NSU Law Students to Spend Spring Break in New Orleans on Humanitarian Mission

(L to R, bottom row) Palmer Calabrese, Kara Vaval, Frances Johnson, Thomas Flanagan, linda f harrison, Edna Estime, Marlana Anderson, and Gina Jacobs. (L to R, top row) Joanne Torrey, Kristin Lowry, Nexcy de le Rosa, Michelle Santos, and Samantha Johnson. Not pictured are: Nisha Bacchus, Bennett Grossman, Elicia Hargrove, Daniel Hilliard, Zoltan Hovanyecz, Annette Kabia, Jennifer Rolnick, Michelle Sheikh, Steven Spagnoli, and Kristin Thompson.

The Mardi Gras celebration may be over, but New Orleans is still reeling from Hurricane Katrina. Understanding the continued help the city needs, 24 Nova Southeastern University law students will accompany a faculty member to the still-ravaged city to work in the Lower 9th Ward and to provide legal services.
 
Associate Dean of the Critical Skills Program in the Shepard Broad Law Center, linda f. harrison, is traveling to New Orleans with the students during Spring Break, Feb. 24 – March 2. The group, who is working with the Student Hurricane Network, will be providing legal services in collaboration with Legal Aid Society and the Public Defenders Office. In addition, some students are arriving early or staying behind in order to help with the clean-up effort in the city’s most devastated area – the 9th Ward.

The financial obligations for the trip are the responsibility of the traveler, and each student has had to raise money for his/her food, transportation and accommodations, estimated at $600.00. Recently the travelers sponsored fundraisers selling baked goodies and Mardi Gras beads to help pay for their trip.

The Shepard Broad Law Center is supporting the humanitarian effort by matching the funds that the students have raised.