For Immediate Release
Oct. 1, 2024

Media Contact:  Jennifer Abshire
Abshire Public Relations
912.247.9588
pr@abshirepr.com

SSU Interim President Alexander checks in with students after Hurricane Helene at a barbecue hosted by SSU fraternity members.

Savannah, GA – After surviving gale force winds, torrential rain and a power outage, Savannah State University (SSU) students sought to help their neighbors in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

The storm, which hit Savannah early Friday morning as a tropical storm, knocked down trees and limbs, damaged Falligant Gate and cut power for the 1,400 students living on campus as well as the surrounding community. With power out across the state, local restaurant closures and roads blocked, food service was limited to the Student Union until Georgia Power restored electricity late Sunday night. Student entertainment options were limited as well.

In response, student associations including campus fraternities, Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) and the Powerhouse of the South Band with the support of alumni fired up their grills and fed the campus community including faculty and staff who were busy checking on students throughout the weekend. Students were treated to barbecue chicken, steak and hamburgers and s’mores over hot coals.

“Hurricane Helene was a harrowing experience for these young people,” said SSU Interim President Cynthia Alexander. “But after ensuring their own safety, their thoughts turned to the safety and welfare of their fellow students and how they could help clean up the campus and feed the community.”

Members from the university’s various fraternities worked together to move limbs out of the way over the weekend. The cleanup continued today as the Savannah Chapter of the SSU Alumni Association and Greater Impact invited students to clean up University Village.

To offer students an evening of fun and to reset, SSU’s campus activities board is hosting Tiger Fest: A night of fun, food and celebration and the Savannah community is invited. SSU is hosting a free community movie on the lawn at T.A. Wright Stadium tonight at 6 p.m. as part of a student mental health program. The student affairs office chose the PG-rated Pixar film Inside Out, which explores how emotions guide people through life-changing events.

Classes at SSU have been suspended until Wednesday — starting with options for online instruction through the week — allowing students time to recover, assist in the clean-up efforts and for those who left to return to campus. Students will receive notifications about rescheduled mid-terms via email.

“We want to thank the first responders and Georgia Power for ensuring our safety and restoring power,” Alexander said. “We also want to thank our SSU Tiger community for coming together to offer support and assistance during this trying time. We are stronger together.”

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About SSU:

Established in 1890, Savannah State University is the first public historically black college and university in Georgia and the first institution of higher learning in the city of Savannah. Students select majors from 30 undergraduate and five graduate programs in four colleges – Business Administration, Education, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Sciences and Technology. Learn more by visiting savannahstate.edu.