Katrina Spins Local Student’s Education

In A Different Direction

By Laurie Borst

On August 26, 2005, Mike Nastri, Newtown High School Class of 2005, and his mother, Angela, boarded a plane and flew down to New Orleans. The next day, Mike moved into his dorm room on the first floor at Tulane University. The following morning, at an orientation meeting for freshmen, Tulane’s President Scott Cowen spoke.

Instead of welcoming the students and turning the podium over to advisors, Dr Cowen informed the assembled group of the warnings being issued about a category five hurricane that was bearing down on New Orleans. He gave them an emergency website that would help them prepare for Katrina’s landfall.

Shortly after that, all flights were cancelled. Mrs Nastri had already returned the rental car. There appeared to be no way out of the hurricane’s path. Luckily, Mike’s roommate’s family was able to squeeze the Nastris into their mini-van and take them to their home in Orlando, Fla. Mrs Nastri flew home two days later.

Shortly thereafter, Tulane’s administration made the decision to cancel the semester. A number of colleges around the country offered to take in Tulane’s displaced students. One of those schools was Fordham University in Bronx, New York. Ironically, Fordham had been Mike’s first choice for college.

“Tulane was my second choice,” Mike said, “but they offered such a great financial package, I decided to go there.”

Fordham offered free tuition for the fall semester. Mike still had to pay room and board. “Fordham was very accommodating. The teachers gave me time to get caught up on the work,” Mike said, reflecting on the chaotic autumn.

In November, Mike was able to return to Tulane in an attempt to reclaim his possessions.

“It was very barren,” he reports, “The school was a mess.”

His first floor dorm room had been completely flooded. He wasn’t able to regain possession of his personal items at that time. Finally, in March, bags of his clothes were shipped to him. Mike had taken his golf clubs to school. Those were never found. Fortunately, insurance replaced them.

“Tulane has cut a lot of programs,” Mike said, “including the soccer team which I was interested in.”

Mike completed his first year at Fordham, making Dean’s List both semesters. He has decided to stay on at Fordham. “My mom’s happy that I’m closer to home. And the city’s great. There’s so much to do. I’m happier than I might have been at Tulane.”