By By Andrea Schmidt

She isn’t looking for praise or publicity, and she wants no personal gain. Jennifer Marshall’s intentions are strictly aimed at spreading awareness.

Marshall, a senior business management major, is among the many students at the University that are raising money for Hurricane Katrina victims.

“I have so many things that aren’t being used, especially stuffed animals,” Jennifer said. “I think they are popular and we have so many. We have Mickey, Minnie, all the Disney characters, even Sponge Bob.”

Marshall has devised a special plan to raise money for Katrina victims. She has decided to sell her vast collection of stuffed animals in the Student Center and donate all the proceeds to the American Red Cross.

“Every time I was watching the news I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen,” Marshall said. “I would get frustrated because I wouldn’t have money to donate. I was just trying to think of what I could do to help the situation.”

This is the first disaster relief project Marshall is organizing on her own.

“The most I’ve ever done in the past is donate food and clothing to good will,” Marshall said. “That’s pretty much it.”

Aside from trying to raise as much money for victims of Katrina, Marshall also intends to increase awareness and draw as many people as she can to the cause. As a Resident Assistant for three years, Marshall knows how to get people involved in various activities and projects. She lights up as she describes her job as an RA and how being an RA will help her cause.

“I love it [being an RA],” Marshall said. “I love the relationship I have with my residents. It’s just a very rewarding job.”

Marshall plans to use her influence as an RA to rally as many as she can to donate stuffed animals and help raise money.

“I want to get other people involved because in the past I was always doing it on my own,” Marshall said. “Being an RA gives me an opportunity to get my whole staff involved and just help out. I think it will make people feel good about themselves and it gets more people to help the cause.”

Khadeen Joseph, Resident Director of Colonial Square West where Marshall is an RA, wasn’t surprised to hear of her project and said helping people is part of her good nature.

“As an RA, Jennifer is always going above and beyond the job requirements, so it doesn’t surprise me she is making such a great effort to help those thousands of miles away from here,” Joseph said. “She has a big heart. I see it when she deals with her residents, so helping a stranger is natural for her.”

Marshall was sponsered by Ross Rosen, a friend of hers from the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, in order to secure a table in the Student Center.

“During check-ins people were complaining about the smallest things being wrong with their room,” Marshall said. “I think people should just be thankful at this point to have a roof over their heads because it’s more than what many other people have right now.”

Look for Marshall in the Student Atrium on Sept. 22, 26, 27 and 29. Purchase a cute stuffed animal and snuggle up to it knowing you helped lives in need.

Jennifer Marshall gets her stuffed animals ready to help raise money for Hurricane Katrina survivors. (Madeline Kerins/The Chronicle)

(Madeline Kerins/The Chronicle)