Denetra Mack and Doctor Ashe had just completed their first week of classes at Xavier University in New Orleans when they were forced to depart the city quickly before Hurricane Katrina pummeled southern Louisiana late Sunday night.  

          “We had just finished our first week of class and Xavier University told us at 3 p.m. on Saturday that we had to evacuate,” said Mack, a junior chemistry major from Detroit . “We packed enough clothes for the weekend and drove to Atlanta thinking we would be back. “ 

           “I left my car in New Orleans,” added Ashe, a junior psychology major from Detroit . “By Monday, after I saw the destruction of the hurricane on television, I knew we wouldn’t be back and I didn’t want to be out of school.” Now Mack, Ashe and 16 other undergraduate students from Xavier, Tulane and Loyola universities in New Orleans have become Wayne State University students.  

Wayne State is reaching out to undergraduate, graduate and law students affected by Hurricane Katrina. For those students enrolled in universities in the impacted areas who already have paid their tuition, Wayne State is offering a full tuition waiver for the fall 2005 semester as well as free on-campus housing for those in need. Students also may be eligible for assistance with other fees and costs on a case-by-case basis. 

 “Our hearts go out to the victims of this terrible national disaster,” said Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid. “This tragedy has caused these students great personal hardship, so we felt compelled to help them continue their pursuit of an education.”  

             Wayne State University has a history of responding to special needs of students in times of crisis. 

             “Our admissions staff is ready to work with these students,” said Susan Zwieg, executive director of undergraduate admissions and student financial aid.  “We’ll give them tender loving care and help them continue on with their education.”   

             Students who were attending college in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and are interested in attending Wayne State , may call the WSU Admissions Office at (313) 577-3577 or log on to www.wayne.edu/katrina_aid for additional information and/or immediate admission.  

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students in metropolitan Detroit .