Pieces of houses floated like boats down the streets. Civilians waded through waist-high water to seek out their neighbors for help. Cars had suddenly become submarines. With over $70 billion worth of damage and 1,800 people dead, New Orleans in 2005 seemed like the bleakest place on earth.
Among the darkness, a ray of hope emerged. Liz McCartney, BC ’94, made helping as many people as she possibly could her mission in a time when many desperately needed it. This desire to make change soon became more than a passion. It became her life.
Today, McCartney is the COO of the St. Bernard Project (SBP). Founded by McCartney and her husband, Zack Rosenburg, the $35 million company has grown into a booming national nonprofit that rebuilds after natural disasters across the country. McCartney can attest to the fact, however, that SBP emerged from humble beginnings. Her story of wanting to help others began long before even those first developments. In fact, it began with a dream of being a teacher as a freshman living in Cheverus Hall.
Originally from Washington, D.C., McCartney came to Boston College to study education and become a teacher in some capacity. One of the most important parts of her college experience here, she said, was the friendships she was able to develop. In fact, the girls on her Cheverus floor have become lifelong friends. They attended each other’s weddings, got to know each other’s kids, and even reunited in both Nashville and London last year.