctoral study in fall 2010 (Punteney, 2011). The campus, with more than 17,000 students enrolled, is located in a small college town with a population of about 70,000. The campus is fairly typical in its progress toward internationalizing the campus. It has a strategic plan for internationalization and several committees that oversee progress in different areas. Approximately 3% of undergraduates study abroad, and approximately 3% of the student body is comprised of international students. The institution requires that all undergraduates take one internationally related course as part of the general education curriculum. There is no foreign-language requirement.
All students at the institution are required to take one upper-division (third or fourth year) social science general education course from among a wide range of subjects. In developing the research design, the author was interested to test the effects of an international career exploration module in a course with international curricular content. For this reason, an Asian Studies course was chosen. Another section of the same Asian Studies course offered the identical curriculum, but did not receive the module, and thus served as a comparison group. Yet the author was still curious about what effects such a module might have if delivered in a course that did not offer an international curriculum, and the Economics course was chosen. Though the field of economics is inarguably international in focus, this particular course topic focused on U.S. labor markets and was not explicitly international in nature.
Ultimately, 91 students in three class sections participated. Two of the class sections received an international career exploration module: the Economics class and one of the Asian Studies classes. Another section of the same Asian Studies class did not receive the module. All participants completed the pre- and post-tests. In the final analysis, the results of three scenarios were compared: international career module only (Economics class), international curriculum plus international career module (first Asian Studies class), and international curriculum only (second Asian Studies class). The students did not have any prior knowledge of this research study at the time they enrolled in their courses, and therefore, did not make enrollment decisions based on the opportunity to be exposed to the content of the module.
The three groups were comparable in age, year in school, and the number of international students in each group. Although the two Asian Studies classes were fairly similar, the Economics class had more business majors and had more White and male students in composition. However, as will be demonstrated in the Results section, Lavene’s test established that there was no significant population variance between the three groups.
As validated instruments addressing the research question were not found, the survey instruments were created by the researcher. Both the pre- and post-surveys were paper-based surveys, delivered by the researcher. The surveys took approximately 10 min each to complete during the normally scheduled class time and setting.
International Career Exploration Module
This study introduces an international career exploration module as a low-cost, easily implementable approach that institutions could incorporate into their existing curriculum. The module was developed by the researcher. The average age of the typical college student resulted in an emphasis on exploration of entry-level career opportunities. The module was delivered within 1 week, roughly midsemester, during two 75-min class sessions. The objectives of the module were to
inspire students to pursue international careers (encourage, motivate, and build confidence)
reduce any anxiety students might have about pursuing international careers
increase students’ knowledge of online and print resources, including job and internship listings
increase students’ knowledge of resources available through the campus career center
increase students’ knowledge of alumni networks
inform students of specific entry-level international job and internship positions in a variety of fields
The first session began with video clips of people talking about their work experiences in a variety of international fields, including teaching, finance, humanitarian work, scientific research, computer programming, and business management. The researcher also shared anecdotes from her own international work experiences. This brief activity was intended to pique students’ interest and to assure the students that people they can relate to have international careers.
Next, students were divided into small groups and asked to brainstorm what makes an international career different from a U.S.-based career. Groups shared out their ideas for the whole class, and the researcher shared a list of differences offered by Caligiuri (2006). Then, students were asked to discuss factors that made them likely or unlikely to pursue an international career. Volunteers were asked to share their thoughts with the whole class. The researcher summarized common themes and addressed the concerns and hopes of the students to motivate, build confidence, and reduce anxiety.
Next, the researcher delivered a presentation on pathways to international careers and shared online resources and job listings. This began the emphasis on providing resources for students and building their information networks. The homework assignment for the next class was to search for and bring in an international job announcement of interest to the student.
The second class session was held in the campus career center and one of the career counselors joined the researcher. Students were asked to share the job descriptions they found in small groups. Then, volunteers shared with the whole class. This discussion activity highlighted the breadth of international positions available. Next, the career counselor gave a presentation on the print and online resources available in the career center and career center services. The counselor introduced the online program Linked In as a way to get in contact with alumni working internationally. The researcher and counselor also highlighted selected international internship opportunities, including those for which on-campus recruiting takes place. These activities emphasized online resources and professional networks. Time was left at the end of the presentation for students to ask questions.
Results
Pre- and post-tests delivered at the beginning and end of the semester measured the effectiveness of the international career exploration module and gave insight into students’ interests and knowledge of international career options.
Pretest: Past Exposure to International Careers
On the pretest, participants were asked to provide information on their previous experiences of career counseling as related to international careers. As Table 1 demonstrates, students reported relatively little past exposure to international careers. In fact, all three groups report similar experiences of receiving no information or little information from faculty or career center staff about international careers. Furthermore, students report that they rarely initiate these conversations and that they are rarely aware of relevant events and guest speakers.
Past Experiences: Mean Responses by Group
Note: Response options for the questions included the following: 1 = not at all, 3 = sometimes, 5 = very often.
Pretest: Student Interest in International Careers
Despite receiving little information on the subject, students across the three groups report interest in pursuing an international career. Table 2 presents mean responses to three pretest questions. In all three groups, the mean levels of interest in an international career and levels of confidence in the ability to be successful hover around 3.5 indicating moderate or higher-than-moderate interest and confidence among participants. Notable in the students’ pretest responses, as indicated in Table 2, is that although students are interested in pursuing an international career, they perceive a lower likelihood of actually undertaking an international career.
Pretest: Mean Responses by Group
Note: Response options for the questions included the following: 1 = not at all, 3 = some, 5 = very.
Digging deeper into student responses to the question, “How interested are you in having an international career?,” is informative. As Table 3 demonstrates, students in all three classes demonstrate interest in international careers, with 80.3% of all participants indicating moderate to high interest. This is congruent with the national data presented earlier that indicate widespread student interest in gaining international experience.
Pretest: Interest in International Careers by Group
Pretest: Student Knowledge of International Career Options
In addition to questions about interest in international careers, students were asked about their knowledge of international career options. Table 4 provides students’ responses. As shown, the mean responses to each of these questions were below the midpoint on the scale, indicating that students are not aware of resources they can access in the pursuit of an international career. These results are in keeping with students’ reports of having received little institutional input regarding international careers from faculty, the career center, or through events and guest speakers on campus.
Pretest: Knowledge of International Careers—Mean Responses by Group
Note: Response options for the questions included the following: 1 = not at all, 3 = some, 5 = very.
Posttest: Change in Student Interest in International Careers
Posttest surveys were administered near the end of the semester. Four questions from the pretest were repeated in the posttest as gauges of student interest: “How interested are you in having an international career?,” “How likely are you to have an international career?,” “How often have you/will you initiate conversations with faculty about international career options?,” and “How often have you/will you talk with Career Center staff about international career options?” Changes in responses are reported in Table 5. The two groups that participated in the international career exploration module reported increased levels of interest, whereas the group that did not receive the module showed a slight increase in response to two questions and a decrease in response to two questions.
Pre- to Post-Test: Interest in International Careers—Change in Mean Responses by Group
Note: Pre- and post-test scale scores ranged from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very). Numbers indicate increase/decrease from pre- to post-test. For example, a 1.0 would indicate that the average response went up a whole point on the 1-to-5 scale from pre- to post-test.
A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to establish the relationship between the effects of the module and students’ interest in international careers. The ANOVA was significant, F(2, 87) = 7.78, p = .001. The effect size was small, with the module factor accounting for 15% of variance in survey results as demonstrated by η2 of .152. These results indicate that there was a statistically significant difference between the three groups, in which 15% of the change in student interest from pre-to post-test could be reliably attributed to the effects of the module rather than chance.
To determine whether the significance existed between all of the three groups, or just particular pairs, additional tests were required. To determine the appropriate follow-up test, Lavene’s Test of Equality of Error Variances was utilized. Lavene’s test was not significant at .301, which indicates that the differences between groups follow a normal pattern and that the groups are comparable. Tukey’s HSD (honestly significant difference) is an appropriate follow-up test in such a case of equal population variance.
The Tukey’s HSD post hoc test indicated that the Economics course (M = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.09-2.83) showed a significant difference in comparison to the Asian Studies course without the module (M = 0.50, 95% CI = −0.23-1.23), p = .033. The post hoc test also showed a significant difference between the Asian Studies course with the module (M = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.78-3.40) and the Asian Studies course without the module, p = .001. The two groups that received the module were not significantly different from each other at the p < .05 level. Thus, when each group that received the module was compared with the group that did not receive the module, the difference was statistically strong enough that the module can be assumed to be the cause of the difference in student interest rather than chance. In contrast, there was no significant difference between the two groups that received the module.
Posttest: Student Knowledge of International Career Options
Four questions from the pretest were repeated in the posttest as gauges of student knowledge: “How confident are you that you know where to find job announcements for international positions?,” “How aware are you of international career options related to your major?,” “How aware are you of international career options in fields beyond your major?,” and “How knowledgeable are you about entry-level international career opportunities?”
Mean changes in participant responses, by group, are detailed in Table 6. Although all three groups reported similar levels of knowledge of international careers in the pretest, the data show a greater increase of knowledge of international career options at the time of the posttest for the two groups that received the international career exploration module.
Pre- to Post-Test: Knowledge of International Careers—Change in Mean Responses by Group
Note: Pre- and post-test scale scores ranged from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very). Numbers indicate increase/decrease from pre- to post-test. For example, a 1.0 would indicate that the average response went up a whole point on the 1-to-5 scale from pre- to post-test.
A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted. The results were significant, F(2, 87) = 8.82, p < .001. The effect size was small, with the module factor accounting for 17% of variance in survey results as demonstrated by η2 of .169. These results indicate that there was a statistically significant difference between the three groups, in which 17% of the change in student knowledge from pre- to post-test could be attributed to the effects of the module.
Lavene’s test was again utilized and was not significant at .519. It was, therefore, assumed that there is equal population variance between groups and the Tukey’s HSD post hoc test was applied. The post hoc test indicated that the Economics course (M = 3.64, 95% CI = 2.45-4.83) showed a significant difference in comparison to the Asian Studies course without the module (M = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.10-2.06), p = .004. The post-hoc test also showed a significant difference between the Asian Studies course with the module (M = 3.89, 95% CI = 2.77-5.02) and the Asian Studies course without the module, p = .001. The two groups that received the module were not significantly different from each other at the p < .05 level. In summary, when comparing each of the groups that received the module to the group that did not, the difference was statistically strong enough that the module can be assumed to be the cause of the difference rather than chance. Once again, there was no significant difference between the two groups that received the module.
Posttest: Student Feedback and Recommendations
The posttest asked students that received the module, “How did participation in the international career exploration module affect your career thoughts/goals?” The most common response was that the module provided additional information and resources and other responses included the following:
Gave insight on different types of international careers; gave resources to find an area of personal interest.
Gave me a wider view of what was out there. Told me what I could do to get started. Gave me info on where to go for even more information. Made me believe it’s easier than I had originally thought.
Other students responded that the module increased their interest in international careers:
It definitely got me more interested and made me want to explore my options more. I realized how easy it really was to become involved in different international programs.
Made me think more seriously about the possibility of working and living abroad.
Some students reported that the module had little impact on their career plans. In some cases, students who were uninterested remained uninterested. In other cases, students who were interested remained interested. Still other students felt that the information came too late in their college experience to be of use:
Not much, I had international job possibilities in mind.
Not huge effect. I am a senior, and it would have been nice to have more exposure to international careers early on in my education.
The student responses reiterate that many students have interests in international careers but feel that they need additional information, direction, and resources.
All three groups of students were asked, “What, if anything, could the university or your faculty do to support your readiness for an international career?” Students offered a wide variety of suggestions, the most common being the need to incorporate international career information into the curriculum, and major classes in particular:
Have people come into classrooms to talk to different majors about how and the perks of doing this.
Have info sessions within each major about specific opportunities.
Talk about it in major classes more. I’ve only heard about it in this class.
Have more than just one class in my major dedicated to opening people up to the global community.
Students also emphasized the importance of organizing and publicizing guest speakers, events, and seminars. Furthermore, students wanted to have specific opportunities communicated to them though announcements, websites, and so on:
More presentations about it. Guest speakers with the experience.
Hold a seminar (semesterly event?) with speakers who have worked abroad.
Keep students informed about international careers via speakers, information packets, and internship opportunities.
Less common, but still repeated, were comments that the university should support and expand study abroad and international internship opportunities:
Pay for students to study abroad as part of our tuition to see if it is right for each individual.
Give more international internship jobs specialized in the student’s career.
Other students commented that they think what is being offered by the university is adequate. Notably, most of these responses came from students who reported low interest in international careers:
Basically, what they already offer is excellent. The career center is very helpful, and the job fairs give lots of opportunities and ideas.
It seems if you are interested in international careers, the university can help you get ready via the Career Center or online through the Career Center.
A few of the students responded that it would be helpful to be paired with an international student. Other suggestions included requiring language study to earn a bachelor’s degree and assisting students by providing lists of overseas contacts.
Findings
This study examined students’ interest in international careers as well as students’ knowledge of international career options. The pretest included an exploration of student’s past exposure to these topics. Across groups, most students reported that they had not sought out information on international careers and that the information was not being shared with them through the curriculum, faculty-initiated conversations, or through campus events and workshops.
Despite students’ lack of exposure to the topic, more than 80% of participants reported moderate to high interest in pursuing an international career on the pretest. In addition, students reported high degrees of confidence in their abilities to be successful in international careers. Students indicated a moderate likelihood that they would actually have an international career.
Statistical analysis of the change in participant responses from pre- to post-test revealed that the international career exploration module utilized in the study had a significant impact on both students’ interest in international careers and knowledge of international career options. The ANOVA was significant at the p = .001 level in increasing students’ interest in international careers. The ANOVA was significant at the p < .001 level in increasing student knowledge of international career options. In both cases, the post hoc test revealed that the two groups that received the module were significantly different from the group that did not, although there was no significant difference between the two groups that received the module. The effect size was small, showing that 15% and 17% of the variance was attributable to the module for interest in international careers and knowledge of international career options, respectively.
This study also gathered student feedback on the international career exploration module. The predominant response from students was that receiving information on international careers is valuable and important and that they would like to have more exposure to the topic earlier in their studies and particularly in their majors.
Recommendations
Institutions of Higher Education
This study highlights a critical failure in leadership across U.S. higher education. The high level of student interest in international careers is clearly substantiated by this study. However, the results also highlight students’ lack of knowledge about international career opportunities and the relatively low levels of exposure being offered to students, despite the public commitment of the institution in this study, and many around the world, to prepare students for professional lives in a globalized environment.
On the basis of national data, as well as the student responses to this study, students appear to have motivation and confidence but are weak in terms of the professional networks that would allow them to find and pursue international opportunities. In this study, the module featured the breadth and multitude of international career opportunities, highlighted online resources through which students could find job postings, and emphasized ways of connecting with alumni networks. As this study suggests, institutions would be well served by adding a more deliberate curricular approach, such as inclusion of international career exploration modules, aimed at building students’ career knowledge in addition to the existing efforts to internationalize the curriculum through increased international content and promotion of study abroad programs.
Institutions must look for ways to introduce students to international career opportunities early in their studies. For example, inclusion of the module in first-year university success courses might prompt students to consider study abroad, learn a foreign language, or participate in international internships as part of their educational experience, better preparing the students for future international work. Residential campuses might also be able to reach first-year students effectively through residence hall programming. Perhaps a similar module could be offered to residence hall students, or alumni with international careers could be brought in as panelists at a residence hall event. Four-year institutions should also consider collaborations with community colleges so that transfer students are not excluded from this essential early exposure.
Approaches targeted at first-year students should be followed by major-specific modules. Beginning with those academic fields that are intrinsically international in nature—international business, foreign languages, area studies, international relations, and so on—institutions should begin to develop resources for students including information on potential international career paths relevant to the major, internship opportunities, international organizations working in the field, and alumni working internationally in related areas. Once these resources have been developed, institutions must develop materials for all disciplines, to meet institutional missions to prepare all graduates for the globalized world.
Development and incorporation of international career exploration modules into the curriculum is a low-cost outreach approach. The module in this study was created by the researcher using existing on-campus technology resources, reference books available through the library to develop resource materials, and the expertise of career center and international education staff. The module, once created, required only two class sessions to make a significant difference for students. Incorporation of such an international career exploration module can easily be implemented within current institutional structures of time, budget, and human resources, making it an ideal complement to existing campus internationalization efforts. The potential impact for students who are repeatedly exposed to this content over the course of their education is enormous, as it may alter their future career choices and ultimately their life paths in ways that are richly rewarding.
Individual Faculty, Career Center Staff, and International Education Professionals
Even without an initiative led by campus leadership, individual educators can work to inspire students to pursue international careers. Recognizing that not all campus faculty members will be comfortable delivering a module on international career exploration, the researcher is working with the career center staff at the institution where the study was conducted to develop an international career workshop that will be delivered by the career counselors at a faculty member’s request. A similar model could be employed at other institutions, taking advantage of the expertise of professional staff and those faculty with knowledge of international career paths and fields.
Career center staff are encouraged to inform themselves about international opportunities in order to be better able to guide students interested in pursuing internships or employment beyond U.S. borders. The career center staff might also work with their contacts among corporate and nonprofit recruiters to identify the competencies that students need to be successful in international contexts. This important information is essential to the campus dialogue on internationalization and global learning outcomes.
International education office or career center staff might consider developing an international career speaker series or conducting workshops for interested students. Finally, although it takes an investment in financial and human resources, assignment of a staff member to the development of international internship opportunities for students has immeasurable potential to pave the students’ journeys from university to professional life.
Further Study
Those conducting large-scale surveys, such as the American Council on Education, might consider including questions in their surveys on the extent to which institutions assist students in pursuing international careers. At this time, no such wide-scale data are available, yet it is essential for understanding the effectiveness of internationalization efforts and the degree to which institutions are successful at preparing students to work internationally.
To corroborate the findings of this study and examine their applicability to other settings, a study of students across institutions is also needed to consider the effects of institution size, geographic region, and other population variables on student interest in international careers. It is essential that scholars and practitioners understand both the similarities across institutional settings, and the differences, so that effective curricula can be developed to meet students’ needs.
Finally, in connecting theory to practice, the results of this study suggest several avenues for further exploration. The study should be replicated with variations on the module to identify the most effective interventions. Introductory modules targeted at first-year students could be developed. Major-specific modules could also be tested. This is an important role that practitioners could take, sharing their results in collegial conversations and presentations at professional conferences, in addition to publication of the results. Ultimately, a better understanding of international career exploration interventions, when shared, will help improve instruction and support students in their professional pursuits.
Conclusion
Within a policy context that promotes international education for economic, political, and security purposes, colleges and universities are increasingly including a commitment to international education in their mission statements. Institutions have vowed to prepare students for professional and civic lives in a globalized world. To honor this commitment, many campuses have embarked on a process of internationalization, which typically entails internationalizing the curriculum, promoting study abroad, teaching foreign languages, and recruiting international students. Less frequent approaches may include international service learning, international development work, and funding faculty research overseas. In addition, one underutilized approach is the incorporation of career exploration and career counseling into internationalization efforts.
This study introduced an international career exploration module, delivering it to undergraduate students in general education classes at a U.S. midsize public university. The study asked, “How does inclusion of an international career exploration module in a general education course affect (a) students’ interest in international careers, and (b) students’ knowledge of international career options?” By conducting pre- and post-test surveys at the beginning and end of the semester and delivering an international career exploration module to two of three classes of students, these questions were explored.
Findings suggest that existing efforts could be improved by offering an international career exploration module to not just a select few students but to all undergraduates across the institution. Such a module is cost-effective and easily implementable and can complement existing curricular efforts by focusing on providing students with the resources and networks that are an essential part of career success.
As the nature of careers continue to evolve and become international in nature, not only among the largest multinational corporations but even among small- and mid-size organizations, it is imperative that education systems prepare students for professional and civic engagement in an international context. Having undertaken the commitment to prepare students to engage in the increasingly interconnected international arena, it would be a failure of leadership to graduate even a single student who dreams of working internationally but does not know how to initiate the process or where to turn.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.