Spring Break
Students evade Katrina
Two on exchange in New Orleans return after hurricane
DJ Slater
Issue date: 9/12/05 Section: Campus News
Warm weather, the absence of snow, a diverse campus and Mardi Gras were all temptations that led sophomore Sydney Dun to spend a full year studying at the University of New Orleans.
Through UW-Eau Claire's National Student Exchange program, she arrived in New Orleans in the middle of August with time to enjoy herself before classes started.
On Aug. 27, however, word spread of a hurricane brewing in the gulf, and it was predicted to hit New Orleans head-on, she said. While it seemed threatening, Dun said she wasn't concerned.
"People were saying there was a hurricane coming," she said. "People down there weren't too worried about it."
And then the residence halls started to empty.
"It wasn't until everybody left the dorms that I started worrying about it," she said. "I figured if (my roommate's) going to be leaving, I should probably be leaving too."
Dun was one of two Eau Claire students studying in New Orleans while Hurricane Katrina inched closer to the coast. The other, sophomore Jules Miller, was staying in Arcadia, Fla., when the storm hit.
"(My friends and I) were all facing losing a lot and not sure if friends of ours were OK, so we tried to have some downtime," Miller said. "It got really overwhelming."
When news of the hurricane reached Eau Claire, Mary Ryan-Miller, associate dean of student development, immediately sent e-mails to both students to make sure they were all right."It was an amazing coincidence," Ryan-Miller said. "Both wrote back within a very short time to say, 'Thanks for asking. I am safe.' "
Because Dun and Miller still were registered at Eau Claire through NSE, the transition back to the university wasn't difficult. They still were paying Eau Claire tuition and were back in time to start classes, missing only a day or two, she said.
Through UW-Eau Claire's National Student Exchange program, she arrived in New Orleans in the middle of August with time to enjoy herself before classes started.
On Aug. 27, however, word spread of a hurricane brewing in the gulf, and it was predicted to hit New Orleans head-on, she said. While it seemed threatening, Dun said she wasn't concerned.
| "It wasn't until everybody left the dorms that I started worrying about it." -Sydney Dun Sophomore |
"People were saying there was a hurricane coming," she said. "People down there weren't too worried about it."
And then the residence halls started to empty.
"It wasn't until everybody left the dorms that I started worrying about it," she said. "I figured if (my roommate's) going to be leaving, I should probably be leaving too."
Dun was one of two Eau Claire students studying in New Orleans while Hurricane Katrina inched closer to the coast. The other, sophomore Jules Miller, was staying in Arcadia, Fla., when the storm hit.
"(My friends and I) were all facing losing a lot and not sure if friends of ours were OK, so we tried to have some downtime," Miller said. "It got really overwhelming."
When news of the hurricane reached Eau Claire, Mary Ryan-Miller, associate dean of student development, immediately sent e-mails to both students to make sure they were all right."It was an amazing coincidence," Ryan-Miller said. "Both wrote back within a very short time to say, 'Thanks for asking. I am safe.' "
Because Dun and Miller still were registered at Eau Claire through NSE, the transition back to the university wasn't difficult. They still were paying Eau Claire tuition and were back in time to start classes, missing only a day or two, she said.