Behind The Scenes: Lion Up for McNeese

Taylor Nettle
Illegally Blonde
Published in
2 min readOct 21, 2020

(HAMMOND, La.) Southeastern Louisiana University students are currently working together to gather items to create care packages for the victims of Hurricane Laura at McNeese University.

This August, Hurricane Laura hit McNeese University and heavily impacted the campus, leaving the houses and communities of faculty and students destroyed. As a result of hearing this news, students of Southeastern Louisiana University’s Student Government Association (SGA) came together to create a “Lion Up for McNeese” task force, to help lead the university in collecting goods to be sent in care packages to McNeese University.

Supplies, such as packaged foods, paper towels, personal care items, cleaning supplies, safety products, baby products and animal products, can be dropped off at the Student Leadership and Governmental Affairs Office in the Student Union West 2302. Gift cards can be donated at University Police Department Student Engagement Office Student Union West 2307. Large item donations can be brought to the University Police Department.

Southeastern’s SGA Chief Justice, Madi Sunde, was appointed to the task force and has helped behind the scenes. Sunde feels very passionate about the task force, as it incorporates her job as SGA Chief Justice and her unmeasurable love for community outreach.

“I’m always grateful to be given an opportunity to serve others. Even though I’ve only been a part of the SGA ‘Big Three’ for half a semester, I am blown away by how big Southeastern’s heart is and how hard our faculty and staff work to not only meet Southeastern’s needs but those of the community,” she said.

Southeastern is reaching out to all organizations on campus to partake in this event, along with any individual students who would like to donate.

Phi Mu Alpha Psi, a sorority at Southeastern, has taken this movement very close to heart. Panhellenic delegate of the chapter, Madison Melerine, oversees campus activities for Phi Mu Alpha Psi. Melerine has spread the word throughout the chapter of almost 100 women and has encouraged all of her fellow sisters to advocate for the “Lion Up for McNeese” task.

“For me and my position as Panhellenic Delegate, being a part of this experience is very near and dear to my heart. Seeing these brave students and faculty of McNeese endure this hard trial reminds me of my experience with Hurricane Katrina.” Melerine said.

On her birthday in 2005, she lost everything, because she lived in Chalmette. She wants to help her peers as they go through this trial, and said she is grateful for this opportunity to help others.

This is something for all students of Southeastern Louisiana University to participate in. Sunde encourages students to get involved in this experience to make new connections and be a part of something “bigger than themselves.”

For more donation ideas and information check out Southeastern SGA’s Instagram page.

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Taylor Nettle
Illegally Blonde
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A struggling college student, with some mediocre ideas and views that her professor helps her express in a not-so mediocre manner.