Hurricane Katrina victim finds home and help at KU

KU graduate student Lisa Martinez spent her first day in Kansas last August slumped on a milk crate in her brother's yard, balancing a box of tissues. It was the week Hurricane Katrina took away the 38-year-old single mother's home, scattered her native New Orleans community and forced her to cancel her dream—enrollment in the social welfare program of Tulane University.

Today Martinez's eyes are dry and beam with excitement as she begins work toward a master's degree in social welfare at KU. "I'm beyond elated," Martinez said. "I've read the materials for the summer term; I've even written a paper already. This is going to be a story for the grandchildren."

Martinez wouldn't be attending KU if it weren't for the catastrophic storm – and more importantly a $15,000 scholarship. The scholarship, which was funded through an anonymous gift to KU Endowment, will help her finish a master's degree in one year and give her more time to spend with her family, including 16-year-old Justin Layton, 11-year-old Keisha Layton, and her partner, Albert Araiza.

Like many residents, Martinez said she had no idea that Hurricane Katrina would upend so much of her family's life. Read more.