Newswise — More than 100 Spelman College students have been impacted by the devastation in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama caused by Hurricane Katrina. The College has received and is reviewing requests for guest-student status from several applicants enrolled in accredited colleges in the affected areas.
"We have received applications from students who are attending colleges now closed due to the impact of Hurricane Katrina, and we are working with these students to determine eligibility for guest student status," said Arlene Cash, vice president, Enrollment Management. "Right now, we are addressing financial aid, housing and other issues."
The college has also set up an emergency scholarship fund to financially assist students from areas devastated by the hurricane. Gifts can be made through the Office of Institutional Advancement. Checks should be made payable to Spelman College with "Hurricane Katrina Emergency Fund" indicated on the memo line. Gifts can also be made with Visa, MasterCard, or American Express by visiting http://www.spelman.edu. Click on "Make Your Gift Now," and use the online giving application to make a donation.
Contributions can be mailed to:Spelman CollegeOffice of Institutional Advancement350 Spelman Lane, SW, Box 1551Atlanta, GA 30314
In an effort to provide spiritual solace, Sisters Chapel has extended the hours of the prayer room. The college is also responding to the impact Hurricane Katrina is having on gas prices and will launch a car-pooling program on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Students and employees will be able to call the Office of Public Safety to enroll in the program, or they can purchase monthly MARTA passes on campus for $40.
The College is also providing counseling services to students in need, and is scheduling appointments after normal business hours. Employees are being assisted through the Spelman Employee Assistance Program.
In addition, the Office of Alumnae Affairs is fielding phone calls concerning our alumnae in the ravaged areas and encouraging people to share information and updates on those affected by the hurricane.
"It is hard to watch the news or listen to the radio and hear about the suffering that is taking place in the affected areas, knowing that there are faculty, staff and students who may be worried about loved ones whom they have not been able to reach, and others who are grieving the loss of family members, homes and livelihoods," said President Beverly Daniel Tatum. "At Spelman College, we want to do whatever we can to support our students and employees at this difficult time."
Spelman College:Founded in 1881, Spelman College is the only historically Black college in the nation to be included on the U.S. News and World Report's list of top 75 "Best Liberal Arts Colleges — Undergraduate," 2005. Located in Atlanta, Ga., this private, historically Black women's college boasts outstanding alumnae, including Children's Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman; U.S. Foreign Service Director Ruth Davis; authors Tina McElroy Ansa and Pearl Cleage and actress LaTanya Richardson. More than 83 percent of the full-time faculty members have Ph.D.s or other terminal degrees and the student-faculty ratio is 12:1. Annually, nearly one-third of Spelman students receive degrees in the sciences. The students number more than 2,186 and represent 43 states and 34 foreign countries. For more information regarding Spelman College, visit: http://www.spelman.edu.
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