During spring break 2006 and 2007, School of Law students packed the usual items for their spring break trip: sunglasses, sunscreen, sneakers, cameras, backpacks, etc.

They also packed gear that students going to Cancun or other exotic spots did not: work clothes, gloves, boots, hammers and safety glasses, because they traveled to the Gulf Coast to work on Hurricane Katrina relief projects.

The Akron group consisted of Matthew Holycross and Jason Sayre in 2006 and Lizzie Vollmar, Mallory Sander, Matthew Herzog, Amy Scholz, Justin Truitt and Scott Casto in 2007. They performed a variety of tasks, including providing meals, roofing, hanging drywall, building storage sheds, and debris removal. The environment was like camping, complete with bugs and snakes. The volunteers stayed in 15 person tents, showered in converted tractor trailers, ate in a mess tent which served 4000 people a day and of course used latrines.

Ronald McDonald, assistant dean of student affairs for the University said, “I have so much admiration for them. They went down to the Gulf coast and put their hearts and souls into helping those whose plight can be described as nothing short of desperation.”

Akron's students all agreed that while the work was probably the most physically demanding they have ever done, the knowledge that they were helping those in tremendous need made the week spent there worthwhile.

Helping others in need – the true meaning of Pro Bono.