Established over 10 years ago, the Passport Place is where Fresno State students can find support for international traveling, serving as a resource for those wanting to study abroad or get a passport.

The Passport Place is a part of the Division of Continuing and Global Education at Fresno State and students or community members can find passport services there. It is located in Continuing and Global Education, Room 140A of the Kremen Education Building.

There is a $35 fee to receive services, which goes directly toward funding study abroad student grants. These grants can range from $1000-$2500 for students traveling internationally.

Students are required to bring the following forms completed and in black ink: completed proof of citizenship (original and one copy), and a valid ID (original and one photocopy of both sides).

Students will also need to bring their own passport photo, since photo services are not provided. These instructions are additionally available on their website.

Rose Leal, Passport Place coordinator, serves as an overseer for student assistants, training, customer service and procuring travel insurance.

“I think there might be a lack of awareness,” Leal said.

Leal puts effort into participating in the Study Abroad expos, which are campus events that showcase the benefits of Study Abroad. There, she gives out information to students. For students interested in studying abroad, they must get a passport to travel. Those students are then sent to Leal for support.

She explained that students will ask how to make appointments, but it’s actually not needed because walk-ins are allowed.

“I do that, because to me, that’s the whole reason we’re here, is for the students,” Leal said regarding walk-ins.

Students who visit the Passport Place are mainly there because of the Study Abroad program but, occasionally, Leal explained that students come in to get passports for other reasons, which is also acceptable.

Study Abroad office adviser, Marcela Magdaleno, is someone students can turn to throughout the process..

Magdaleno explained that one of her favorite parts about the job is when students return and share their experiences.

“When I do that ‘welcome back meeting’ with them and check in, I see that it was worth it,” Magdaleno said. “Being able to see their pictures, that’s my other reward, be able to see that they thought that it would not be possible for them to spend a year in Japan, a year in London and be able to talk about it. But that’s my favorite part of my job.”

Magdaleno believes that college is the right time for students to travel because of all the resources that are available to them.

“Experience something that you otherwise would not experience here in the US,” Magdaleno said.

Leal is currently expanding her team and actively looking for new student assistants.

“I do the hiring for the student assistants, and then when they’re hired, I make sure they do their passport training so they can become passport agents,” Leal said.
Leal is seeking students who are bilingual and U.S. citizens with a preference for freshmen, in order to maximize the impact and longevity of the training. For those interested, the job posting can be found at the HireFresnoState website.

Bryanna Torres, a member of Leal’s staff, shared her experiences while working at the Passport Place. As a passport agent, Torres has many responsibilities.

“My role often involves helping customers with passport applications, renewals or providing information on obtaining a U.S. passport,” Torres said. “I assist with filling out forms, verifying identity and processing applications.”

Torres said that she enjoys the opportunity to connect with students at the Passport Place and finds the conversations with students engaging and enriching.

“My experience with students has been very positive, even though we don’t get many who come into the office,” Torres said. “When they do, I typically enjoy having great conversations with them about our majors and the classes we’re taking. It’s always interesting to hear their perspectives, and it makes the process of executing their applications more engaging.”

Both Leal and Torres believe that increased promotion is essential to raising awareness of the Passport Place and its services. Torres offered some suggestions.

“To help spread the word, we could use more targeted outreach, such as posting flyers on campus, sending emails or using social media updates,” Torres said. “Partnering with academic departments or holding information sessions could be a great way to raise awareness and ensure students know about this helpful service.”

The Passport Place can be a vital resource for Fresno State students, whether they are planning to study abroad or need a passport for personal reasons.