Tulane, Boston College Student-Athletes Partner with St. Bernard Project
Mar 1, 2016 | General
Story and video by Daliadiz Ortiz
Though classes and competition are well underway for the 2016 spring semester, Tulane student-athletes continue to show their commitment and devotion to the New Orleans community through community service.
In January, a combined 20 student-athletes from both the Tulane and Boston College Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC) partnered to help rebuild a damaged house in St. Bernard Parish. The service was organized through the non-profit organization, the St. Bernard Project.
Throughout the day, student-athletes went through training directed by a skill site
While the house was perfected, student-athletes were able to share experiences
"I think the best part of my experience was being able to listen to someone that was helped by the St. Bernard Project after Katrina," Tulane women's golfer Madison Opfer said. "Getting to hear how much the organization has helped her was very special. It really shows you how much they do for the city of New Orleans."
This project is part of the Devlin S-AFE Center for Leadership Development, established by Tulane Athletics longtime supporters Kate and Bob Devlin.
"The work for the St. Bernard Project in New Orleans provides our student-athletes with an opportunity to serve others and contribute to the community," Allison Quandt, the Assistant Athletics Director for Student Development at Boston College said. "This opportunity would not be possible without the Devlin family, and it has helped the student-athletes gain perspective on how lucky they are to go to college and pursue a career."
The student-athletes showed gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the project. According to St. Bernard Site Manager, David Klein, the group's contribution was a special one.
"I've been working for the St. Bernard Project since 2014. I've dealt with several groups, but the student-athletes really offered a great effort at the site," Klein said. "It's great to have students that are committed to helping the community and offering their time to really make a difference."
Tulane student-athletes will continue to make a difference, as the SAAC group hopes to create more opportunities to engage with the local community.
