Forging a Path: Local Connection, Global Influence
Global learning is built into the fabric of Lehigh. Through international study abroad programs, internships, research and mentorship from leaders who’ve shaped world affairs, Lehigh students gain real perspective on a global scale.
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
From the steel stacks of Bethlehem to the boardrooms of Detroit, Lee Iacocca ’45 was a first-generation American and proud Lehigh graduate who earned his degree in industrial engineering. He would become one of the most iconic and influential figures in American business.
At the Ford Motor Company, Iacocca made history by helping to develop and launch the Mustang, an affordable, high-performance car that reshaped the auto industry and became a symbol of American optimism and independence. It was his later role as chairman and CEO of Chrysler where his leadership became legendary. Faced with bankruptcy and skepticism, Iacocca led one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in U.S. history, securing federal loans, transforming operations and reigniting public trust.
What drove him? An authentic, relentless work ethic, bold decision-making and a belief in solving problems with clarity and courage. Those qualities were forged at Lehigh.
In later years, Iacocca returned to Lehigh to fund scholarships, invest in global education and challenge future engineers and leaders to think bigger and do better. His career and philanthropy were the results of an enduring leadership mindset.
To prepare the next generation of leaders, in 1988, Lehigh established the Lee Iacocca Institute for Global Leadership, which prepares current and future leaders to tackle complex, multi-system, global challenges through applied research, dialogues with subject-matter experts and experiential learning programs. It embraces an interactive approach to problem solving and the conviction that we are better together, and cements Iacocca’s legacy as a passionate supporter of Lehigh’s efforts to develop globally competent leaders.
The Lee Iacocca Institute for Global Leadership’s International Internship Program funds six- to 12-week internships abroad, connecting students with hands-on work and research opportunities in communities around the world. More than 500 students have participated since the program began.
Chrysler Corporation Chairman Lee Iacocca ’45 posing in front of a full-sized clay model of the Viper sports car being worked on at the Chrysler Tech Center.
In 2011, Iacocca returned to campus to found the Lee Iacocca International Internships program, affording students the opportunity to develop leadership skills, and embrace new cultures and perspectives.
Richard Verma ’90, a national security expert who served in the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Air Force and as an adviser to members of Congress, was nominated by President Barack Obama in 2014 to be the top American diplomat in India.
As the President’s Distinguished Fellow, Verma engaged with Lehigh students and the broader university community through moderating events like this Fireside Chat with Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Ambassador of India to the United States.
Each year more than 1,000 Lehigh faculty, staff and students attend UN conferences, high-level briefings and private meetings with ambassadors and other UN officials in New York City and on campus.
That global mindset is also evident in Richard Verma ’90, whose path from Lehigh’s campus to the global stage underscores how powerful that foundation can be. Verma attended Lehigh on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and earned his degree in industrial engineering with a minor in international relations. He has since built a career that’s taken him across sectors, continents and causes.
Verma has served as U.S. ambassador to India, U.S. deputy secretary of state for management and resources and senior national security advisor to the Senate majority leader. He’s held executive roles in the private sector, including as general counsel and head of global public policy at Mastercard. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he’s earned the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. His story is not about titles—it’s about real service, authentic leadership and a lifelong connection to the values that shaped him at Lehigh.
He has stayed connected to where that journey started. As a former Lehigh trustee, Commencement speaker and the university’s inaugural President’s Distinguished Fellow, Verma visits campus as a mentor, offering students unfiltered insights into diplomacy, public service and life at the intersection of policy and people. Verma embodies Lehigh's ethos: equipping students with the real-world tools to lead change.
That perspective is something Lehigh students carry with them into careers in business, diplomacy, non-profits, healthcare and beyond. They leave with a degree and a real understanding of the systems that shape our world and the empathy and experience to improve those systems.
The global mindset starts on campus, where the Office of International Affairs (OIA) helps integrate international thinking into daily student life. Whether it’s supporting international students as they build a new home at Lehigh or giving domestic students opportunities to study and work abroad, OIA ensures students have access to authentic global experiences.
One standout example: Lehigh’s partnership with the United Nations. For more than 20 years, Lehigh has held NGO status in an observer role at the U.N. In 2025, Lehigh became one of just 20 higher education institutions in the world to earn U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) NGO special consultative status, offering students unprecedented access, privileges and influence.
With students and faculty from more than 80 countries, Lehigh is a place where global learning is real, lived and deeply human. It’s the launching pad of a generation of leaders who are ready to show up anywhere in the world and make a difference.
