Globalization is here to stay, and students who want to work in our interconnected global world should study abroad. Despite the inevitable increasing global competition for jobs, many students lack the international experience, language capabilities and cross-cultural communication skills necessary to succeed in the global economy. Making going abroad a part of academic career is the most effective and accessible means for students to develop needed skills because it pushes a student to get out of her comfort zone to experience another culture, language, environment and education system. It teaches students to appreciate difference and diversity firsthand, and enables them to recognize — and then dismiss — stereotypes they may have held about people they had never met. Furthermore, learning how to interact with people from other countries and cultures equips future leaders in all sectors to address urgent issues — from curing diseases and finding energy solutions, to fighting terrorism and hunger — shared across borders.