A quick walk around our headquarters in Carlsbad - or almost any of our many campuses worldwide - provides a glimpse into the truly international nature of the Gemological Institute of America. There are students from all over the world - Asia, Europe, South America, Australia, Africa, the Indian subcontinent - eager to absorb as much as they can about the gem and jewelry industry.

While we take the "America" in GIA seriously, in that our roots - like our head-quarters - are in the United States, we are more than just an American organization. At least half of the students who attend domestic classes in Carlsbad, New York or Los Angeles are from countries outside of the U.S., and we now have campuses in 14 cities around the world.

Sometimes the global nature of our student body reveals itself in surprising ways. On one of my recent trips to our London campus, I discovered that of the 24 students in one class, 23 were from outside the United Kingdom - and none were from America.

Our international diversity wasn't part of founder Robert M. Shipley's original intent. Shipley wanted to bring professional training to American jewelers and create a true "guild" of educated gemologists. He did just that, but the Institute he created soon attracted the world's attention. In fact, one of our best-known international students was none other than the famous Dr. Edward J. Gübelin. And that was in 1939!

I have always felt that the strong diversity of our student body creates a unique environment and learning experience for our students. As you will read in our cover story, which starts on page 14, students say the interaction they have with classmates from different countries helps them assimilate more easily into the international gem and jewelry industry. Not only do they learn about different cultures as they study alongside people from around the world, but they also make connections that will help them as they do business in the years to come.

But not every student can travel to America, nor does every student want to learn in the English language. Our goal is to go where our students are and provide access to our courses in as many languages as we can. To reach this goal, we have focused our efforts on establishing education facilities in major market centers worldwide, so students can access GIA's high-quality education where they live and work. In fact, we have created campuses in eight additional countries in the past 16 years alone.

I invite you to visit any of our campuses to experience the global diversity we offer. Whether taking courses On Campus, through Distance Education or through our Extension division, there is a place for everyone who wants to receive a GIA education. I encourage you to become a student and participate in our educational process. You are sure to meet special people who will enrich your life and broaden your perspective.