Campus reacts to hurricane's effects in Gulf
Students, faculty recount stories of family members
Nate Billings
Issue date: 9/16/05 Section: News
"It was totally not there," she said.
However, as the phone services were replaced, a phone call and an e-mail relieved her worries. Her friends were safe.
"I was mainly relieved," Cifelli said. "I felt bad for them."
Several of Cifelli's friends were teachers.
"All those teachers had nowhere to go," she said.
The schools which they taught in were completely gone, and the students had left the area, so the jobs were likely to be cut.
"They are professional people who have been made to rely on others," Cifelli said.
Cifelli's friends sent her pictures of the area. A church she sang in during her years in Mississippi had been completely washed out except for the bells beside the front door.
"The people are very open," she said. "They were very helpful. They could have been your neighbors."
Cifelli is working on setting up a benefit concert for the victims of Katrina.
The concert will be later this month, and she hopes the concert will benefit the victims early enough so people will not forget what happened if the concert were to be at a later day.
"They will still care, but they forget," she said.
Some students at Southern, though some may not have known anyone in the affected areas, still reacted to the situation.
"I thought it was awful," said Julie Moller, sophomore undecided major. "It's probably really hard on them (the victims). I hope more gets done sooner."
Others agree with this.
"It was a real shock," said Erica Thomas, junior psychology major. "America thinks we're bullet-proof, but we're not."
However, there are other students who do have relatives and friends around the affected areas.
"Our brothers with our seminary had some flooding in their house, but they made it out okay," said Nghia Nguyen, freshman undecided major.
Nguyen had also had relatives near New Orleans who made it out in time. He said he hoped the best for everyone affected by Katrina.
"We're praying that everyone gets out safely," he said. "We did a prayer service. God looks down on us and takes care of us."
However, as the phone services were replaced, a phone call and an e-mail relieved her worries. Her friends were safe.
"I was mainly relieved," Cifelli said. "I felt bad for them."
Several of Cifelli's friends were teachers.
"All those teachers had nowhere to go," she said.
The schools which they taught in were completely gone, and the students had left the area, so the jobs were likely to be cut.
"They are professional people who have been made to rely on others," Cifelli said.
Cifelli's friends sent her pictures of the area. A church she sang in during her years in Mississippi had been completely washed out except for the bells beside the front door.
"The people are very open," she said. "They were very helpful. They could have been your neighbors."
Cifelli is working on setting up a benefit concert for the victims of Katrina.
The concert will be later this month, and she hopes the concert will benefit the victims early enough so people will not forget what happened if the concert were to be at a later day.
"They will still care, but they forget," she said.
Some students at Southern, though some may not have known anyone in the affected areas, still reacted to the situation.
"I thought it was awful," said Julie Moller, sophomore undecided major. "It's probably really hard on them (the victims). I hope more gets done sooner."
Others agree with this.
"It was a real shock," said Erica Thomas, junior psychology major. "America thinks we're bullet-proof, but we're not."
However, there are other students who do have relatives and friends around the affected areas.
"Our brothers with our seminary had some flooding in their house, but they made it out okay," said Nghia Nguyen, freshman undecided major.
Nguyen had also had relatives near New Orleans who made it out in time. He said he hoped the best for everyone affected by Katrina.
"We're praying that everyone gets out safely," he said. "We did a prayer service. God looks down on us and takes care of us."