Days after the unexpected disaster of Hurricane Katrina left hundreds of students without a school, Tulane freshman Christina Montrois received a call of hope.
Picking up the phone, Montrois' father heard, "Hi, this is President Tilghman, the president of Princeton University."
"No, you're not!" he responded.
That morning, as the extent of Hurricane Katrina's damage became undeniable, Montrois had faxed her academic information to Princeton — one of several colleges that had offered to host displaced students for a semester.
But it was hard to believe that President Tilghman was already calling to welcome Montrois to Princeton and express her sympathy for the disaster in New Orleans.
Saturday, August 27, was move-in day and orientation for Tulane freshmen. Most students, including Montrois, had arrived by 10 a.m. Within an hour, they were told to evacuate and leave everything in their dorm rooms.
Clothes stayed in closets, and computers remained on desks in abandoned dorm rooms. "Everyone expected it just to be a fouror five-day thing," visiting Tulane senior Caleb Dance said. "We evacuated two times freshman year and once junior year, so we were optimistic of a short return."
But by the time Katrina tore through New Orleans, breaking the levees and leaving parts of the city under 20 feet of water, the students knew they would have to find a new school for the fall semester.
Universities across the country reached out to displaced students, but many stipulated they would only accept instate residents and some had started classes weeks earlier. Princeton was one of the few schools without these limitations.
The Tulane campus was not significantly damaged by Katrina, suffering only a few window blowouts from the gale-force winds and some flooding. The school announced it could open within weeks, but with New Orleans evacuated and in need of extensive draining, the visiting students knew a spring reopening was more likely.
Of the several schools Montrois called over Labor Day weekend, Princeton was the "nicest" and "responded the fastest," she recalled.
Jackie Reuben, a Tulane senior, had a similar experience. "People [at Princeton] were working at night, even on the weekends," she said. "Harvard, Columbia — they didn't even get back to us until after Labor Day."
After about 180 inquiries, Princeton accepted 24 Tulane students. All have been housed in Henry Hall and assigned to residential colleges and RAs.
The students arrived on Sept. 10 to participate in orientation. The University even paid for airfare for some Tulane students, including William Brinda, a sophomore from Alabama.
Upon arrival, Brinda found a care package from the University in his dorm including a blanket, sheets, a pillow and personal hygiene products.
Seniors start over
Dance and Reuben, both from Denver, were friends at Tulane. Many of their fellow seniors took the semester off, but Princeton offered them an opportunity they couldn't turn down: to study at one of the top schools in their chosen fields.
Reuben was already hoping to do graduate work in the Wilson School, and Dance, a Latin and philosophy double major at Tulane, was attracted by Princeton's renowned classics department.
Dance and Reuben had been at Tulane for a week when they left almost all their furnishings behind. Dance, who plays the saxophone and flute, is hoping to rent instruments from the music department.
Planning to begin their thesis work at a foreign university, the Tulane seniors face the academic year with trepidation. "It's kind of like that freshman feeling all over again, when you don't know what to expect from classes," Reuben said. "That transcends everything here, whether it's academic or social life, because we basically are with the freshmen."
Despite the challenges, the students said they appreciated the opportunity.
"There was a period there when everyone was so depressed that went to Tulane," Montrois said.
But after moving to Princeton, Tulane sophomore Ben Walters said he feels "like a normal college student" again. "I'm just excited to be at college," he said. "I have a computer. I have a school."
Walters, who lives in Princeton Junction, is borrowing a computer from OIT this semester because his laptop is still at Tulane.
For administrators, the major challenge was to match up courses at Princeton with those at Tulane.
"Mostly the concern has been [finding] the correct courses that will translate to their intended majors," said Monica Rinere, dean of Butler College, who has been advising Reuben and Dance.
One Tulane senior, Carrie Pauker from Princeton Junction, faces an added challenge. All Tulane honors students, including Pauker, Reuben and Dance, are required to complete a senior thesis to graduate with honors. The data she gathered over the summer for her neuroscience thesis, stored on the computers at Tulane, are inaccessible.
Professors Jack Gelfand and Dan Osherson in the psychology department have offered to advise her in her thesis work at the University.
"They've been amazing," Pauker said. "I'm in my senior year, and they've accepted me into their lab even though it takes a lot of work to guide me through this."
Gelfand and Osherson have even offered to continue advising Pauker on her thesis by email as she continues her work at Tulane.
For freshman, the transfer of requirements between the universities is simpler. Tulane has promised to accept credit for most main subjects, such as those covered within the distribution requirements. "It's been pretty easy to match my schedule at Tulane just because both schools offer such a wide range of courses," Montrois said.
A writing seminar is not required for students at Tulane with enough AP credits, so Montrois is not sure if she must take a seminar. She also cannot take a freshman seminar because she missed the application period.
"I'm really interested to see how far I can challenge myself at Princeton because it's such a top school," Montrois said, adding, "I am excited about classes but nervous about keeping up."
A new community
For upperclassmen, the semester at Princeton offers the rare chance to experience a different college firsthand. Many said they are finding a greater sense of community at Princeton.
"It's really interesting the way they divide you up into different colleges — it creates for a great bonding experience," Montrois said. "It seems like a lot more people here live on campus, which is great for the community feel."
At Tulane, dorms are divided by activity. Montrois was to live in the honors dorm but now finds herself in the residential college system.
"It seems like everyone goes to the Street," Montrois said, noting that many Tulane students enjoy night life in New Orleans. "With Princeton, it's again more of a community thing."
Across campus, Princetonians have welcomed the visiting students. Strangers and acquaintances have stopped by the dorms to meet them and show them around.
Having been to a number of the Freshman Week activities, Montrois said, "It's been really fun. Everyone is making a huge effort to make us feel included. It's just really great how the student body has responded. We feel like a part of the Princeton student body."
The seniors, however, have a slightly different perspective.
"I'm sure this will be a great experience," Reuben said, "but as seniors we want to get back and have a last semester with all of our friends."
Outside the classroom
Montrois, who performed in eight musicals while in high school, fell in love with Theater Intime at Tiger Night. "Tulane didn't really have exhibition shows like that to showcase talents," she said. "There's a club for everything."
She's also thinking of trying out for the cheerleading squad, having been captain of her high school squad, and joining student government or The Daily Princetonian, but she's not sure how she can be involved for only one semester.
Several of the Tulane students are looking to organize an intramural soccer team. Reuben was to be president of the Latin American Students association this year at Tulane, but instead she'll look for similar involvement at Princeton.
"The whole week when this happened, I kept wondering, 'Why did this happen?' But everything really does happen for a reason," Montrois said. "I'm so excited to have this opportunity. Being at Princeton is so exciting. Being treated like a member of the student body is really great and really gracious of Princeton."
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