The following is an account as told by one of our students, Jose Rodriquez, about his Hurricane Katrina experience and his pursuit of his educational goals. The content has been edited for continuity and space considerations.

Jose received an Associate Degree with Honors in Hospitality in 2005 and is now pursuing a Nursing degree...

During Hurricane Katrina, I stayed with my best friend at his apartment in the French Quarter. I wasn’t able to evacuate because I don’t own a car and my two brothers didn’t have space to take me with them. On the Wednesday after the storm passed and the water began rising, we walked over to the Monteleone Hotel, where the General Manager had hired ten buses to evacuate 300 people to Houston. It was a great plan, but it never happened because FEMA confiscated the buses. It was very dark and there were no police. Finally, after most of the hotel guests returned to their rooms, two swamp tour buses showed up and asked if anyone wanted to go to Houston. So my friend and I got on one of the buses, leaving behind an unrecognizable city.

The following morning, we arrived in Houston and caught a flight to Connecticut, where we would stay with my friend’s family. A few days later, I set out to find a college where I could continue my education, and I found Capital Community College in Hartford. Everyone there was great … they offered me free tuition, books, and a bus pass for the whole semester. I was a week behind in their semester, but I was able to take three classes that would fit into my schedule, and keep me on track to get into the nursing program at Delgado.

I came back to Delgado because it’s affordable and the teachers and advisors have made it possible for me to have the best educational possible. To be able to attend another college for a semester was an incredible learning experience, but I am very glad to be back home at Delgado.