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Class: Junior
Hometown: Shoreview, Minnesota
Sorority: Pi Beta Phi
Major/Minor: Communication, Art History
Favorite spot on campus: Her bed
Most DePauw students go home over Fall Break and catch up on sleep and Netflix, but a group of Pi Beta Phis and Sigma Chis head down South every year to work with Habitat for Humanity. Meet Stephanie Aaenenson, the leader of this year’s trip to New Orleans.
Her Campus: So, tell us about your experience in New Orleans!
Sephanie Aaenenson: A senior Sigma Chi and senior Pi Phi originally started this Fall Break trip. When they graduated, they handed it down to myself, and my boyfriend Adam Thacker. New Orleans is such a great place to go because of the effects of Hurricane Katrina and it is one of the most economically depressed states. We worked on the house the whole week. Staying at the same house was great because we were able to put up the walls, and see our progress. Our Habitat supervisor was a recent grad, and we were his first group, so it was great to learn along with him!
HC: Did you guys do anything fun in the city?
SA: We stayed in a youth backpacking hostel, so we were able to meet lots of great people. We went to famous local places for lunch. And we even went on ghost tour! That was really cool because it was historically actuate.
HC: What did you learn from your experience?
SA: We all got a great appreciation for people who are less fortunate than us. It was an amazing opportunity for us to give back in a hands-on way. We were able to see first hand the impact we are having. Every day people in the neighborhood came and thanked us, which was an awesome feeling. We were also able to drive through the 9th ward, where the levies broke during Katrina. That was a good experience to drive through, and really appreciate what we have.
HC: Are you planning on taking this trip again next year?
SA: Yes! We will be going back to New Orleans.
Thank you, Steph, for talking to us! If you see her around campus, make sure to congratulate her on all the great work she has done!