Students should be proud of their efforts to help those affected by Hurricane Ike.

Nursing students volunteered at shelters for evacuees and provided basic first aid care and mental health assessments. The charity wasn’t limited by the bounds of the medical profession, though, as volunteers helped clean the playground and even took time out to play with kids.

On campus, the Kappa Sigma fraternity has also lent a helping hand for hurricane relief. The Greeks have since collected more than 2,500 cans, with an ultimate goal of 8,000.

Charitable contributions by TCU students in the wake of this tragedy are a refreshing example of compassion in action.

All too often, people are content to watch television coverage of a disaster while doing nothing more than serving up a few sympathetic comments.

These groups of students saw the Texas coast battered by a natural disaster and decided to do something more than offer up lip service. They donated their time and money to bring back a sense of normalcy. At a university that strives to form “global leaders,” these students took the initiative and helped some people who were in desperate need.

There is no telling how many cuts were bandaged or how many people will be fed by these acts of charity. All that matters is that when disaster strikes, TCU takes action to help wherever it can.

The world would be in good hands if everyone followed the lead of these students.

News editor David Hall for the editorial board.