In August and September of 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast with damages estimated at $85 billion. Hurricane Katrina was so devastating that the number of lives lost and injuries sustained is still being calculated. Hurricane Rita, which made landfall in the southwestern part of the Louisiana just a few weeks after Katrina, did not cause as much damage as Katrina but was devastating nonetheless. In both cases, two Louisiana community colleges, Nunez Community College and SOWELA Technical Community College, were damaged to the point that many doubted that either college would have a future. Both community colleges, however, continued classes and are in operation today. This study examines the actions of the institutional leadership at Nunez Community College and SOWELA Technical Community College in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to conduct case studies on each college. A substantive theory emerged from the findings explaining the resiliency of both institutions. / text