Ten years ago, Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast, drowning New Orleans and the surrounding areas. Many universities were forced to close their doors just as the fall semester was starting, displacing thousands of students.

More than 300 of those students transferred to CSU campuses. Among them was a student from the University of New Orleans, Staci Caccioppi, who came to CSUMB.

“I can still recall feeling so scared when I first arrived,” she recounted in an email. “I thought I was crazy for leaving my friends and family behind while I flew off to beautiful Monterey, leaving them to clean up the mess and devastation Katrina left the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.” She enrolled in Teledramatic Arts and Technology classes. She liked the program so much she stayed for seven semesters, completing a capstone film in the fall of 2008. After working for a production company in Culver City for two years, Staci returned to New Orleans. “I wasn’t a fan of the Los Angeles area and I missed my family,” she said. It was a good move for her. A job as a talent coordinator/junior agent led her to discover her true passion – the casting side of the industry. “I can honestly say that I really enjoy what I do for a living,” she said.

She’s also concentrating on a feature film script she has in the works.

Even though she left campus in 2008, she keeps in touch with friends she made here.

“I cannot express how much my experience at CSUMB has meant to me. The faculty was so welcoming and helpful from the beginning. I learned so much not only about the film industry, but also a lot about myself.

“I met so many great friends who inspired me and allowed me to view the world differently. Sounds dramatic, but it’s so true," she said.

“Though I am still saddened by the devastation and lives lost by Katrina, I am also beyond grateful because it allowed me the opportunity to live in Monterey and attend CSUMB.”