The Wheaton Record
Wheaton, Ill.

Sept. 9, 2005

Wheaton to host, aid Katrina victims
By Sarah Pulliam
Wheaton College has joined the national effort to offer some relief to victims in the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The college will accept applications from displaced students from Louisiana, while other students are working locally to aid victims and planning a service trip in November.
Director of Admissions Shawn Leftwich said she has accepted two students and the college has a total housing space for 18 students. She said and about 10 local students who were enrolled at Tulane, Dillard and Xavier Universities in New Orleans have contacted the college for more information and may commute to Wheaton if accepted.
Controller Patrick Brooke said the college is still waiting to receive additional guidance from the federal government on how to handle federal financial aid.
If the student has already paid tuition to their home institution, Wheaton will not charge the student and whatever money the student Wheaton collects for tuition will be passed on to their home institution, according to Brooke.
“We’re going to be out something because there will be some students potentially who will come here for free,” Brooke said. “The college is following specific guidelines regarding tuition and financial aid.”
President Litfin said he decided to accept college students who were displaced by the hurricane because it was an obvious way to help victims immediately.
“There’s a painful reality that we are not a relief agency,” Litfin said. “I think we have a tremendous responsibly as Christians to come alongside people in every way we can.”
Thirty-three other colleges in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities are also accepting students, according to the CCCU’s Web site.
Wheaton College has more than 130 alumni households in the affected area and more than 25 households of current students in the four states, according to a Media Relations’ press release.
“As far as I know, no students, faculty or staff have been affected directly, but we have been impacted in our hearts by what we have seen, heard and learned about this horrific catastrophe,” said Chaplain Steve Kellough.
Vice President of Alumni Relations Merilee Melvin her office is working to create a online network for alumni to be connected.
“We have many alumni who have wonderful relief agencies and we’re trying to put people in touch with them,” Melvin said. “We’re connectors here. We want to stand with them with what we can do to help.”
Junior Aaron Kaat said he was disappointed that Wheaton was so slow in responding to the hurricane victims.
“It just seems that we have the connections down there with students, faculty and from previous Break Away trips, and so far, all that has been done is a few prayers in chapel,” Kaat said. “That’s great, but we can do a lot more.”
Kellough said he felt frustrated that the college could not respond right away.
“But the awareness of the hurricane has grown every day, so rather than just giving a knee jerk response, we have been able to give a thoughtful response in planning campus-wide efforts,” he said.
Kellough met with about 20 undergraduate students, geology professor Stephen Moshier, Director of Student Activities Steve Ivester and Office of Christian Outreach Director Brian Medaglia Wednesday for two hours to discuss what efforts the campus should pursue to aid Hurricane Katrina victims.
A Katrina relief ad hoc committee was formed with senior Lisa Macguire to lead the immediate and local efforts and sophomore Tyler Deaton to coordinate efforts to organize a Thanksgiving week trip to the Gulf Coast. Moshier is working to coordinate faculty involvement and Kellough said he plans to have an informational meeting for students who are interested and will announce details later.
While undergraduate students are currently pursuing ideas, graduate school students and faculty raised more than $1,000 Sept. 1 and 2 to purchase and send 50 cases of diapers, four cases of baby wipes and 50 new Bibles to the affected area.