Before the current global economy came to the forefront of public awareness, those of us already conducting business overseas were busy forming the basics of what would eventually become an educational field of study. We came from various backgrounds and industries, making our way through the highly regulated world of international trade. From Atlanta to Zurich, Chicago to Calgary, Bonn to Budapest and all points in between, we built on the foreign trade infrastructure which for years had languished under the tight regulatory control of less than accommodating bureaucracies.

Thankfully, the international business graduates of today needn't encounter the same uphill battles as the foundation has already been set in place. Those with the proper educational background can take their claim in the exciting and lucrative world of international business with the skills and knowledge at their disposal to find a niche and succeed. Of course, I'm speaking of the comprehensive international business undergraduate programs offered in America's universities, targeted learning opportunities that weren't available when I and those like me were playing it by ear through trial and a substantial amount of error. Today, almost every operating university with a business department offers an international business degree, and the international markets are better for it.

Along with all the benefits that a liberal arts education offers, international business degree programs provide specialized curriculum on far ranging topics from government enforced trade and customs regulations to the idiosyncrasies of the social conduct and acumen in different cultures. Those who graduate from an international business degree program do so much more well equipped to conduct operations successfully around the globe. They gain a firm understanding of what it takes to facilitate business through the ability to navigate the choppy waters of international supply and demand.

While I wouldn't trade the experiences I had overseas for anything, there were many lost opportunities and less than stellar results that could have been avoided had international business been standardized to the degree it is today. Thankfully for those now entering the field, there's no need for a businessman starting an international career or expanding an existing business overseas to reinvent the wheel. As fast as norms change, the world of academia alters and responds. Some of the most cutting edge theories and practices on international business come from universities - veritable think tanks that capitalize on the presence of students, professors, and supporting businesses alike. The opportunity to take what pioneers like myself discovered and expand on it is here. Educate yourself, and the world is at your doorstep.