UNC Global will help you travel the world with its annual passport drive

UNC Global is hoping to make the painstaking process of getting or renewing a passport a little bit easier for members of the University. 

On Nov. 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the department will host its 16th annual UNC Global Passport Drive on the fourth floor of the FedEx Global Education Center. 

“We bring people together, so you can do everything you need to get your passport at one time,” Melissa McMurray, international liaison officer for UNC Global, said. 

The drive is open to UNC students, faculty, staff and their families. Participants will be able to have their passport photos taken by the UNC One Card office and ask state department officials from the Charleston Passport Center questions about their application. 

“I think it helps people feel very reassured that they're doing things correctly and in the right timeline,” McMurray said. 

She said that another benefit of the drive is that participants typically receive their passports in just a few weeks — half the time they would if they applied through the mail. 

In addition to the drive, the University also offers the “Passport to Go!” program through the Center for Global Initiatives, which provides eligible first-years and new transfer students with a free passport. 

“For most of our applicants, this is the time when they're going to be getting their passports,” Samantha Horn, program manager of Passport to Go!, said. “This can really be a life-changing experience, particularly for students who haven't had the chance to travel globally before.” 

Michal Osterweil, professor in the global studies department, said that programs like the Passport Drive and Passport to Go! help students who may not have the ability to travel abroad otherwise. 

“We do know that students who haven’t traveled abroad before are the ones that financially come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and may be living in rural places where it’s harder to do that,” Osterweil said. “It just opens up those possibilities and tries to take away some of the structural barriers.” 

Since the drive started nearly 16 years ago, McMurray said the program has been able to serve over 4,000 people. She said she expects over 300 attendees over the two days this year. 

Those interested in attending will need to check on the Global Center’s website to make sure they bring all the necessary materials, as they vary by circumstance. 

“It’s just a small thing that UNC Global can do to support our students and faculty and staff doing international activities,” McMurray said. “There’s often a lot of challenges you can go through, and this is a way we can make it easy for you.” 

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