My Next Thought

I’ve been traveling across India for the past two weeks—just as I have for the last 15 years—visiting high schools, speaking with students, engaging with counselors, and connecting with school leaders. Every visit reminds me why I do this work: the energy in the auditoriums, the dreams in students’ eyes, and the genuine desire among…

2+2, 3+1, or even the new and improved 3.5+1.5… regardless of how you add it up, the math ain’t mathing. Those of us in international education share a common purpose: to help students see beyond borders and connect with the world. But much of our field still operates from a Global North perspective—shaped by systems with…

Standardized tests have long been sold as the great equalizer—a clean, quantifiable measure of merit. A simple solution to a complex question: Who deserves access to higher education? But anyone who has taken these tests—or helped students navigate them—knows that promise is deeply flawed. We’re not measuring potential; we’re measuring proximity to privilege. A perfect…

“The secret to life is to waste time in ways that you like.” Ah, such profound wisdom from a great philosopher. Was it Socrates, Confucius, or maybe Nietzsche? Nah, today's profound wisdom comes from a different kind of sage—Jerry Seinfeld. Not exactly ancient wisdom, but it’s the most refreshing truth in a world obsessed with productivity,…

I landed in Lawrence, Kansas, in January 1992 with $92 in my pocket and a deal with my father—if he funded my first two semesters of tuition, I’d figure out the rest. Being 18 and foolish has its advantages, I suppose. I had no idea how I would pull it off, but I had a…

I still remember the first time I heard the term "bully pulpit." What a weird way to describe the presidency, I thought. To me, a pulpit was a place of influence, where leaders spoke with purpose and conviction. But a bully? That implied force, coercion—maybe even intimidation. Later, I learned that Theodore Roosevelt meant it as a compliment,…

“You, my friend, have gumption,” said Jim Long, Director of the Kansas Union at the University of Kansas. Gumption? As someone for whom English is a fourth language, it sounded almost ominous, a word I’d never encountered before. But standing in his office that morning, I could tell it was perhaps something positive, a compliment even.…

As we drove past the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) campus in Bangalore a couple of weeks ago, I was transported back to the summer of 1991, when I would ride my motorcycle to the library, find a quiet corner, and pore over the only copy of Peterson’s Guide in the entire city. It was…

In 2009, I had my first encounter with the devastating consequences of unchecked education agents. A group of students from Hyderabad, India, arrived in Minneapolis, MN, with dreams of earning a world-class education. Instead, they found themselves stranded—misled by agents who had promised them everything from top-tier degrees to guaranteed jobs and pathways to permanent…

What do Hamdi Ulukaya, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Mike Krieger, Noubar Afeyan, Sergey Brin, and Girish Ballolla have in common? They all came to the U.S. as students, armed with big ideas and bigger dreams, and in return, they built companies and innovations that transformed industries (well, maybe not me), created millions of jobs, and…

India is poised for something extraordinary. Its population of 1.4+ billion, half of whom are under the age of 30, offers an unparalleled advantage in a world where developed economies face labor shortages due to aging populations. India isn’t a new entrant or an up-and-coming star. It already commands center stage on many fronts. With…

There are days when everything feels surreal, like life has taken on this dreamlike quality that’s both exhilarating and disorienting. Traveling around India, especially in Bangalore, amplifies that feeling. The sights and sounds are familiar, but they’re layered with a sense of unfamiliarity, like looking at your childhood through a warped mirror. It’s home, but…