ITTA BENA, Miss.— More than 100 Mississippi Valley State University students will now be able to travel the world thanks to a partnership with MVSU and the nation’s oldest and largest study abroad organization.
MVSU Office of International Programs teamed up with the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) to host a Passport Caravan event Thursday, Oct. 11, giving 117 pre-registered MVSU students the opportunity to complete the process to receive a passport at no cost.
Valued at $145, the passports are good for ten years and will provide students the opportunity to travel, study or work in a foreign country.
While CIEE picked up the costs for the first 50 MVSU students who signed up and had the proper documentation, organizer Dr. Kathie Golden said that MVSU faculty, staff and community members sponsored passports for an additional 67 students.
“I am humbled by MVSU's and the community at-large's response to our request to match the 50 passports sponsored by CIEE,” said Golden “MVSU faculty and staff, local alumni and friends of the Office of International Programs made it possible for us to exceed the match. Because of this response, we were able to provide passports to all of the students who signed up to participate in the Passport Caravan.”
Junior biology major Charmion Bell of Tunica, Miss., said that the free passport will help her to fulfill her dream to one day travel outside of the country.
“I want to travel to Greece someday,” she said. “The process was fast and professional and I’m really happy I participated.”
DeAdrian Smith, a graduate student from Mound Bayou, MS, agreed.
“This was a great opportunity to get a passport; there aren’t a lot of people who have the chance to get a free passport, so I took this opportunity to get one,” he said. “I really desire to travel the world, and this is the first step.”
In addition to international travel options, Golden said that a major goal of the event was to encourage more students to study abroad by eliminating barriers.
“Although an increasing number of our students express interest in studying abroad, getting them to actually complete and submit passport applications has been a challenge for us. I am certain that this initiative will increase the number of MVSU students who study abroad,” she said.
Junior Criminal Justice and English major Deveon Treadway said receiving a passport has opened up a new world of possibilities for him.
“Getting a passport will allow me to see the world beyond what I see in my own community,” he said. “I appreciate my university for giving me the opportunity to get a passport because I never thought about it or was exposed to it until I came to Mississippi Valley State University.”