For students hoping to study abroad, the $110 cost of a passport often presents a problem.
One 91²Ö¿â professor is going to extreme measures to help alleviate the expense, which between tuition and textbooks is sometimes too much for students’ tight budgets.
To show her commitment to , Stephanie Smith, 91²Ö¿â assistant professor and Director of Global Initiatives for the College of Communication (CCI), is using social media to recruit donors for the .
Through a series of Facebook videos, Smith has requested donations from colleagues, students and alumni in all of her networks - and she shocked friends and colleagues by agreeing to completely shave her head if donations reach her goal of $5,000 by Nov. 28, 2017.
“Giving to the First Passport Fund is a wonderful way to invest in 91²Ö¿â Students,†Smith said. “Every dollar collected goes directly to a passport: a first-time passport.â€
The fund reimburses students who obtain their first passport before studying or interning abroad.
91²Ö¿â kicked off #GivingTuesday on Nov. 1 with a list of featured programs requesting donations. For every 15 unique donations of $25 or more, the programs will receive an additional $500. The First Passport Fund is one of the featured programs for 2017.
“Give what you can to the passport fund by November 28 and watch my hair fly,†Smith said.