During my undergraduate studies at MSU, I participated in a study abroad program at the International University in Bruchsal, Germany. This program had such a profound impact on my life. It showed me the world is a very large, diverse, and interesting place. While at MSU, I studied supply chain management at the Eli Broad College of Business, and since most business is international, it made sense to me to participate in the study abroad program.

When I arrived in Germany, I was captivated. I loved the idea of working with international students with different

cultures, languages, and backgrounds. Our class projects and group presentations focused on diversity, international legal challenges, and cultural issues in the business world. I was one of four students from the United States in our classroom of about 55 international students, so I made friends from all over the world. During our time off from class, we took the train across Europe exploring some incredible and historic places in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. In Europe, traveling by train is inexpensive. Going to a different country with a new language and different currency is the equivalent of driving from one state to another in the U.S. My German roommate also helped me study for my German language classes, taught me German customs, and showed me around Berlin during Oktoberfest. These experiences gave me some incredible memories and to this day I keep in touch with some of the students I met.

These experiences overseas really had a positive impact on me. Rather than continuing to work in the U.S., I

decided on a career in the Foreign Service. I have worked for the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) for the last thirteen years. During that time, I have lived in six countries, traveled to over 90 countries, and worked on a myriad of real-world issues abroad. I have traveled with various Secretaries of State (Clinton, Kerry, Pompeo, to name a few) on their trips abroad to conduct and promote U.S. foreign policy. I worked with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and host country police to have several international fugitives returned to the United States. I lived and worked at U.S. embassies in Asia, South America, and Africa. Every year, we support world leaders from member states of the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The U.S. Department of State also sent me to language training at the Foreign Service Institute in Washington D.C.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Government.