Hurricane Katrina Reaches Hawken

Hurricane Katrina hit closer to home than many realized, directly affecting Hawken students enrolled at Tulane University in New Orleans. Marissa Williams `05, Matt Belman `03, David Demsey `02, and Allison Shapero `02 were already prepared for the school year in New Orleans before Katrina hit. Leaving all their belongings behind, the students evacuated campus anticipating a return in a few days. Initially stating that classes would be in session for the semester, Tulane informed students on September 2 that the University would remain closed for the duration of the semester. Marissa Williams `05 has enrolled at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon for the semester; Willamette is waiving tuition for students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Marissa is hopeful of returning to Tulane for the spring semester. Matt Belman `03 has enrolled at Ohio State University for the fall semester, but is undecided on whether he will return to Tulane at all. Putting things in perspective, Matt commented that as an off-campus student, he was "living with families severely affected, not just students that have to change schools." And Marissa noted that \"we evacuated to the very comfortable home of family friends in Baton Rouge for three days, we lost power, we had a long drive home, and now I`m going to a different college. Other people lost everything, including their lives.\"