DAYTON, Ohio -- Some college students from the Gulf Coast region are making their way to the Miami Valley after their schools were closed indefinitely.

Now, the students are coming to local campuses looking to make a fresh start.

It has been a nerve-wracking week and a half for John Cibula-Griffith and his mom Linda. John is among one of the lucky students who has been admitted on an emergency basis at the University of Dayton.

He has found space in one of the school’s dorms and his mom credits UD with being very helpful in their time of need.

Another victim of Hurricane Katrina, Ryan Ferguson, is getting ready for a new start at UD. He left New Orleans before the storm hit. Ferguson said he saw his roommates packing and knew it was time to go.

Ferguson avoided the storm with an early flight to Texas and then came to Dayton and enrolled at UD. Classes started a few weeks ago, so Ferguson and Cibula-Griffith have a bit of catching up to do, but they are glad to have a place to call home.