College student-led effort to help New Orleans
A group of sports business management students at the University of Central Florida on Wednesday announced the creation of a new foundation and a national student-led effort to help Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in New Orleans.
Students from the DeVos Sport Business Management Graduate Program at UCF, with the National Consortium for Academics and Sport and the DeVos Program, started the Hope for Stanley Foundation [www.HopeforStanley.org] to organize students from more than 150 other sport business management programs and student-athletes from among the 220 NCAS-member colleges and universities. The New Orleans City Council is helping.
While spending part of their winter holiday in New Orleans last December, the students met Stanley Stewart, a 51-year-old resident of the Lower Ninth Ward. He was physically and emotionally unable to begin rebuilding because it meant gutting his home. The DeVos students worked on the Stewart residence, leaving the family with renewed hope.
"These original 10 students see the power of sport and sports people helping to convert hope into reality," said Richard Lapchick, chairman of the DeVos program.
Said Arnie Fielkow, vice president of the New Orleans City Council: "As a City leader and sports enthusiast, I am humbled by the devotion and care that the DeVos students have shown towards New Orleans. Hope for Stanley is a powerful example of what human empathy can produce."
