Loving their college neighbors

The first student evacuees began arriving Sept. 5 at Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, N.C., some with little more than the clothes they were wearing when they fled the hurricane. They’re among about 100,000 college students thought to be displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Requests came in just hours after Lenoir-Rhyne posted on its Web site offers of free fall tuition, room and board for students displaced by Katrina, and free housing and meals for displaced faculty. Aramark, the college’s food service company, agreed to provide free meals, and College Book Stores of America Inc. offered free books.

By Sept. 13, 10 students had enrolled from Xavier University, Tulane University, the University of New Orleans, Delgado Community College, all in New Orleans; Nunez Community College, Chalmette, La.; and the campuses of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.