For many people, work can be stressful. Between the deadlines, meetings, presentations and other responsibilities to be managed, the professional world can be tough to navigate. And it can be made that much harder for people who suffer from a disability.

When Carly Fiorina, MBA ’80, looks back over the arc of her career, what stands out for her isn’t a single achievement or experience. That’s not what defines her. So what does stand out for her as she looks back?

Etim Edim’s path to becoming CFO of Morgan Stanley's Technology, Operations and Firm Resilience divisions started with a realization – he wanted to make an impact. Before overseeing the financials of three major divisions within one of the largest wealth management and investment banking firms in the world, Edim got his professional start as a systems analyst and spent most of his days as a computer programmer. After about four years, Edim yearned for more and began to explore his options.

At Maryland Smith, Terrill L. Drake, EMBA ’12, envisioned the next stages of his career through the pursuit of a more inclusive community. Now, he’s taking the lessons he’s learned to Harvard Business School where he will become its first chief diversity and inclusion officer.

From the earliest days of her professional life, working as a business analyst for JPMorgan Chase, Sherika Ekpo, MBA ’09, was determined to keep one goal in mind: to ascend in her career, making a difference in every step.

Ryan Hogan ’13 loves a good mystery. So much so, in fact, that he has made them a career. But his success is no secret or enigma – it’s a product of years of trial and error. Hogan is co-founder and CEO of Hunt A Killer, an immersive entertainment company that creates games that challenge players to solve cases through interactive monthly subscription boxes and one-time experiences. He believes entrepreneurship is about failure and the ability to learn from each endeavor.

Whether in the classroom or on the field for the University of Maryland field hockey team, Carla Tagliente ’01 was as fierce a competitor as anyone. Now, she’s on the sidelines, sharing her experiences and ushering in the next generation of student-athletes. As the head coach of the Princeton field hockey team, Tagliente has helped transform the program into a powerhouse, leading the school to its first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, amassing four tournament appearances (2016-2019) and reaching the Final Four three times (2016, 2018 and 2019).

Developing a global mindset may require changing one’s way of thinking. For co-founder of Tanzola International LLC, Kevin Tanzola, a global mindset is thinking outside the box and being comfortable with differing opinions, which he admits is not as easy as it sounds. “I think it means something a little bit different to everybody, but for me, it’s breaking away from your traditional way of thinking and being open and honest with other points of view…it's really difficult. I think to have that global mindset, you've got to invite diversity into the conversation.

As the business world is growing more global, recognizing cultural differences and values is an ever-important skill. For Principal Advisor for Strategy and Corporate Affairs at IDB Invest, Alejandro Prada, not only celebrating our differences, but also recognizing what we have in common, is what truly fosters respect and open-mindedness and is the key to developing a global mindset. “Be mindful that there isn’t just one subset of cultural value, so that means being cognizant of differences.

Working in international markets means seeking opportunities outside of familiar markets, and that requires engaging with people from different regions and cultures. For Mikael Baker, senior information and communications technology (ICT) advisor at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), developing a global mindset is key to working effectively in these markets. “In international development, like many fields, it’s important to be able to effectively work with people from different cultures.