As extreme wildfires continue in Los Angeles, the flames have hit close to home for Northwestern students from the area, some of them said — and administration has reached out in various ways to offer them support.
Currently, the largest fire has burned more than 23,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and over 80,000 residents are under evacuation orders.
McCormick junior Grace Shao, who is from Orange County, said she received emails from the Dean of Students Office and McCormick’s Office of Undergraduate Engineering. The emails expressed that students are welcome to reach out for support.
“They had said, ‘If there’s anything that we can do, please reach out,” Shao said. “They have been really nice about it.”
So far, the Division of Student Affairs has reached out to over 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students with a permanent address on file in the greater Los Angeles metro area, a University spokesperson said.
Students are encouraged to visit the NUhelp website, access reporting forms or request personalized assistance from the Dean of Students Office, according to a University spokesperson. If the wildfires have affected students’ ability to pay their tuition, they are encouraged to contact their Financial Aid Office.
Weinberg freshman Ally Song, who lives in L.A.’s Koreatown, said her family has not yet been impacted but has received warnings of a potential evacuation. She has found comfort in witnessing community support.
“I just think that it’s so great that everyone is coming together, and even people from different states have been pulling funds together to donate to charities,” Song said. “I think that’s just very heartwarming.”
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