THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2007
NEWS 3A
HURRICANE KATRINA
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
KU graduate Ashley Sloan, left, is a founding member of Live St. Louis, a non-profit organization that rebuilds homes in New Orleans. Sloan will share her experiences with help Hurricane Katrina victims tonight on "Anderson Cooper 360."
Graduate to tell story on CNN
BY COURTNEY CONDRON
ccondron@kansan.com
When University of Kansas graduate Ashley Sloan arrived in New Orleans to help victims of the Hurricane Katrina, she had a hard time sleeping without heat. And a lack of hot water took some getting used to as well.
A woman who had lost her home offered to let her sleep in a 20-by-30-feet FEMA trailer, along with the woman, her husband and their six grandchildren.
"After all the things she lost, she was still going to give back," Sloan said.
Tonight, Sloan, a 2005 graduate, will be featured in CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" Hurricane Katrina two-year anniversary show to discuss her work in the area, and the work that still needs to be done.
"We are trying to work together to bring about support and awareness and to bring more people down there." Sloan said.
Sloan was able to contact
"Anderson Cooper 360" through AmeriCorps, a volunteer group she had volunteered with before. AmeriCorps submitted her biography to the show, and CNN called her that night to interview her. They told her that she spoke with a lot of passion, and tonight she will be interviewed in the last segment of the show.
"I definitely think national exposure to recognize any organization is great, and I think Anderson Cooper does a great job covering these issues." Sloan said.
Before Hurricane Katrina, Sloan took a year off after her junior year to do community service work with AmeriCorps in the South, including New Orleans. After graduating from the School of Journalism, she worked at an advertising agency. There she had a client with a New Orleans store that was unaffected by Katrina, who told her she wished hurricanes happened all the time, because it had been so good for the store.
"I realized that I needed to re-evaluate the path that my life was headed in," Sloan said.
Sloan returned to AmeriCorps as a team leader. She worked in New Orleans with Tyler Manson, Wichita freshman. Manson took a year off to volunteer with AmeriCorps before coming to the University.
This instance motivated Sloan to return to New Orleans and help out.
"When you work with them you meet the community and get so attached," Manson said. "It's great that Ashley decided to continue her service there, and it really is needed."
Sloan recently co-founded a nonprofit organization called Live St. Bernard. The organization's goal is to finance and gut a home, rebuild it, and then use it to attract builders who want to and help rebuild homes in New Orleans.
"This is everyone's country, and we need to help our fellow countrymen rebuild," Sloan said. "People need to recognize that any area can't be rebuilt overnight."
— Edited by Luke Morris
DOLE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
Fellow brings experience
BY SASHA ROE
sroe@kansan.com
Jerry Austin, president of Gerald J. Austin and Associates Inc., was named a fellow at the Dole Institute of Politics for fall 2007. Austin will lead study groups throughout the semester.
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Jerry Austin, a political advertiser who worked with former President Jimmy Carter and Reverend Jesse Jackson, will lead study groups as a Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics Fellow this fall. Austin visited classes and student organizations Monday and Tuesday and attended the Dole Institute's Student Kickoff Dinner Tuesday evening to formally announce his study groups that begin October 16.
Austin, president of a political and public relations firm, Gerald J. Austin and Associates, Inc., also teaches at the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron. Austin said he loves to interest kids in politics and through the study groups he could offer them real life experience. He said that, with the vast coverage of the 2008 election, there was no reason a student would not want to get involved.
Austin said his study groups,
"The longest running reality show is the American presidency," Austin said. "You can follow the election all over television, the Internet and YouTube."
Austin started out as a junior high social studies teacher and volunteered in campaigns. Austin said he discovered the competition of politics to be exciting.
Austin opened his own political and public relations firm in 1978 after realizing he was more interested in campaigns than his full-time job. Austin worked closely with politicians, and it's those experiences he could use to illuminate students.
"It's a one-day sale," Austin said.
"For 18 months you pretty much run a business, but then you vote on one day, and it's over. I like the 'one day, this is it.'"
"I'll show you what I've done and tell you how it works in the real world," Austin said.
"Presidential Campaigns," would give students a back-room view of politics with visits from some of the nation's top political reporters. He said it would also show students how important it was for them to care about the 2008 presidential election.
"I don't care who you vote for, but just get involved," Austin said. "This is supposed to be a participatory democracy, but the majority doesn't participate."
Jonathan Earle, Dole Institute interim director, said the timing and topic of Austin's study groups was significant. Earle said Austin's work with various presidential candidates was very valuable.
"Students are already tuned into this election," Earle said. "Austin will bring real world experience."
also present in his second passion — sports. Austin, who lettered in basketball in college, said every year he goes to Las Vegas to watch the March Madness basketball games. He had one request when he knew he was going to be working at the University of Kansas.
"I said. 'I'll come do this, but I need to go to a KU basketball game,' " Austin said. "I will lose my standing with my friends in the sports world if I don't go to Allen Fieldhouse."
Austin's love of competition is
Austin said he looked forward to returning to the campus in October to lead the study groups.
"The most important thing I'm doing right now is teaching." Austin said. "I hope I can give students a practitioner's perspective."
Edited by Ashlee Kieler
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS
Undergraduate Business Council
Freshman/Sophomore Business School Orientation When: Thursday August 30th 2007 from 2-5 p.m.
Where: Koch Commons in Summerfield Hall.
Who: Any freshman or sophomore who is considering a major within the School of Business.
Why: Talk to Business School faculty members in a casual setting. Get information about what the business school has to offer you!
Enjoy free food and enter a drawing to win great prizes!
Faith Forum:
A Liberating Take on Christianity
Open to anyone in perspective on
Theme: "Living the Questions" with short video presentation by recognized theologians and scholars.
sted in a progressive rituality and faith.
Wednesday
Enumencial
Located at
8pm at ECM,
Stian Ministries
h and Oread
ALL FIELDS OF STUDY NEEDED
Do YOU
• Have a desire to help people?
• Interested in traveling abroad?
ENGINEERS WITHOUT BOR-
- KU Chapter is need of students of ALL FIELDS OF STUDY and is having their fall 2007 opening meeting: August 29th 7:00 p.m. 3151 Learned Hall
Come and learn how all you can be a part of this worldwide impact!
August 29, 2007
KU Pre-Law Day
September 5th,2007 Law school fair 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. allroom, Level 5, Kansas Union
Located at 12th and Oread
PAID FOR BY KU
funded by:
SENATE
Law School Admissions Representatives
o University of Kansas Pre-Law Office
o KU Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity
o Cambridge Pre-Law Institute
o LSAT Preparation Services
• Kaplan Test Prep
• Princeton Review
Sponsored by the KU Pre-Law Office and KU Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity
Questions? Preston Nicholson, J.D. pretsn@ku.edu (785) 864-2896
University Forum
Wednesday, August 29th 12-1pm (optional lunch $3.50) "How is the Brain Involved in Learning and Memory?"
Presenter will be Dr. Joseph Steinmetz, Distinguished Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, KU
University Forum, "a tradition since the 1940's,' is open to students, staff, faculty, and community at ECM, Ecumenical Christian Ministries
SLAB
STUDENT
LEGISLATIVE
AWARENESS
MAKE IT YOUR MISSION.
Get involved with the leading political advocacy organization on campus, the Student Legislative Awareness Board. Officer applications are now available in the Student Senate office located in room 410 of the Kansas Union. Positions available in tnc.
- Special Events Coordinator Press
  * Public Relations Coordinator
  * Legislative and Policy Assistant
* Deputy Community Affairs Director
  * Deputy Legislative Director
Applications are due by 5:00 pm on Friday, September 7 in the Student Senate office in the Kansas Union. contact: alextr@ku.edu
contact: alextre@ku.edu
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