“It came as a surprise to me,” said Mawilmada, a native Sri Lankan, “but a great surprise.”

Several organizations at Harvard have launched efforts to raise funds for the relief effort. The fraternity Sigma Chi is promoting a dinner at Uno’s in the Square tonight where 20 percent of diners’ checks will be donated to the Red Cross. A newly-formed group, the Harvard College Tsunami Relief Effort, has begun soliciting donations.

—Lauren A.E. Schuker contributed to the reporting of this story.

—Staff writer Zachary M. Seward can be reached at seward@fas.harvard.edu.