Beginning my junior year of college, I was deep in my studies and work when the news of Katrina washed up on the shores of the Ohio river.

Although it did not affect me personally, I had several classmates from the New Orleans area that did not know for weeks if their homes had survived.

Also, my university welcomed 7 students from Xavier University of Louisiana. They had been displaced by the hurricanes and the school was able to help them find local housing and insert them into classes.