Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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After devastation caused by Katrina, two professors invited students to stay in their liome and finisii degrees at K-State by Kristen Day All it took was a cell phone text message, and eight students from the University of New Orleans headed to K-State. Though attending K-State was not considered before Aug. 29, Hurricane Katrina left students in Louisiana and Mississippi with no college to attend and no place to live. When Iris and Matthew Totten, assistant and associate professors of geology, invited former students from the University of New Orleans to live with them and continue their educations at K-State, word traveled fast. I heard from a friend in Monroe (La.) that Matt and Iris were inviting students out here, John Myers, graduate student in geology, said. I called information, called Matt. I drove back to McComb (Miss.) to get my wife and kids and showed up here Labor Day. The Tottens previously taught at the University of New Orleans, but they accepted jobs at K-State and moved to Manhattan Aug. 9. When they realized the devastation of Katrina, they immediately invited former students to K-State. We were renting a three-story house, so we knew we could accommodate a lot of people temporanly, Iris Totten said. Even if they needed a place to stay and not go to school, that was OK. K-State tried to find ways to help those affected by Katrina. Heather Reed, assistant dean of student life, said the school tried to make their transitions to K-State as smooth as possible, given the stressful situation. The school waived late fees for enrolling. After losing their homes, the students appreciated the help of their former professors. Words can ' t even describe it, Mo Morse, graduate student in geology, said. Iris is a good friend of mine, and I owe my life and career to her. coverage of Katrina continued on page 22 r Jlr Aug. 28 New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin announces a mandatory evacuation as Category 5 Hurricane Katrina makes its way toward the Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center reports 20student life winds up to 175 mph. Aug. 29 Katrina, one of the most powerful hurricanes to ever hit the northern Gulf Coast, makes landfall at 7 a.m. on the Louisiana Coast and devastates New Orleans and parts of Mississippi. An estimated 1,3 million homes across Louisiana and Mississippi are left without electricity. Aug. 30 As floodwaters rise, representatives from the U.S. military and Federal Emergency Management Agency dispatch helicopters to the region. Those residents unable to evacuate continue to make the longjourney on foot to the Louisiana Superdome and the New Orleans Convention Center at the request of local and state officials. By now, 80 percent of the city is flooded. Aug. 31 Thousands ofangry, confused evacuees are living among death, illness and human waste at the Superdome as

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When Anna Hindnnan lost her vision at age 14, she struggled to ' see ' with a cane for four years until she received her guide dog, Kovu, and her life changed forever by Jessica Durham Go to the front desk, Kovu. Find the front desl . Anna Hindman, freshman in business administration, gripped the harness handle attached to Kovu, her 3-year-old black Labrador. The dog moseyed through the K-State-Salina Library, plucking a Taco Bell wrapper from a trash can. Kovu cradled the balled-up paper in his mouth so it would not crinkle, his teeth showing just enough to give the appearance of an impish grin. Hindman, who was nearly blind, suddenly sensed he was up to one of his tricks and reached down to feel his mouth. Kovu, she said, you ' re such an ornery boy. Smiling, Hindman gently took the trash from Kovu ' s mouth as she shook her head and chuckled. Kovu was more than a guide dog to Hindman. When she traveled to Kansas Specialty Dog Services in Washington, Kan., to train and bond with Kovu for 3.5 weeks, he became her lifesaver and most trusted friend. Before July, Hindman used a cane, but she said it often caused more problems than it prevented. No one in this town knows what a cane is, she said. People act like it ' s either a weapon or you ' re stupid because you have one. Then I got Kovu, and everyone knows what a seeing eye dog is. Everyone respects both of us when we ' re walking. They move and let us go by. They talk to us. Everyone is very nice when I have the dog. Hindman began losing her vision to a disease called retinitis pigmentosa at 14. The effects are similar to tunnel vision - as if she viewed everything through a toilet paper roll. She could see objects clearly and in color directly in front of her, but saw nothing to the sides, above or below. The diagnosis came as a shock - she was adopted and had no idea about the genetic problems she discovered existed with her birth parents. Ruth Hindman, her adoptive mother, was also taken by surprise. It was pretty devastating at first, because you expect everything to be perfect for your child, and then something like that happens, she said. I ' m accepting it a little bit more. I ' ve kind of learned to live for helping her. Until Kovu came along, she wouldn ' t go out after dark. Kovu takes her around things. If she didn ' t have Kovu, she ' d walk right into them if her cane didn ' t touch them first. Having Kovu instead of a cane made beginning college less intimidating for Hindman, but she still faced difficulties. I admire her courageousness, Leslie Hannah, assistant professor of English, said. It ' s tough being a college student when you have all of your faculties. But students like Anna, who came in with an obvious disability.. .there are certain ambiances of a classroom that seeing students could pick up on. Anna could not pick up on those nuances. Through repetition, she trained Kovu to find each of her classes and navigate buildings. Sometimes, Hindman and Kovu worked so efficiently together it was hard to tell she was visually impaired. My favorite quote - and I made this up - is, ' I ' m not blind, I just can ' t see where I ' m going, ' she said. That ' s my motto. Walking through a hallway after her last class. Hindman, alongside her guide dog Kovu, heads toward the bus stop just outside the Student Technology Center. Hindman made special arrangements to be dropped off and picked up daily by OCCK, Inc. Transit. Joslyn Brown anna hindmanl9 1

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Barbecuing at 100 Delaware St.. Jeff Oalmann. senior in geology, works the grill while graduate students in geology, Mo Morse and Albert Oko wait for the chicken to cook. Eight students transfered from the University of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Catrma Rawson they await food, supplies and medical attention. Many are bused to the Houston Astrodome. Remaining New Orleans looters are shot at by police officers wading through the filthy floodwaters. Other military officials continue rescue efforts for residents stranded on the rooftops of gallon in some areas because evacuees are transported to convention center and the their homes. Sept. 1 Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco requests the mobilization of 40,000 National Guard troops. Gas prices inflate to nearly $5 per the hurricane destroyed offshore oil rigs. Sept. 2 Food, water and supplies finally arrive at the New Orleans convention center as more than 150,000 in Texas. The Army Corps of Louisiana Superdome. Police Engineers estimates it could and military officials will take up to three months to continue for days to search pump the floodwaters out of houses in New Orleans for the city. Sept. 3 Officials clear out the the dead and dying. source: www.cnn.com hurricane katrina21