STATE COLLEGE -- Pennsylvania State University's Student and Advocacy Office is offering help for any students affected by Hurricane Harvey.

The center is located in University Park in Suite 120 inside the Boucke Building, but the services are available for any student at a satellite campus or online students, according to director Anna Barone.

Barone describes the center as a service for students who experience unforeseen challenges that might affect their academic career.

The center's brochure said the staff can help students through housing or food insecurity, the death of a family member, longterm illness, mental health concerns, unexpected events or challenges, among many more examples.

"Life happens, and it doesn't always adhere to the academic year," Barone said.

After seeing the images of the hurricane aftermath, Barone said the center's advocates can help students inform their professors about what is going on in their personal life, and help them ask for extensions or anything that might help them to get back on track.

"If they need to miss a class, need to excuse themselves or maybe they couldn't study for a certain exam," the center can help, Barone said.

She said there are about 80 PSU students from Texas who might be struggling in the aftermath of the hurricane.

"Their computers may have been affected, they may not have Wi-Fi, they may not literally be able to engage in coursework right now," Barone said.

She said the center has helped about 10 students so far, and if anyone needs help, they can contact studentcare@PSU.edu.

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