June 2, 2007

Eight Berklee staff members will travel to New Orleans June 9–16 to build homes in the New Orleans Musicians Village, a Habitat for Humanity development with 300 new, affordable dwellings in the city's Upper Ninth Ward for musicians and other residents who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The village will also feature the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, with performance spaces and classrooms for the residents.

Staff members traveling to New Orleans are:

• Catherine Boger, Lab Monitor, Professional Writing
• Jenna Logue, Internship and Service-Learning Coordinator, Office of Experiential Learning
• Matthew Iorlano, Customer Service Manager, Berklee Media
• Rob Hochschild, Senior Editor, Communications
• Roya Nassery, Project Manager - Faculty Development, Academic Affairs
• Jason Clinkscales, Senior Cashier, Bursar's Office
• Kris Quinones, Administrative Assistant, Music Production and Engineering
• Christopher Jones, Sr. Process and Quality Assurance Analyst, Administrative Systems

This is Berklee's first sponsored volunteer program for staff. Staff members submitted letters of intent that described their motivations for applying for the program and expectations for the experience. The group was announced at a staff appreciation day in the BPC. Sponsorships include travel, hotel, meals, and daily expenses. The team will work from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. No previous construction experience is required; all training will be done on site. The trip is sponsored by the college's Gracenotes Volunteer Program, in collaboration with the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of Human Resources, Information Technology, and Office for Cultural Diversity.

America's first college of jazz began reaching out to the birthplace of jazz within a month of the disaster. Berklee organized the New Orleans Resurrection Brass Band that marched from Boston's Back Bay to City Hall Plaza to present a concert that raised donations and featured alumni and Big Easy natives Donald Harrison and Christian Scott with Kendrick Oliver and the New Life Jazz Orchestra. Berklee also hosted on campus New Orleans musicians for teaching and performing residencies whose lives were affected by Hurricane Katrina, including Harrison, Ellis Marsalis, Suzanne St. Amand, George Porter, Jr., and Marva Wright.

For editorial information or digital photos, the media may contact:

Allen Bush
Office of Public Information
617 747-2658
abush@berklee.edu