An Update on Storm Damage and Reminder of Campus Resources

Dear Omaha Students and Colleagues,

On Tuesday, eastern Nebraska and much of Iowa suffered the impact of significant severe weather that resulted in flash flooding, hail damage, catastrophic structural damage, and loss of life.

While the physical impact on our Omaha campus obviously pales in comparison to the destruction in locations such as Greenfield and Corning, Iowa, I so appreciate the quick response of our facilities team, public safety, and other volunteers in addressing the flooding across multiple buildings and operational disruptions to Criss II, Criss III, and the Rigge Science Building. I am pleased to share that all these issues have been resolved and that any additional debris cleanup is being currently being completed.

With this recent outbreak of storms occurring so soon after April’s devastating tornadoes, there are understandably many across our wider Creighton community who need our support. I invite members to join me in extending prayers to those who are grieving losses today, especially lost loved ones, and to those continuing to recover from damage caused by prior storms.

I want to reiterate my message from several weeks ago that Creighton University has resources that can provide support. For our students, this includes our Student Counseling Services, Campus Ministry, CIC, and Office of Student and Family Support; meanwhile, our faculty and staff colleagues should reach out to our Division of Mission and Ministry or make use of our Employee Assistance Program, which offers confidential counseling sessions among other services.

Thank you to every member of our University community for your willingness to care for others and support those in need during these difficult times. This includes those physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals in the CHI Health network who are so diligently tending to the injuries suffered by so many yesterday.

I continue to be proud of the work we do and for everyone’s willingness to do what they can to bring light during times of darkness.

Sincerely,

Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD

Creighton President