Sean O’Brien, freshman exploratory major, gets his hair cut at the Locks for Biloxi fundraiser in the Student Center yesterday afternoon. The fundraiser was sponsored by Kent State United for Biloxi.

Credit: Carl Schierhorn

Haircuts could take students as far as Biloxi, Miss.

The EXCEL Learning Community sponsored the fundraiser Locks for Biloxi yesterday to help its students raise money for the $300-per-person trip that will aid in the clean-up of Hurricane Katrina.

“I think this is a great cause,” said Carley Kruse, owner of Evelyn Dickerson Hair Design.

The salon volunteered its staff to cut hair and do massages throughout the day.

“We are giving haircuts, paraffin dips and hand and arm massages to walk-ins to help students pay for their trip,” said Martha Deep, academic adviser and coordinator of the EXCEL program.

Haircuts for students were $7 and $15 for faculty and staff.

“Our goal is to raise about $500,” said Kristen Losey, graduate assistant for the EXCEL program. “We thought this would be a good way to raise money quick.”

Locks for Biloxi was also a good way to avoid the cold, she said, as both students and faculty were pampered in the Student Center throughout the day.

Amber Hahn, junior health services major, saw a sign for the fundraiser and decided that she would get her hair cut.

“I thought I was giving my hair to charity, but it’s also great to give money,” Hahn said. “It gives me a good reason to get a hair cut.”

About 300 to 500 students will be going to Biloxi. Eight students from the EXCEL program are going, and around 50 more are interested, Losey said. EXCEL is for exploratory freshmen who live on the fourth floor of Lake Hall.

“We chose to go (to Biloxi) because that is the city that received the most devastation, and it is being overlooked because of New Orleans,” freshman exploratory major Danielle Diener said.

Diener said that not even 50 percent of the debris from the hurricane has been cleaned up in Biloxi.

“Biloxi is the city where the hurricane came to shore,” Diener said. “I want to go there because they need all the help they can get.”

Both Deep and Losey think students will benefit from this trip.

“I think students will come back from Biloxi with a greater appreciation,” Losey said.

Anyone who is interested in the trip to Biloxi or wants more information can visit explore.kent.edu/ksunited/index.html.

Contact room and board reporter Bethy DeLong at [email protected].