Keep Hope Alive!

September 2, 2005 Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff: The devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina have stunned us all. The loss of life, destruction of property, and unimaginably severe conditions that remain in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are profoundly saddening. Our thoughts, prayers, and sympathies are with all those who have suffered from the storm and its aftermath. How can we as a university help? Let me outline several ways. First, we are contacting our undergraduate and graduate students who live in the region to offer any assistance we can in helping them arrive safely for the fall term.…

“There are no longer any signs of life along 240 kilometers”. (Reporter in helicopter over Aceh) “In this kind of a tragedy, there is no religion,” said Imam Syed Abdullah, who led a team of Indian rescue personnel in retrieving bodies along the coast. He agreed to have Muslim victims buried with others in a mass burial. “They died together in the sea. Let their souls get peace together.” “We’re concerned about providing safe water and preventing the spread of disease. For children, the next few days will be the most critical.” (Carol Bellamy, executive director, Unicef) Please give generously.…