Travel writer Rick Steves recently penned an op-ed in USA Today, sharing his belief that study abroad is not a “luxury” for American students, but rather a “necessity”:

“Even in challenging economic times, making sure that study abroad is part of our college students' education is a vital investment. If we want a new generation of leaders and innovators who can be effective in an ever more globalized world, sending our students overseas is not a luxury. It's a necessity.

“I believe that our national security rests upon the foundation of a well-educated electorate with a broad and sophisticated worldview.”