One year later: Hurricane Helene's lasting impact on Augusta University
Caelyn Dockal | Staff Writer
The front entrance of the Summerville Campus of AU was decimated by Helene. (Bell Ringer staff photo)
It has been one year since Hurricane Helene tore through the Augusta area, leaving destruction in its wake and forever reshaping the community. This included the students, faculty, and the campus of Augusta University being majorly affected.
A Storm That Shook Campus Life
On September 25, 2024, AU students were stuck in dorms, apartments, and houses as 80-plus mph winds and sheets of rain battered the city. For many, it was their first time experiencing a storm of such magnitude. Senior Jada Johnson recalled the night vividly.
“I kept hearing trees snapping for hours. It really scared me, and so I tried to call someone, but my phone was in SOS,” Johnson said. “I thought I was gonna die or something really bad was gonna happen. I was really concerned for my safety… I eventually fell asleep, and when I woke up, everything was destroyed…. Though I was helped by the community, they really came together and made sure people were doing okay.”
Her words reflect the collective anxiety students felt as the storm shut down campus operations and displaced members of the AU community.
Damage Close to Home
One of the most visible signs of Helene’s force was the serious damage to Augusta University’s campus. The historic archway entrance was toppled down, sections of the cemetery were disrupted, and many of the magnolia trees that lined the grounds were blown over. For students and faculty, the sight of the campus landmarks in ruins served as a stark reminder of the storm’s lasting impact.
Faculty and staff also faced personal crises. The Schaumann-Rhodes family, whose daughter Talulah is a piano performance major at AU, had their home crushed by a pine tree. Their first priority was to save her and her two pianos from exposure and humidity. This caused the family to relocate and find another home. Stories like this show how tightly the storm tied academic life to the realities of disaster.
Numbers Tell the Scale
According to the National Hurricane Center and FEMA reports :
362 homes or buildings were destroyed in Richmond, Columbia, and McDuffie counties.
More than 3,00 homes suffered major damage and 3,500 had minor to moderate damage.
More than 1.5 million in Georgia, with thousands of AU students left without internet or electricity for days.
The campus itself was littered with debris, tree limbs everywhere, and flooded walkways, forcing classes online and delaying labs and performances.
Arsenal Avenue was completely blocked by fallen pine and oak trees, some that were more than a century old. (Bell Ringer staff photo)
The storm also left a mark on students’ finances. Price gouging at local gas stations and grocery stores became another stressor, with more than 90 complaints filed with Richmond County alone.
A lasting Legacy
A year later, the scars of Helene remain visible in Augusta. Rebuilt homes to newly planted trees on AU’s grounds. But perhaps more lasting is the resilience the storm inspired. The community, students, faculty, and Augusta residents really worked hard to bring Augusta back together. They made meals, had cleanup crews, and provided emergency aid to support one another.
For Augusta University, Hurricane Helene is more than a storm in the past. It is a reminder of fragility, resilience, and the importance of community in the face of disaster.
Note: At the top of the page, the view of the JSAC on the Summerville Campus from in front of Allgood Hall. (Bell Ringer staff photo)
Contact Caelyn Dockal at cadockal@augusta.edu.
