UW-Madison students are now able to educate themselves on how to travel frugally through the newly formed Badger Student Travel organization, housed in the new Student Activity Center on East Campus Mall.
BST is an independent student group providing travel, study and work services free of charge.
The Travel Center closed in 2007, which was located in Memorial Union. Members of the Student Travel and Study Abroad organization decided to change their mission to create the new, nonprofit travel center.
Melinda Sarnicki, a member of the group, said the new location allows the organization to offer services it could not previously offer, like a library of 50 guidebooks and drop-in advising sessions.
According to Jesse Allhands, president of BST, the organization allows students to obtain travel information by visiting the office.
""Traveling abroad for the first time can be a really daunting thing … The number-one service we provide is simple travel advising work for students who are interested in traveling,"" Allhands said. ""They can just drop in and ask any questions they might have about just general travel abroad or even domestically.""
BST offers free library guidebooks. They also offer hotel, airfare and European rail pass reservation assistance, international student identification cards and passport photos.
According to Sarnicki, the organization benefits students by providing unbiased information because the group is led entirely by students who will show all the options available without trying to sell them.
""I really encourage [students] to come and check us out, even if they are just thinking about it. Come and get more information, talk to students who've actually done it themselves and hopefully we can help you out,"" Sarnicki said.
Allhands said students who are unable to find study abroad programs through UW-Madison can also search different, non-UW academic programs through the center.
