Northeastern Provides Relief for Katrina Victims

Faculty, staff, and administrators from Northeastern State University are offering aid to hurricane Katrina evacuees. Moved by the plight of thousands of victims, the NSU community has put forth efforts to aid the suffering and to help survivors move back to normality. Aside from the efforts of individual fundraisers and volunteers, the University has made available help in several capacities.

NSU's Admissions office is enrolling students displaced by the hurricane.

"We're offering to waive the out-of-state tuition fee and to help get students enrolled in the fall semester," said Bill Nowlin, dean of Enrollment Management.

Six students have already taken the University up on the offer, with four from Louisiana and two native Oklahomans attending college out of state slated to start classes soon.

Similarly, NSU's Muskogee campus has spearheaded a campaign to help evacuees with high school equivalency and G.E.D. testing.

"We've made a couple of trips to Camp Gruber to offer our services to anyone who is interested. We have offered to help anybody and we will," said Tim McElroy, dean of NSU Muskogee Campus. As the provider of adult basic education in Muskogee, NSU Muskogee's Literacy Center and adult education centers are eager to aid evacuees.

Finally, NSU's College of Optometry has offered aid to the vision impaired. Taking the vehicle from the successful Vision in Preschoolers campaign, students and faculty from the college have been outfitting evacuees with free glasses following a complimentary eye exam. Since the camp has been open to evacuees, more than 300 people have received full eye examinations, with more than 250 receiving glasses.

"Sandy Duncan with Duffens Optical has worked to get about $45,000 worth of lenses and frames donated to the over 250 people we've treated," said Dr. George Foster, dean of the College of Optometry.

From education to health, NSU students, faculty, and staff have been honored to help evacuees in any way possible.

"It has been a privilege to be of service to these people who have been through so much," said Foster.

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Published: 2005-09-16 00:00:00