Free passports available to 175 UNG students

This fall, 175 University of North Georgia (UNG) students will have a chance to receive free passports thanks to a partnership with the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE).

The CIEE Passport Caravan will come to UNG's Dahlonega Campus on Nov. 20, and student registration for the event starts Sept. 1. For each UNG student who is accepted to receive a free passport, the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) will set up an appointment to check documents to ensure all applicants have the correct items for a stress-free process Nov. 20.

Items needed are:

• Unsigned Passport Application Form DS-11
• Proof of U.S. citizenship
• Proof of identity
• Passport photo
• Photocopy of valid photo ID

A student must be in need of a new passport, not a renewal, to be eligible for a free passport. All of the details are available on the Center for Global Engagement website. Sheila Schulte, UNG's associate vice president for international programs, said the November event, which falls during International Education Week, will feature music and a festive atmosphere. She is grateful to CIEE for providing this crucial tool to aid UNG students in their global experience.

"It's the basic first step. It's awesome that CIEE offers this opportunity," Schulte said. "It's a really smart way to get students motivated to go abroad."

CGE is particularly targeting freshmen and sophomores for the passports, though any student is eligible to register. Schulte said a popular misconception is that students can't afford to study abroad. Daniela Martinez, CGE associate director, said programs like the Passport Caravan "reduce the financial barriers to study abroad."

Schulte and Martinez said a passport in hand early in college means students are thinking about study abroad and can fully explore scholarship possibilities.

The CIEE Passport Caravan is part of the group's Generation Study Abroad Pledge, which aims to double the number of U.S. students studying abroad between 2015 and 2020. UNG's study abroad programs saw a 48 percent increase from 2013-14 to 2017-18, going from 260 students to 385 students.

CIEE also is offering $20 million in scholarships in that five-year span, including $25,000 to UNG students studying abroad in fall 2019. CIEE is an ongoing partner with UNG.

UNG sophomore Catlin Corrales, who is pursuing a degree in environmental and spatial analysis, was the beneficiary of a scholarship UNG won in a CIEE drawing, which accounts for part of the $25,000 for UNG students this fall from CIEE. The scholarship covers Corrales's tuition and flights for her fall study abroad in Monteverde, Costa Rica, and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The Redlands, California, native is eager to study environmental science in places known for biodiversity and beautiful greenery.

"I feel extremely lucky for winning this scholarship," Corrales said. "It opened a giant door for me and allowed me all of these great opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise."

Corrales spent six weeks in Spain this summer on a study abroad trip. She said the free passports CIEE will provide at UNG are a gateway to great experiences.

"One of the best parts about doing a study abroad is learning a new culture. You have to adapt," Corrales said. "It's interesting to see how other people live. The new cultural experiences that you come across are eye-opening. It broadens your perspective."