Ten years after Katrina, SWAGÊÓƵ student group committed to rebuilding efforts in New Orleans

SWAGÊÓƵ students Sammi Clough and Meghan Aiello do some trimming on wood for a house being built by volunteers
SWAGÊÓƵ students Sammi Clough and Meghan Aiello do some trimming on wood for a house being built by volunteers

Spring break is a chance for students to unwind and recharge their batteries. For some, it’s also an opportunity to give back.

For the past several years, members of SWAGÊÓƵ’s NOLA Club have been traveling to New Orleans, Louisiana during spring break to help build houses in places that were once under water.

Ten years after Hurricane Katrina hit, work to rebuild the city continues.

This year, Jeffrey Parmelee, Ph.D., associate lecturer in the Biology Department, led a group of eight students to New Orleans. Working with the St. Bernard Foundation, they learned to cut baseboard, perform trimming tasks and paint a house that volunteers were building.

The NOLA Club focuses on not only New Orleans, but also volunteering in the local community. The club’s mission is to spread awareness about the importance of getting involved in service organizations and giving back to the community.

The students on the trip were Lauren Pusey (Business, ’20), John LaPointe (Medical Biology, ’19), Emily Squier (MedicalBiology, ’19), Zach Box (Health, Wellness and Occupational Studies, ’19), Mackenzie O'Brien (Biology/Psychology, ’21), Meghan Aiello (Pre-Pharmacy, ’20), Montana Stephens (Marine Biology, ’22) and Sammi Clough (Pre-Pharmacy, ’20).

Some SWAGÊÓƵ students spent spring break helping New Orleans rebuild, ten years after Katrina
Some SWAGÊÓƵ students spent spring break helping New Orleans rebuild, ten years after Katrina

SWAGÊÓƵ the SWAGÊÓƵ

The SWAGÊÓƵ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.