By MEGAN NICHOLS
Anderson Independent-Mail
September 9, 2005

Displaced students of New Orleans’ colleges hailing from South Carolina to Connecticut enrolled this week at Clemson University after Hurricane Katrina forced their schools to cancel the fall semester.

Almeda Jacks, Clemson’s vice president for student affairs, said the school had taken 15 students so far, and that more possibly could enroll in the coming days.

Ms. Jacks said the students will attend an orientation session next week to help them get acclimated to the school.

"We’re just trying to do whatever we can do to get them used to being here," Ms. Jacks said.

For those students who lost most of their possessions in the hurricane, Ms. Jacks said the university is dipping into its student emergency fund.

"Some of these students came to us with nothing in hand except one small suitcase, so we are helping them with the necessities," she said.

Ms. Jacks said a few students were from Louisiana, but many were South Carolina residents who attend colleges in Louisiana. At least two are not from the South at all. One is from Connecticut and another from New York, she said.

Some students likely chose to relocate to Clemson because it was close to home, Ms. Jacks said, but she said others may simply relate to the school.

"I think a lot of times, depending on where they go to school, they associate with a school that is similar," she said. "We have had a couple tell us that Clemson is a lot like Tulane University."

Most of the students came to Clemson from either Tulane or Xavier College, she said. Students wishing to remain at Clemson after this semester will have to go through the normal application process.

Eleven of the new students have been placed in the university’s dorms, said Tim Bowen, assistant housing director. The remaining students likely are living with family in the area, he said.

Mr. Bowen said Clemson students are welcoming the displaced students.

"Students in our office have been great about giving them their personal cell phone numbers, tours of campus, taking them out to eat, just trying to welcome them," he said.

Financial aid administrators also are working with the students to try to get scholarship or loan money.

Counseling also is available for any student who wants to talk about the tragedy on the Gulf Coast. Ms. Jacks said more than 100 Clemson students are from the Gulf Coast, and some have lost their homes.

Megan Nichols can be reached at (864) 260-1207 or by e-mail at charalambousnc@IndependentMail.com.

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