This special feature is sponsored by .

International education is a fast-paced business and one that relies on extended networks and partnerships among institutions, service providers, agents, and other stakeholders. 

All of us who work in international ed share a common goal of supporting students to pursue their dreams of study abroad. And every now and then we have a poignant reminder that the student – and their welfare and success – is at the centre of everything we do. 

That idea comes through loud and clear in the following excerpt from an interview with Kelli Accardi, global strategic accounts lead at . Ms Accardi shares a very personal story of one student and her family during their studies abroad. Whether you work directly with students every day or not, Ms Accardi's example is a powerful reminder of how the work we do can have such a powerful impact on individual students and their families.