  
Warren
Bell, Jr.
Associate VP,
UMR
(504) 520-7568
Carol
Dotson '82
Media Relations
(504) 520-5427
Irving
Johnson III
University Photographer
Media Arts Specialist
(504) 520-5426
Richard
Tucker
Director of Publications
(504) 520-5425
Trina Shelmire Vincent '85
Marketing and Special Projects
(504) 520-5428 |
UNIVERSITY
AND MEDIA RELATIONS
DECEMBER 2006
Cornel West is Keynote Speaker for MLK Week of Peace
XU Students to Host High School Leadership Summit
University Names New Registrar
Xavier Team a Top Winner at PRSA 2006 Awards Ceremony
XU Wins Local UNCF President’s Cup
Public Speaking Course Partners with Historic 7th Ward
Tulane-XU Women’s Health Center Honored
XU to Benefit From Joyner Campaign
Gold Rush Suffer Second Consecutive Loss
Nuggets Get Thumped at Central Arkansas
Garza Leads Wiley Past Gold Rush
Nuggets' Bell Ranked 14th in NAIA Singles
Turnbull Leads Nuggets Past Clark Atlanta
Harding, Moses Earn All-Louisiana Honors
Gold Rush Complete Sweep of Rams
XU Women Hold Off Tuskegee
Xavier Featured in National Community Arts Casebook
NOVEMBER 2006
FBI Praises XU Students for Successful Marketing Campaign
Science Student Gets Down to Business
Turnbull Named GCAC Player of the Week
$570,000 Learn and Serve Grant to Help Recruit Katrina Volunteers
Olafioye Punishes Panthers with Career-High 27 Points
Tregre, Houze Selected for Alumnus of the Year Honors
National Alumni Association Elects New Officers
No. 20 Trevecca Crusies Past Nuggets
Martin Methodist Defeats Gold Rush
Scholar-in-Residence to Speak on “Aliens on the Plantation”
Virginia Alumni Give to XU Hurricane Relief Efforts
Nuggets' Cleaves is Chosen GCAC Player of the Week
FBI, Xavier Students Join Forces for Marketing and Recruitment Campaign
Nuggets Move to 4-0 With Win Over Concordia
Gold Rush Rally to Post Third Straight Victory
Baton Rouge native Crowned New Miss Xavier University
Another Overtime Victory for Nuggets
Two CC Runners Earn Regional Honors
Xavier Men Beat Texas College in Opener
NIH Grant Supports COP
Research / Education
XU Returns to the Basketball Court
OCTOBER 2006
Savvy Entrepreneur author to speak at Xavier Nov 9
Three Guest Artists at Nov. 08 Xavier Music Concert
XU Receives Recognition at
Technology Council eWARDS
XU Sweeps Conference Cross Country Titles
‘Rebuild, Restore, Renew’ at XU Alumni Homecoming Nov. 16-19
XU Named to Honor Roll for Distinguished Community Service
Xavier Music CD "New Orleans Crescendo" Now On Sale
Landis Family $100,000 Endowed Scholarship at Xavier
University Honors 51 Long-Time Faculty/Staff Employees
Xavier Jazz Ensemble in NYC to Launch Katrina CD Fundraiser
Gold Nuggets Picked 3rd in GCAC Preseason Poll
Xavier Music Season Underway
Enrollment Holds, University Back on Academic Calendar
University Approves
Five Faculty Promotions
Xavier Men Picked 6th in GCAC Preseason Basketball Poll
SEPTEMBER 2006
Alumni Homecoming Details Announced
XU Basketball Teams Resume Pursuit of Excellence
"Collage Concert" at Xavier Sept. 29
Harding, Wallace Lead Xavier Runners Again
Phelps Honored as Emerging Business Leader
Broussard Promoted to Associate Head Coach
XU "Operation Diabetes” Sept. 30 at Lakeside Shopping Center
Cross Country Teams Capture Southern Meet
Two from California join Gold Rush
Xavier Opens 2006-07 Academic Year
AUGUST 2006
XU Included Among The Princeton Review’s “Best Colleges”
XU Ranks High in U.S. News College Guide
City of Refuge, Tavis Smiley Endow XU Scholarship
Former Presidents Launch “Wave of Hope” Campaign
160 Honor Graduates Accent Commencement
DeLisle, Long-time Music Professor, Dies
Orthopedic Surgeon’s Message Has Nothing to do with Medicine
Bracy Receives Promotion to Vice President
XU Music Department Begins California Tour Aug. 12
XU Business Department Inducted into Honor Society
59 Students Receive Sigma Pi Phi Scholarship Assistance
Dr. Jacqueline Hunter to Retire After 32 Years of Service to XU
JULY 2006
Egans joins men's basketball staff
Internationally Renowned Pianist Serving as XU Artist in Residence
G.I. Dog Tags Exhibit at Xavier Spurs Interest
’06 Commencement Moved to New Orleans Arena
Entrepreneurship Institute Presents “Business of Science” Lecture
Summerfest X-plodes on Campus this Week
Cassiere Named Sports Information Director
Festival of Scholars Showcases Student Research
IBCS Summer Program
Opens at Notre Dame
Xavier Review Journal Celebrates 25 Years in Publication
JUNE 2006
XU Hosts Open House on Teacher Certification Funding Opportunities
XU ALLSTARS Summer Camp Holds Registration June 26-30
Xavier Jazz Ensemble Concert Honors Diversity Theme
Loyola College (of Maryland) Announces Hurricane Relief Donation
XU Student Selected for Baylor Summer Health Professions Program
Obama to speak at 2006 Commencement
608 Scholars Make Dean’s List for Fall Semester
Gold Nugget Earns Coca-Cola Community All-American Award
International Diversity
Conference Hosted by Xavier June 12-15
MAY 2006
Theology
at Xavier: It’s
Not What You Think
Porter Awarded
UNCF Research Fellowship
New Orleans Arts Council to honor
XU Professors' Bechet, White
30 Honor Graduates Accent Unique College
of Pharmacy Commencement
Job
Fair and Admissions Open House June 3 at Xavier
Xavier-Pfizer
Renewal Partnership to Boost Xavier’s
Recovery
Qatar Ambassador Announces Aid to XU, Region
SGA Sponsors Candidates Forum and Voting
Rally
"Dead Man Walking" Author
to Speak at Xavier May 17
Upward Bound Accepting Applications:
Program starts June 12
Qatar Pledges $17.5 Million for Pharmacy Expansion and
Student Scholarships
Pharos Capital Donates $122,000 to New Orleans
HBCU’s
APRIL
2006
Xavier Athletics
Will Return for 2006-2007 School Year
May 20 Commencement for XU Pharmacy
Majors, Despite Katrina!
Pharmacy Minority
Advocate to speak at COP Commencement
Xavier Job Fair Being Planned
New Emergency Telephone Number and Website Readied
Student Postcards Make Katrina Book
Francis to Receive Five More
Honorary Degrees
Free Tuition and Books For Mild-Moderate
Special Ed Certification
Southern Illinois Music Faculty Visit
the Xavier Campus
High School Entrepreneurs Compete
in Business Plan Competition
Willie
Humphrey Scholarship "Free" Benefit
Concert
MARCH 2006
Xavier Activities Board Sponsors Omar Tyree
Book Signing
Jazz Ensemble to
Present Concert on April 6
Applications
Being Accepted for Summer Science Academy
XU
Sponsors Forum on The Jazz Funeral Tradition & Post
Katrina Recovery
University Honors 35 Long-Time Employees
PR
Class Helps Recruit Students for Alternative Spring Break
Xavier
Sponsors Public Forum on Katrina and the Culture of New Orleans
Students / Faculty Say “Get
Well” With
1,000 Japanese Cranes [see
display]
Post-Karina Enrollment Holds Steady;
Registration Underway for Second Term
Concert Choir to Give Two Performances of Haydn's
Lord Nelson Mass
XU Students Reach Out to Community Youth
Xavier receives $350,000 grant from
HUD
Online Registration
for Second Term ‘06 Begins March 12
HUD Secretary to Visit Campus to Award Grants
to HBCUs
FEBRUARY
2006
St. Katherine Feast Day
/ Memorial Mass for Sr. Beatrice Jeffries March 3
American Jewish
Committee visits city / campus for donation and dialogue
XU students
share entrepreneurship knowledge with high school students
Thelonius Monk Institute
of Jazz faculty perform at XU Feb. 23
Dr. Michael White/Original Liberty Jazz Band offer
free concert Feb. 26
Students
to take "community
plunge" Saturday
Post-Katrina scholarships
to 85 XU students
Xavier campus comes alive;
"fall" classes underway
JANUARY 2006
3M presents $100,000 for Xavier
computer lab
XU campus leaders make annual
student's Who’s Who list
Music Department presents "Festival
Concert for Survivors"
Mason is keynote speaker
for annual MLK Jr. Week for Peace
Xavier holds Media Day
as prelude to campus reopening
Count winds down to official
campus reopening!
DECEMBER
2005
Hurricane Katrina campus
photos available online
Philanthropist contributes $250,000 grant
for student scholarships
More
than 3,100 students register for next semester
2006 International Diversity
Conference coming to New Orleans
Bush-Clinton Katrina
Fund announces help for
colleges
NOVEMBER
2005
75%
of Xavier students returning in
January 2006
Tulane,
XU Partner to address racial disparities in cancer outcomes
Pharmacy graduation
on schedule as rotations continue
Bush Foundation donates $2 million
to XU for recovery efforts
Cornel West is Keynote Speaker for MLK Week of Peace
New Orleans, La. - Dr. Cornel West, one of America’s most gifted, provocative and important public intellectuals, will be the keynote speaker for the 21st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Week for Peace, Jan. 15-19, 2007.
The Martin Luther King Week for Peace is presented by Xavier, Tulane, Loyola and Dillard Universities. The theme for 2007 is “Defining Our Citizenship: Uniting Communities.”
In addition to the featured Tuesday lecture – at which Lifetime Achievement and Student Community Service awards will be presented – other MLK week activities include an interfaith service, a community service day, a candlelight march and an Expressions of Unity celebration. All events are free and open to the public.
West, whose writings, frequent lecturing and preaching have brought him widespread attention and honors, is a professor of Religion and African American Studies at Princeton University.
His work has been described as a “polemical weapon that attempts to transform linguistic, social, cultural, and political tradition to increase the scope of individual development and democratic actions.” His writing, speaking, and teaching weaves together the American traditions of the Baptist Church, transcendentalism, socialism, and pragmatism.
His best-selling book, Race Matters (1993), sold 400,000 copies and changed the course of America’s dialogue on race, justice, and democracy.
The complete calendar of activities are as follows:
Monday, Jan. 15
10:00 a.m. - Interfaith Service
XU UC Ballroom 3rd Floor
Immediately following: A Day of Service in Greater New Orleans in sponsorship with City Year, Volunteers of America and Interfaith Works. School refurbishment site location: John McDonogh High School (Esplanade Ave.).
Tuesday, Jan. 16
MLK Convocation
6:00 p.m. - Reception
TU Lavin-Bernick Center Kendall Cram Room
7:00 p.m. - Lecture
(Dr. Cornel West)
TU McAlister Auditorium
Friday, Jan. 23
Candlelight March
Candlelight March
XU University Center
5:00 p.m. - Candle Distribution
5:15 p.m. - Kickoff Speaker
5:30 p.m. - The March will begin at the Xavier and proceed to the Tulane campus. The Expressions of Unity celebration will be held at Tulane's McAlister Auditorium.
XU Students to Host High School Leadership Summit Jan. 27
New Orleans, La. - College students at Xavier University of Louisiana will host a leadership summit for high school students Saturday January 27 on the Xavier campus.
The High School Leadership Summit will be hosted by XU LEADS (Xavier University Leadership Education and Development Skills), a leadership program for Xavier Students that promotes effective and ethical leadership skills. The program originally designed for campus organization officers, is now open to all students. Students receive certification after participating in the program, which is required in order to hold leadership position on campus.
The summit will include presentations, activities on topics such as managing student life, conflict resolution, communication skills, post-secondary preparedness and options, and leadership skills.
"The High School Leadership Summit has been planned, organizing, and will be executed by Xavier University leaders, said Kawana Coulon, coordinator of the program. “We hope to engage local students in academic, leadership, and personal topics that impact their everyday lives. This summit is a valuable way to connect high school students with college students who are impacting change through education and involvement."
For more information on the High School Leadership Summit, contact Coulon at 520-7320.
University Names New Registrar
New Orleans - Lynn Brown has been named Registrar at Xavier University of Louisiana. Ms. Brown comes to Xavier from St. Louis University where she was coordinator of registration and grading.
Brown holds a bachelor of arts degree from St. Louis University and has also done post graduate work at St. Louis.
During a visit to New Orleans for a conference a few years ago, Brown said she fell in love with the city. After Hurricane Katrina she felt she needed to contribute to the city’s recovery. “Anyone can write a check,” she said. “When I learned that Dr. Francis, (Xavier’s president) was on the task force for rebuilding, I knew I wanted to be a part of Xavier."
“Student centered” is the phrase Brown uses in talking about future direction for the division she is leading. “I have a good staff and we’ll be working to improve the services we offer.”
Public Speaking Course Partners with Historic 7th Ward
New Orleans, La. - Students enrolled in an honors public speaking course recently completed a service-learning assignment that partnered with residents of the historic 7th Ward neighborhood and the I-10 Witness Project, a post-Katrina oral history initiative.
The class taught by Dr. Ross Louis, assistant professor of communications, conducted oral history interviews with members of the Senior Wisdom Circle in the 7th Ward. The interviews documented the personal histories of the 7th Ward’s senior residents as a contribution to the neighborhood’s ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina. The Historic 7th Ward neighborhood organization will use the interviews to preserve the important stories that its residents recalled about 7th Ward landmarks, events, and leaders.
Xavier students delivered commemorative speeches to the residents based on the themes they discovered during the oral history interviews. Students also presented residents with personal copies of their oral history interviews. Excerpts of the interviews will eventually appear on the I-10 Witness website (www.i10witness.org).
The project was supported by Carolyn LeBrane Tilton of the Historic 7th Ward neighborhood organization, Bruce France of the I-10 Witness Project (and a Xavier instructor in the Department of Communications), and a service-learning grant from Xavier’s Office of Student Leadership and Service.
Xavier Wins Local UNCF President’s Cup
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana recently accepted
the 2006 President’s Cup trophy for highest University
participation in the United Negro College Fund’s annual “UNCF Fund Run” held in October at Audubon Park in New Orleans.
More than 650 Xavier University students, faculty and staff
members participated in the event – raising $39,573.
Leatrice Gaines a representative from the United Negro
College Fund office, and a 1986 Xavier graduate, presented
the President’s Cup Challenge trophy to Xavier.
The trophy is awarded to the local UNCF member institution
with the highest level of participation in the annual walk. The
friendly competition between the two New Orleans UNCF
institutions, Xavier and Dillard Universities, began in 1998.
Xavier last won the cup in 2002.
A 2006 Xavier graduate, Huey Moss created the t-shirt design
for this year’s Xavier UNCF walk shirts. Xavier staff members
also earned trophies in the run. Kenneth St. Charles won first
place finish for a Xavier/Dillard male faculty/staff and Patricia
Sills won first place finish for a Xavier/Dillard female faculty/
staff. First year pharmacy student Grace Thacker, won first
place for Xavier/Dillard female student.
Staff members David Bocage and Kim Reese of the Student
Leadership & Service office coordinated the student
participation.
All of the money raised during the UNCF Fund Run will remain
in the local New Orleans community to help provide a college
education for students who otherwise might not be able to
attend college.
Xavier and Dillard are two of the 39 Historically Black Colleges
and Universities that are members of the College Fund.
Tulane-XU Women’s Health Center Honored
New Orleans, La. - The Tulane Xavier National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health (TUXCOE) has received the prestigious designation of “Ambassador for Change” from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
TUXCOE, which was recognized for its work in community outreach and health education, clinical services, research, professional education and leadership development on behalf of the women and girls of New Orleans – particularly in the post-Katrina era – was one of only 14 centers nationwide to receive the designation from the DHHS.
A collaborative effort of the Tulane University Health Sciences Center and the Xavier, TUXCOE pulls from the clinical, academic and educational missions of the two institutions to build an effective community network and partnership for women’s health.
XU to Benefit From Joyner Campaign
New Orleans, La. - Nationally syndicated morning radio host Tom Joyner joined the leadership of Xavier, Dillard and SUNO in announcing a new initiative designed to raise funds for the ongoing needs of historically black colleges and universities in New Orleans still working to recover from the devastation of last year's Hurricane Katrina.
Student leaders and administrators from the three schools joined Joyner on the Dillard campus to officially open the “Rebuilding Through Education” Initiative, a nationwide campaign which will be promoted through Joyner's syndicated morning program which airs in 120 markets reaching nearly 8 million listeners. The initiative's goal, which it hopes to meet by the end of January 2007, is to raise at least $1 million to be divided among the three institutions.
All three college campuses were hard hit by Katrina, and each is still engaged in varying stages of rebuilding and recovery while moving forward with their mission to educate their students. Paying for those repairs, and providing financial assistance for students who have also been impacted by the storm in many cases, continues to be a daunting challenge for the HBCUs. As part of its overall mission, the Foundation seeks to make sure these HBCUs continue to provide quality education and opportunities for many more years to come.
Through its partnerships with various corporations and donations from listeners, "The Tom Joyner Morning Show" has already raised tens of thousands of dollars that have been used to provide scholarships to HBCUs for needy students.
FBI Praises XU Students for Successful Marketing Campaign
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana students received congratulations from the FBI after planning and executing a successful marketing campaign. The campaign is part of a semester-long program to give students the opportunity to form an operating marketing agency and work for a real world client.
This agency, known as Branded, is one of six student groups across the nation participating in the FBI Collegiate Marketing and Recruitment Program this semester. The goal of the program is to aid the FBI in increasing awareness and consideration of career opportunities, including both the Special Agent and Professional Staff positions.
In order to achieve these goals, Branded began the semester with extensive research of their target market. Students then used this information to develop a marketing campaign to promote the FBI and its career opportunities.
Students hosted a campaign week running from November 14th through November 16th titled “Endless Opportunities.” The event featured information sessions, a self defense demonstration with SWAT representatives, and a Biotechnology demonstration. After the event, students conducted post-campaign research to assess the success of their campaign and its impact on the target market.
Students will wrap up the program by presenting the results of the campaign to representatives of the FBI.
Business students participating in the project included: juniors Ashton Battrip and Maria Flateau of Houston, Texas; senior Aaron Newton of Ft. Worth, Texas; senior Crystal Moore of Collinsville, Miss.; senior Meredith Sanders of St. Louis, Mo.; senior Kamal Nkele of Los Angeles, Calif.; senior Jason Gourrier of New Orleans; junior Camiel Irving of Baltimore, Md.; junior Christina Gilbert of Des Moines, Iowa; and senior Jewel Pichon of Slidell, La. Dr. Louis Mancuso served as advisor to the group.
The FBI Collegiate Marketing and Recruitment Program is designed to bridge the gap between industry and education, providing students with valuable, hands-on experience. The program is coordinated by EdVenture Partners, an education-marketing agency that designs unique industry-education partnerships at campuses across the country. EdVenture Partners, in conjunction with the FBI, provides each student agency with the resources and guidance necessary to design implement their marketing campaign.
Xavier Featured in National Community Arts Casebook
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana is one of the featured participants in the newly released Community Arts Casebook, “Art/Vision/Voice- Cultural Conversations in Community.”
The casebook offers the first inside view of into the philosophy, underlying values and practices pioneered in Community Arts Partnership (CAP) programs. The programs were created at Xavier and five other universities in 1999 with funding from the Wallace Foundation.
It is hoped that the casebook will be seen as a unique educational resource to be utilized by students of community arts as well as by the educational and community organizations seeking insight into the field.
In addition to Xavier, case studies are included from CAP programs at California State University, Monterey Bay,Columbia College Chicago), Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and Science (New York), the Institute for American Indian Arts (New Mexico) and the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Xavier’s Community Arts Partners include local organizations Kid SmArt, Pieces of Power, Faces of Culture, and Youth Inspirational Connection, Inc. In addition, supporting partners are the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Arts Council of Greater New Orleans.
The Xavier case study focuses on the Xavier art department’s history of service in the community and professional preparation, dating back to faculty such as Numa Rousseve and Sr. Lurana Neely. Working artists and Xavier art alumni John Scott and Richard Thomas are featured in the case narrative where they discuss their shared influences, and the nature and purposes of community arts.
Faculty and students from the Xavier art department recently attended the Community Arts Symposium in Oakland, California where they gave a presentation on Xavier’s CAP and two recent graduates, Jamie Jones and Perrin Green installed their art work and gave presentations. Another recent graduate Nadrea Reeves also exhibited at the symposium.
The casebook is published by Maryland Institute College of Art and Columbia College Chicago with support from the Nathan Cummings Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Xavier Science Student Gets Down to Business
New Orleans, La. - It’s not unusual for college students majoring in biology to participate in a summer internship – but an internship in Business? That's how Xavier University of Louisiana biology senior Stephanie Mays of Birmingham, Ala., spent last summer – in a sales internship at 3M Company, a major corporation with global identity.
Mays is part of a new trend of students who major in the sciences, but who minor in sales and marketing.
She came to Xavier planning to major in biology, although unsure of her career path. While about 70% of entering freshman major in the natural sciences – most in pre-med – many will change majors by their sophomore year. And although the majority will remain in science, they will choose a different path than medicine, usually research, pharmacy or
public health. The rest will change to non-science majors. Those students are told as freshmen that they have many more options than medical school when considering a career
path.
“A lot of students wait until almost their senior year to consider their options,” said Mays. “They find they didn’t do well on the MCAT (the medical school entrance exam) or look
at their transcript, and realize they’re not going to get into medical school with those grades. I wanted to keep my options open.”
Mays spent the summer of 2004 at the University of Alabama (Birmingham) in a minority medical educational program. Although it was a very good experience, she decided to change her minor to business.
She found out about an internship opportunity in one of her business courses and decided to apply. Stephanie excelled in her summer sales internship with corporate giant 3M this past
summer. As an intern she was successful in introducing a new product from 3M in the Los Angeles area. Not bad for a biology major.
“My biggest apprehension wasn’t my selling skills,” she pointed out, “And thanks to my biology background I had good grasp of the materials, but I knew I wasn’t a ‘people
person’. Doing that internship made me come out of a shell. I learned not to take rejection personally, after all, all they can say is no.”
Mays worked with the western medical division. “I was treated like a regular employee. I had two days of product training, I generated leads and facilitated the evaluation of products.”
“We were focusing on new product, a surgical drape that reduced the risk of infection and could save hospitals money and increase patient morale,” she said. “It helps to have a good product.”
Mays was the first person on the west coast to sell the product. And she went out of her way to get it to those she thought had the most need for it. “I had a list of places I was
scheduled to go to, but if I had extra time between appointments, I also went to locations not on my list. Some places, once they heard what I had to offer, purchased immediately.” Her managers liked that she took initiative.
“Stephanie’s internship supervisors were very impressed with her,” said marketing professor Dr. Joe Ricks who encouraged her to apply for the position. “She not only introduced the
product in that area for the first time, she was also able to get a number of products evaluated in hospitals, two that 3M had not penetrated before.”
Mays did have some sales experience before the 3M internship. A year before she answered an ad to sell kitchen products. “It was a part time job and although I generated my own leads, I was selling mostly to my relatives and friends.”
Of her experience with 3M the reserved senior says, “I really liked medical sales. I was comfortable with the product, the operating room, talking with physicians and nurses. Because of my biology background I knew about infection control, and that helped make me more comfortable in the job.”
Asked if she would she recommend sales for other science students, Stephanie says yes, with some caveats. “I think it depends on the person – if you like selling, you’re outgoing,
have an ability to take risks, you’re persistent and resilient; you can be taught the techniques. It greatly opens your opportunities and you’re not limiting yourself thinking med
school or graduate school is your only option.”
Stephanie is anticipating her graduation day in May 2007. She is considering graduate school in health care administration, but wants to work for a while first. She has a job offer from 3M and plans to attend campus career fairs. She’s keeping her options open.
$570,000 Learn and Serve Grant to Help Recruit Katrina Volunteers
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana will enlist some of its public relations students to recruit fellow students to consider an alternative break community-service program, underwritten by a $570, 000, three-year Learn and Serve grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
According to Kimberly Reese, assistant dean of students, the grant will assist Xavier in coordinating the alternative break program for college students who want to come to New
Orleans and assist in the rebuilding; help in institutionalizing service-learning in the University’s Division of Education; and support the creation of service-learning academies.
“This funding will also let us focus on service-learning academies and how we can help get students involved in their own community,” said Reese.
Repeating a successful effort last year, Xavier communications professor Dave Park and his public relations class will again handle the publicity to recruit students from other schools --
particularly HBCUs -- to assist as volunteers in the rebuilding of New Orleans. "The grant will allow us to assist with the students’ housing and other needs,” said Reese.
Reese says institutionalizing service-learning in Xavier’s Division of Education for pre-service teachers is also an important step. “We will introduce pre-service, K-12 teachers to the pedagogy of service-learning through required course work.”
Service learning engages students by using what they learn in the classroom to solve real-life problems. According to the corporation for national and community service, a national
study of Learn and Serve America programs suggests that effective service-learning programs improve grades, increase attendance in school, and develop students' personal and social responsibility.
“By introducing pre-service teachers to service-learning in their college courses, once they graduate they will know how to institute service learning in their own classrooms,” said Reese.
Xavier also plans to establish service-learning academies in the New Orleans community.
“We will identify two schools for each year of the grant for a total of six. These schools will receive a $5000 grant to implement service-learning in the school and in addition, each teacher involved will receive a stipend. There will be an application process and any teacher may apply,” said Reese.
In order to qualify, the selected teacher will identify three other teachers who will serve as fellows and agree to be trained. Those three teachers will then each train two others. Reese
says in this way more teachers will be reached. The teachers will connect what they’re teaching with a community project. For example, at Xavier, one of the Creative English courses is studying women’s issues and has partnered with a physical education class at Douglass high school talking with the students about health issues.
“We’re anticipating that we will get applications from many of The ‘new’ New Orleans schools, because we’re looking for new and innovative ways of doing things with this project.” she said.
Xavier has participated in service learning since the early 1990’s and has received funding since 2000.
“All of the teachers involved with our ‘mini-grants’ service-learning projects really see a difference in their students," said Reese. "They better understand concepts and what the lesson is trying to get across; they listen to the teacher and actually apply the knowledge.
They have a better understanding how their community operates and what is their responsibility to the community, so they’re more interested in class and behavior issues are less.”
Tregre, Houze Selected for Alumnus of the Year Honors
New Orleans, La. – Concepcion Tregre ’73 and Jeneice Wong Houze ’59 shared the stage at the annual Alumni Homecoming Gala as Xavier University honored its top alumni the past two years.
Tregre, a high school administrator from New Orleans, was awarded the Victor H. Labat Alumnus of the Year award for 2005 – a belated recognition due to the cancellation of last year’s Homecoming celebration by Hurricane Katrina – while Houze, an educator from Los Angeles, Calif., was presented the Alumnus of the Year award for 2006.
An active member of the New Orleans Alumni Chapter, Tregre, former development director of St. Mary’s Academy in New Orleans, has served her alma mater in various capacities, including co-chairing the Annual Fund and the New Orleans Alumni Chapter Day at the Races, acting as class agent for her reunion year, and serving as president of the Art Alumni Association.
She was the driving force behind the Annual Arts Gala, a successful event that has raised thousands of dollars for student scholarships. A talented artist herself, Tregre has donated the sales of some of her paintings at art shows to the University.
She is the wife of Calvin Tregre ’69, XU Senior Vice President for Administration.
Houze, an English teacher for the Torrance Unified School District in Los Angeles, Calif., was recognized and honored for excellence in education by President Bill Clinton in 2000.
A leader in the XU Southern California Alumni Chapter, she has served various committees, including the St. Katharine Drexel Mass and Chapter Membership Drive committees. She has also held several offices in the National Alumni Association, including having been newly elected 1st Vice President.
Houze has worked closely with the Xavier Pre-Alumni Council and volunteered her time in assisting the Alumni Office in annual fund solicitations.
The two alums were presented their awards at the Annual Homecoming Gala, which drew a crowd of nearly 600 attendees to the University Center Ballroom.
Class Agents for each of the xx special five-year reunion classes presented the University with gifts totaling $322,293. The 2006 Golden Anniversary Class of ’56 led the way with 49 individual donors contributing $52,055; while the belated Golden Anniversary Class of ’55 contributed $46,608.
Xavier Team a Top Winner at PRSA 2006 Awards Ceremony
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana’s Office of
University and Media Relations captured five awards at the
annual Public Relations Society of America, New Orleans
Chapter Awards ceremony on November 16, including three
entries that were deemed "Best in Category."
The team received awards for two of its campus publications:
Xavier Gold alumni magazine, Fall 2006 in the External
Relations category; and in the Books & Booklets category for“After Katrina: Rebuilding Xavier University.” Also receiving an
award in the Feature Story category was “80 Years Later: The
Miracle Still Thrives,” an article written by Publications
Director Richard Tucker.
The 6-minute video, “After Katrina: Rebuilding Xavier
University” garnered an award in the audio visual category,
and University photographer Irving Johnson, III, won in the
Photography category, for his unusual ground-level cover
photo of the campus used for the 2006-08 University Catalog.
The Xavier Gold, feature story and photography awards all
received Best of Category recognitions.
“The University & Media Relations team’s winning entries were
judged in competition against some of the top PR agencies
and professionals in the city,” said Adrienne Brooks, senior
vice president for Institutional Advancement at Xavier.
Associate Vice President Warren Bell, Jr. heads the University
and Media Relations department, which includes Tucker,
Johnson, Carol Dotson, media relations specialist and
Germaine Age Williams, marketing manager.
Bell – a veteran journalist and a former member of the Board
of Directors of NABJ, the National Association of Black
Journalists – credits those years of journalism, combined with
his many media contacts established over the years, with
serving him well in the days and weeks after Hurricane Katrina
had devastated much of New Orleans including the Xavier
campus.
“Having been through several tropical storm threats the year
before at Xavier, we had already put into place an emergency
telephone message system for our employees and students to
call toll-free from wherever they had evacuated for regular
campus updates,” explains Bell, “plus, we secured an
emergency micro web site to post that same information
online at www.xulaemergency.com.” Bell had evacuated with
his own family to Baton Rouge the day before Katrina hit New
Orleans, so that he could begin establishing a “field office” for
communications and media relations after the storm.
Relying upon his mobile phone (which worked sometimes) and
occasional access to his AOL web mail account, Bell began
sending out news advisories and fielding calls from reporters.
Several of those early calls came from NABJ professional and
student members, some of whom he had just given his
business cards to during the 2005 NABJ convention in August.
“Those NABJ colleagues maybe didn’t realize it at the time,”
says Bell, “but their early stories written about our school
helped us to establish the message that we’d be coming back
to our campus – and it let other media know that we were up
and running with our communications and media relations
soon after the disaster.”
In early October, Xavier’s I/T staff had re-established full web
service after relocating their servers to another host site far
away from the damaged campus. By then, Bell and his
publications director Richard Tucker had set up temporary
offices in Baton Rouge – after retrieving the computers from
their offices on the Xavier campus – and were able to begin
sending out a series of “XU Road to Recovery” online updates
featuring digital photos of the damaged campus and the
repairs that were already underway, articles detailing the
repairs and progress taking place on campus, plus messages
from the president assuring all that the campus would reopen
so that Xavier could continue its mission. The online updates
were distributed via e-mail to Xavier students, faculty and
staff as well as to alumni and media contacts.
Several of the university’s winning entries for the PRSA Awards
were produced as part of those post-Katrina marketing and
communications efforts, including several publications and a
6:00-minute video entitled “After Katrina: Rebuilding Xavier
University.”
National Alumni Association Elects New Officers
New Orleans, La. - Alumni have elected new officers for the National Alumni Association Board of Governors for 2007-2009.
Providing leadership to the National Alumni Association are: Frederick Carter '69 of Chicago Ill., President; Jeneice Wong Houze '59 of Los Angeles, Calif., 1st Vice President; Dr. Earl Mitchell '60 of Stillwater, Okla., 2nd Vice President; Dr. Evita Bynum '85 of Washington, D.C., Corresponding Secretary; Lorraine Rousseve Detiege '59 of New Orleans, La., Recording Secretary; and Elvira Day Henry '58 of New Orleans, La., Treasurer.
All but Bynum had served on the previous board, albeit some in different capacities.
Scholar-in-Residence to Speak on “Aliens on the Plantation”
New Orleans, La. - Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Robin Vander ‘92, will speak on “Aliens on the Plantation: Science Fiction, 19th Century Slave Narratives, and Ethnographic Discourse” Nov. 29 at 4:00 p.m. in the University Center, Room 205.
In her presentation she will consider recent scholarship on 19th century slave narratives contextualizing the literature as ethnographies and forms of writing that provide their readers/audiences entry, travel to intellectually alien landscapes of the plantation South.
The lecture is sponsored by the Xavier University Endowment for the Humanities.
For more info contact Violet Bryan at ext. 7635. The event is free and the public invited.
Virginia Alumni Give to XU Hurricane Relief Efforts
New Orleans, La. - Alumni from two now-defunct African American boarding schools in Virginia with a connection to St. Katharine Drexel have donated funds to support Xavier University of Louisiana as it continues its recovery from Hurricane Katrina.
The two schools – St. Francis de Sales of Powhaten and St. Emma’s Military Academy of Rockcastle – were two of the first schools started by St. Katharine Drexel, Xavier University’s founder.
Even though St. Francis and St. Emma's closed in the early 1970’s, Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament made an impact on the students who attended
those schools. Those alumni continue to come together and celebrate with reunions in a different city each year.
“As one of the schools founded by our beloved St. Katharine Drexel, one of our goals was to make a donation to Xavier after all reunion expenses were paid.” said Norma Wiley, this year’s reunion coordinator. “We think that it is good to give back to the only university founded by Katharine Drexel, who has given us so much in her establishment of 163 schools for the education of children of former slaves and Indians.”
Fund raising activities included a stage performance commemorating the life of Paul Robeson, and the sale of a specially designed reunion belt buckle.
BACKGROUND ON THE SCHOOLS:
In 1893, Colonel Edward Morrell and his wife Louise Drexel Morrell purchased Belmead Plantation. Encouraged by Mrs. Morell’s sister, Katharine Drexel, the adjacent plantation at Mount Pleasant was later purchased. The Morrells deeded the property to the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. St. Emma, named for the Mother of Louise Drexel (Emma Bouvier Drexel – the great-grand aunt of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis), opened at Belmead in 1895. Also in 1895, Mother Katharine made her final profession to the order and the cornerstone was laid for St. Francis de Sales at Mount Pleasant, later renamed Rock Castle. Her Missionary work began with the opening of St. Francis on September 8, 1899.
The first student enrolled was Mary Boyd, a Native American girl from St. Stephen’s in Wyoming. Mary graduated in 1903. The schools then stood on adjacent hilltops within one-half mile of each other, overlooking the James River. St. Francis de Sales closed in 1970; St. Emma in 1972. The “castles” however, still stand atop the adjacent hilltops. Together, the schools boasted enrollment of more than 20,000; graduates number more than 10,000. The existing alumni roster, though incomplete, lists more than 1,100 known alumni living in the United States and abroad. Katharine Drexel was canonized a Saint in 2000. Xavier University, like St. Francis and St. Emma’s, stands as one of her major achievements.
During her lifetime, Katharine Drexel opened, staffed, and directly supported nearly sixty-five schools and missions, many of them in the South. The Sisters of the Blessed
Sacrament continue her vision and ministry. The sisters opened the Saint Katharine Drexel Mission Center and Shrine in the spring of 2004 at the SBS Motherhouse in Bensalem, Pa.
FBI, XU Students Join Forces for Marketing and Recruitment Campaign
New Orleans, La. - Marketing students at Xavier University of Louisiana are taking part in a semester-long internship with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as part of the FBI Collegiate Marketing and Recruitment Program. The students will have the chance to develop and execute their own marketing campaign, while addressing recruitment needs of the FBI , especially within the African American community.
Xavier is one of six schools nationally selected for the program. During the semester, students in professor Louis Mancuso’s Marketing Strategy” course have created a working marketing agency to research, develop, implement and evaluate a campaign. The students received a $2,500 budget to bring their campaign plans to life.
The goal of the campaign is to increase awareness and consideration of FBI career opportunities, both the Special Agent and Professional Support positions. The campaign is specifically targeted towards students possessing a variety of critical skills including: accounting/finance, engineering computer science/information technology, physical sciences and math, intelligence experience, especially fluency in foreign languages.
The FBI collegiate marketing and recruitment program is designed to bridge the gap between industry and education, providing students with valuable, hands-on experience while assisting the agency to more effectively identify prospective future employees. The program is coordinated by EdVenture Partners, an education-marketing agency that designs unique industry-education partnerships at campuses around the United States. EdVenture Partners, in conjunction with the FBI provides each student agency with the resources and guidance necessary to design and implement their marketing strategies.
For more infoabout the FBI Collegiate Marketing and Recruitment program at Xavier, contact Jewel Pichon at 985-201-0427 or Professor Louis Mancuso at the Department of Business 504-520-7505.
Baton Rouge native Crowned New Miss Xavier University
New Orleans, La. - Sundee Warren, a senior biology/pre-medicine major from Baton Rouge, La., was crowned the new Miss Xavier 2006-2007 at the annual University Ball and Coronation Ceremony Nov. 11.
Warren, a 2003 graduate of Southern Lab High School, is the daughter of Beverly Warren and Frank Herbert. During her Xavier career Warren has been a member of the Biology club, the campus chapter of the NAACP, the Biomedical Honor Corp and served as Junior Class Treasurer. She is currently a resident assistant at the St. Katharine Drexel residence hall, a volunteer with the homework clinic, vice president of the Alpha Epsilon Delta pre-med honor society, and a member of the Student Government Association.
Savvy Entrepreneur author to speak at Xavier Nov 9
New Orleans, La. - Lee Pryor, author of the best-selling book, The Savvy Entrepreneur – An Insider’s Secrets to Managing for Success, will be the featured speaker for the Entrepreneurship Institute Speakers Series on Nov. 9 at 4:00 p.m. in the University Center, Room 205.
Pryor, who has many years of experience as a founder and Chief Executive for start-up and late stage entrepreneurial companies, began his career with Time Warner. He then moved on to IBM in mainframe sales, before leaving the computer giant to found his own computer supply company that grew to 55 sales people, over 300 employees and $48 million in sales.
Subsequently he ran five both private and public companies. These emerging and late stage companies were in a variety of industries including e-commerce, Internet database publishing and marketing, online on-demand printing, computer supplies distribution, and technology contract manufacturing.
Pryor attended Johns Hopkins University, the US Naval Academy and graduated from Northwestern University after which he spent two years with the Counter Intelligence Corp in Japan and China.
Pryor, a former member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), has been on the Board of The National Defense University and Kent School. He is also on the Board of Directors of the publicly held software company CaminoSoft of Los Angeles and the Board of the Louisiana Technology Council, where he is Director of the LTC Recovery/Incubator Center which is funded by the Louisiana Economic Development Commission.
A business executive coach for emerging enterprises, Pryor has an entrepreneur column in BIZ News, and is a speaker on the topic of entrepreneurship at venture capital conferences, association meetings and business schools.
He is following up his first book with another, Bouncing Back, Lessons Learned from the Katrina Disaster, which he compiled with research assistance from ten Tulane MBA graduate students. Under his research direction, New Orleans area businesses were interviewed and analyzed in regard to their disaster preparation, reaction and recovery. Once published, the book will be a real-life look into what happened to a community in the wake of one of the nation’s worst national disasters.
Three Guest Artists at Nov. 08 Xavier Music Concert
New Orleans, La. - Lovers of classical flute, piano and the
soprano voice are in for a treat when Xavier University’s music
department presents a concert featuring guest artists Danilo
Mezzadri, Elizabeth Moak, and Susan Ruggiero on Wednesday, Nov. 08, at 7:00 p.m. in the music recital hall. The
concert is free and open to the public.
The musical trio’s performance will include pieces from
Debussy, Ravel, Borne and Hahn.
Flutist Danilo Mezzadri, Assistant Professor of flute at the
University of Southern Mississippi, sustains an active career as
a performer and teacher. As an international competition
winner, he has appeared as a soloist with the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Pró-
Música Symphony Orchestra of Rio de Janeiro, Camerata
Florianópolis, Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra,
Musique 21, and the University of Southern Mississippi
Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Mezzadri is principal flute in Gulf
Coast Symphony Orchestra, and he also plays with other
mujsic ensembles. He earned his undergraduate degree at
the School of Music and Arts of Paraná (Brazil) where he
received the First Prize Award of his graduation class. He
holds a Masters and Doctoral degree in flute performance
from Michigan State University.
Noted for her “sensitivity” and “generous imagination” (La
Suisse, Geneva, Switzerland), pianist Elizabeth Moak recently
performed in Québec, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii. In addition to
honors for her solo playing (winner of the Mu Phi Epsilon
International Competition and the National Federation of
Music Clubs Biennial Auditions), Ms. Moak has also been
recognized for her collaborative work by the Music Academy
of the West and Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins
University where she earned a DMA in Piano Performance
(studies with Leon Fleisher, Julian Martin, and Ann Schein).
Additionally, she holds the “Diplôme de Virtuosité” with
highest honors from the Neuchâtel Conservatory
(Switzerland). Ms. Moak taught for eight years at Millsaps
College who honored her with their “Outstanding Young
Faculty Award.” In 2004, she joined the faculty of the
University of Southern Mississippi, one of the few universities
in the United States to be accredited in all four disciplines of
music, dance, theater, and visual art.
Soprano Susan Ruggiero has been described as having a voice
that is “stunning and pure.” The Boston Globe noted her
performance at Tanglewood Music Center saying: “It is
preposterous to speak of the ''potential" of youngsters
like...Susan Ruggiero-Mezzadri...they are already artists.”
Last fall Ms. Ruggiero made her professional debut with
Kentucky Opera in "The Happy Prince." She is the recipient of
the First Place Award in Shreveport Opera’s Singer of the Year Competition, the Third Place Award in Mobile Opera’s
Scholarship Competition, and the Joseph Frank Spada Award
in the Connecticut Opera Guild Young Artists’ Scholarship
Competition. Outside of the United States, Ms. Ruggiero has
performed in several recitals in Brazil, including the Pontifical
Catholic University of Paraná Orchestra for a nationally
televised broadcast concert. She holds a double master’s
degree in voice and flute performance from the University of
Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in music performance from
Michigan State University.
XU Receives Recognition at
Technology Council eWARDS
New Orleans, La. - Overcoming technological obstacles
caused by Hurricane Katrina earned special recognition for
Xavier University of Louisiana at the Third Annual Technology
eWARDS Gala held on October 25.
Catherine J. Lewis, Xavier’s Vice President, Office of
Technology Administration (OTA), was awarded one of three
special recognition awards at the gala. The eWARDS were
presented by the Louisiana Technology Council and Greater
New Orleans Inc.
Lewis was a relative newcomer to Xavier when Katrina struck,
having lead the Office of Technology Administration since
March of 2005. Lewis and her OTA team faced many
challenges following Katrina's widespread damage to the
campus, but were successful in restoring telecommunications
and information technology including bringing up other
critical applications such as Blackboard Learning System and
Raiser’s Edge, and also restoring selected file shares, all in
about three months.
However, one of the biggest challenges that Lewis and her
team faced was restoring the switch room, located on the first
floor of the Administration building, which took on about four
feet of water. Additionally, she had to contain the costs to
funds reimbursable by FEMA and the University’s insurance
companies.
“The switch room is the heartbeat of voice and data
communications across the campus,” said Lewis. “This room
also housed network equipment enabling cross-campus and
Internet communication.”
Lewis's team developed a creative solution, by raising the
floor of the Switch Room three feet. In the end, this decision
saved slightly more than a million dollars and had the switch
room ready a few weeks ahead of time. The cost of moving
the switch room would have been about $1.5-million while
the cost of renovating the existing switch room was about
$500,000.
This accomplishment is notable not only because of its pivotal
role in the campus reopening, but because of the complexity
of the task. In addition to having a new Siemens phone switch
installed and all associated wiring replaced, Lewis’s team had
to replace BellSouth telephone and Internet equipment and all
wiring, which included redundant fiber link to the opposite
end of campus. Closed circuit TV equipment used for
surveillance on campus was also replaced in that room.
The LTC eWARDS recognize the achievements of organizations
and individuals who have helped the technological
development of the region, and includes companies,
educators, government and business leaders across a ten-
parish area.
‘Rebuild, Restore, Renew’ at Xavier Homecoming Nov. 16-19
New Orleans, La. - Xavier alumni will get a first hand look at how their
campus is recovering when they return this November for the annual Alumni
Homecoming Reunion, Nov. 16-19.
With the theme “Rebuild Restore Renew” two sets of reunion classes will be
honored. Due to Hurricane Katrina, the University was unable to celebrate
Homecoming 2005, so the University is hosting Homecoming 2006 in honor
of those alumni currently celebrating their reunion and those who were unable
to celebrate last year,” said LaKeysha Arthur, Interim Director of Alumni Relations.
All alumni are encouraged to get their tickets early for the Homecoming Gala
on Saturday Nov. 18. Tickets must be purchased in advance by November 3.
Seating is limited.
A highlight of weekend’s events will be the Rebuild, Restore, Renew
Celebration on Friday at noon. Alumni and students will have the opportunity to come together to celebrate the spirit of Xavier.
There are several other activities scheduled for the returning alumni
including a jazz concert, receptions for business and pharmacy alumni,
an art exhibit, an alumni mixer for all alumni, a vesper service, featuring
the Xavier Concert Choir, and the Homecoming Gala on Saturday night.
New Alumni officers will be installed at the annual Board of Governors meeting and alumni are invited the Mass on Sunday.
Kimberly Dummons ’95 will be the featured artists. Dummons is a printmaker
who has created a series of prints focusing on the City of New Orleans.
A few of the homecoming events are being hosted by the Student Government
Association, including a comedy show, a greek show in the Barn, and a queen’s
brunch for all former campus queens hosted by the current Miss Xavier Sundee Warren.
Due the additional groups participating and the limited space, the Office of Alumni
Relations is asking alumni to contact them early to reserve their space. For more
information on the 2006 reunions, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 504-520-
6782 or 1-877-WE LUV XU (1-877-935-8898), email wjohnso1@xula.edu, or visit
the website at www.xula.edu.
XU Named to Honor Roll for Distinguished Community Service
Chicago, Ill. – Xavier University of Louisiana was named to the Corporation for National and Community Service’s President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for distinguished community service in recognition of extraordinary volunteer efforts by the school and its students to serve area neighborhoods and Gulf Coast communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
XU was one of 141 institutions of higher education out of 500 applicants recognized for distinguished service at the Campus Compact 20th Anniversary celebration. Schools receiving distinguished service recognition provided exceptional community service over the past year, contributing their time, resources, energy, skills – and intellect – to serve America.
“Xavier has set a strong example for college-level civic engagement,” said Stephen Goldsmith, Chief Executive officer of the CNCS, the federal agency that works to foster a culture of volunteering and service in America. “Many people and communities have been improved because Xavier and its students identified some of society’s most pressing needs and got involved.”
The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is co-sponsored by the Corporation, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, USA Freedom Corps, and the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The recognition is presented in cooperation with Campus Compact, a national coalition of nearly 1,000 college and university presidents, and supported by all the major national higher education associations.
Xavier Music CD "New Orleans Crescendo" Now On Sale
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University’s band director, Dr. Tim
Turner, and a quarter of students from the Xavier Jazz
Ensemble have returned home after a recent performance in
New York City for the CD release of “New Orleans Crescendo,”
a music CD created to raise funds for their University as it
recovers following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
The American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) "ACCESS: New
Generation Initiative" and the Office of Black Catholic Ministry
(Archdiocese of New York) were the co-hosts for the evening
of jazz, held October 12 at the Jewish Community Center in
Manhattan. That event launched the "New Orleans Crescendo"
music CD, an AJC-produced original recording by the
university's Jazz Ensemble, conceived as another means of
supporting Xavier -- the nation's only historically Black and
Catholic university.
The “New Orleans Crescendo” album is on sale for $20 at the
online sales site "CD Baby.com." Available for $20 via the internet (visit www.ajc.org and select multi-media), the CD features the
18-member Xavier ensemble playing jazz standards by Louis
Armstrong, Jimmy Heath, and others.
Sales of the CD will raise funds for Xavier University’s summer
academic programs and its Junior School of Music, to ensure
that deserving middle and high school students receive
training in music as well as the sciences.
The Xavier University Jazz Ensemble is one of the music
department’s outstanding performance groups, which also
includes the Concert Choir, University Chorus and Symphonic
Band. This group of promising music students is under the
direction of Dr. Tim R. Turner, himself a talented professional
musician.
Xavier music students who performed in New York were:
Charles James, keyboard/bass, sophomore, New Orleans,
Erion Williams, saxophone, senior, New Orleans, Mayuri
Kurihara, piano, senior, Fukuoka, Japan and Michael Olaiya,
drums, sophomore, Largo, Maryland.
BACKGROUND:
The devastation of Hurricane Katrina prompted ACCESS to
lead a mission to New Orleans in February to do hands-on
relief work. The delegation worked closely with the Office of
the Black Ministry of the Archdiocese of New York on the
trip.
AJC members raised more than $1.2 million to help rebuild
churches and synagogues throughout the Gulf Coast, and to
provide assistance to Dillard and Xavier universities. “Our
partnership with Xavier University to help local youth is
integral to our efforts to build strong relationships with key
communities in the Gulf Coast,” said Rebecca Neuwirth, AJC’s
director of special projects. The AJC’s ACCESS initiative is
made up of people in their 20’s and 30’s participating in a
national program that explores critical issues facing the
Jewish community today.
Meanwhile, Brother Tyrone A. Davis, executive director of the
Office of Black Ministry (Archdiocese of New York) says “It is a
pleasure for us to join in collaboration with AJC to help our
friends at Xavier, especially since it is America's only
historically Black and Catholic university.” The Office of Black
Ministry produced its own very successful fund-raising
concert earlier this year, raising $50-thousand in donations
for Xavier.
The group visited the campus in February, where they met
with Xavier President Norman C. Francis and presented the
donations. In addition the group had a moving dialogue with
Xavier faculty, students and staff -- many of whom remain
displaced by since Katrina.
The Xavier campus reopened in January 2006 after just five
months of intensive reconstruction began the semester with
nearly 75% of its former student body in attendance.
This jazz compilation project, "New Orleans Crescendo," seeks
to promote Xavier University as a model of resilience and
academic excellence for the greater community and the
American public, and to help support the young people of
New Orleans.
For more info on Xavier University, please visit the
web site at www.xula.edu.
For more info on the American Jewish Committee, visit www.ajc.org.
Landis Family $100,000 Endowed Scholarship at Xavier
New Orleans, La. - Members of the Landis family recently visited the Xavier University campus to establish a $100,000 endowed scholarship in the name of the family
matriarch Evelyn Landis Christman.
Mrs. Christman served on the Xavier board of trustees for a number of years in the early 1980’s and also served a term as Chairman of the Board.
Her son, Jim Landis, is president and CEO of Landis Construction, one of the University’s major contractors. The company had most recently completed Xavier’s University Center and the dePorres Residence Hall in late 2003, before being called in to oversee campus repairs and restoration following Hurricane Katrina.
“We’re very pleased to endow this scholarship,” said Jim Landis. “We have had a long relationship with the University both personally and professionally.
At the presentation of the endowed scholarship, Mrs. Christman said, “This is such a nice honor for me, I have such admiration for Xavier. It is a wonderful institution. I’m glad to be part of the future and I’m delighted so many of my family members could be here today. Jim, especially knows how close Xavier is to my heart.”
During her tenure on the Xavier board, Mrs. Christman said she got to know first hand about the University. “Xavier sets high standard for students but also gives the nurturing
support needed to meet those standards. And the legacy of the nuns and St. Katharine Drexel are such an inspiration to me and to so many others.”
The Landis Construction company was on site for the recovery of the Xavier campus as soon as Katrina's flood waters receded. Xavier president, Norman Francis credits Landis with helping to achieve the remarkable re-opening of the University less than five months after the storm. “Having worked on previous campus projects, we had someone who
already knew the campus,” said Francis. “They already knew what was there before the storm...they could practically tell US where every screw was located!”
“We were pleased to be asked to work on the storm damage," said Jim Landis. "Dr. Francis realized and recognized shortly after the storm what needed to happen. He didn’t fool around and he had the ability to make the hard decisions quickly.
"We turned down a number of other projects after Katrina, but we felt we had an obligation to Xavier. It was really a labor of love for us, and the University has been very good to us. We felt very good about being here."
University Honors 51 Long-Time Faculty/Staff Employees
New Orleans, La. - The University honored 51 long-time staff and faculty employees as part of its annual Founder’s Day celebration.
Topping the list of honorees celebrating anniversaries of employment at XU were Sister Maureen Hurley, S.B.S., with 40 years of service in the biology department and Dr. Harold Vincent with 40 years in physics and as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Other employees honored were:
35 years – Dr. Thomas Bonner, English; Christine Lee, Sedexho; and Gloria Wright, credit union.
30 years – Dr. Ann Barbre, pharmacy; Sherida Montague, chemistry; and Dr. Warren Ray, chemistry.
25 years – Jacqueline Ballansaw-Ward, registrar’ office; Willie Caffey, biology; Eloise Dixon, counseling; Dr. David Lanoue, English and CAT; Lonnie Lewis, pharmacy; Gwendolyn Martin, Sedexho; Dr. Raquel Mesa, mathematics; Pamela Rogers, Family Life Center; and Sister Mary Ann Stachow, S.B.S., theology.
20 years – Dr. Charles Gramlich, psychology; Mildred Higgins, financial aid; Jacqueline Claiborne, Sedexho; and Karen Williams, admissions.
15 years – Dr. Gurdial Arora, mathematics; LaJuana Chenier, institutional-advancement; Solomon Foster, university police; Adrienne Hunter, physics/engineering; Irving Johnson III, university and media relations; Gilda Knight, registrar’s office; Father Phillip Linden, Jr., S.S.J, S.T.D., theology; Sister Patricia Lynch, S.B.S., university historian; Lisa Lewis-McClain, campus ministry; Dr. Tarun Mandel, pharmacy; Dr. Peter Martinat, biology; Gwen Morris, registrar’s office; Sharon Porter, fiscal; Dr. Yashoda Pramar, pharmacy; Dr. Jonathan Rotondo-McCord, history; Louise Smith, library; Anita Williams, communications; and Cynthia Watson-McElveen, physical plant.
10 years – William Bostick, internal auditor; Kelvin Bush, ITC; Katrina Crawford, financial aid; Dwight Fitch, campus ministry; Ultra Fredericks, fiscal; Mary George, library; Jacqulin Joe, pharmacy; Dr. Kathleen McCloud, physics/engineering; Palani Ponnapakkam, ITC; Pamela Ridder, MIE; Tyrone Thornton, fiscal; and Terina Walker, graduate placement.
Xavier Jazz Ensemble in NYC to Launch Katrina CD Fundraiser
New Orleans, La. - A quartet of Xavier University student musicians, along with their director of bands, will perform in New York City on October 12 to launch a brand new CD-ROM created to raise funds for their school as it continues its recovery following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) ACCESS: New Generation Initiative and the Office of Black Catholic Ministry (Archdiocese of New York) will co-host an evening of jazz on October 12 at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan. The event will launch their "New Orleans Crescendo" music CD, an AJC-produced original jazz recording by the Xavier University Jazz Ensemble.
The event will help raise funds for Xavier University’s Summer Science programs and its Junior School of Music, to ensure that deserving middle and high school students receive
training in music as well as the sciences. The Xavier University Jazz Ensemble is a group of promising music students under the direction of Dr. Tim R. Turner, himself a talented professional musician. The $40 suggested donation for the New York City reception includes a complimentary copy of the New Orleans Crescendo CD for those who attend.
AJC’s Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund made a major contribution last year to Xavier University. AJC members raised more than $1.2 million to help rebuild churches and synagogues throughout the Gulf Coast, and to provide assistance to Dillard and Xavier universities. “Our partnership with Xavier University to help local youth is integral to our efforts to build strong relationships with key communities in the Gulf Coast,” said Rebecca Neuwirth, AJC’s director of special projects. The AJC’s ACCESS initiative is made up of people in their 20’s and 30’s participating in a national program that explores critical issues facing the Jewish community today.
Meanwhile, Brother Tyrone A. Davis, executive director of the Office of Black Ministry (Archdiocese of New York) says “It is a pleasure for us to join in collaboration with AJC to help our friends at Xavier, especially since it is America's only historically Black and Catholic university.” The Office of Black Ministry produced its own very successful fund-raising concert earlier this year, raising $50-thousand in donations for Xavier.
Plans call for the "New Orleans Crescendo" CD to be distributed by the American Jewish Committee and Catholic churches across the U.S. who are interested in supporting the mission of Xavier University. The music CD will also be available for sale during Homecoming Week at Xavier, when hundreds of alumni are expected on campus with their Reunion classes in November.
Xavier Music Season Underway
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana's Music Department’s fall season showcases the exceptional talent of the department’s various performance groups.
The Xavier music department takes its talent on the road when members of the Jazz Ensemble perform in New York in October at a fundraiser for the University hosted by the American Jewish Committee.
At home the music department has scheduled several exciting events for the fall season including performances by the department’s premier performance groups. The offerings range from classical to jazz and include concerts from the Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensemble and choral groups the University Chorus and the Concert Choir.
The Concert Choir will also be featured as part of the Trinity Artist Series at Trinity Church on Jackson Avenue October 29. The Jazz Ensemble will delight reunion classes at a homecoming concert November 16 and the holiday season gets underway in early December with the department’s Gala Christmas Concert.
In addition to the weekly student recitals at 12:15 on Thursday, there are senior recitals scheduled from Emmanuel Burke (piano) and Erion Williams (saxophone). A complete list of events follows.
All campus concerts are held in the music recital hall and are free and open to the public. For more information about these and other events, contact the Xavier music department at 504-520-87597 or visit the web at www.xula.edu
MusicCalendar Fall 2006
*All performances are held in the Music Building Recital Hall and are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted
Oct. 12 Jazz Band performs at the American Jewish Committee Fundraiser
Oct. 19 Student Recital 12:15pm
Oct. 26 Student Recital 12:15 pm
Oct. 26 Emanuel Burke, senior piano recital 7:00 pm
Oct. 29 Trinity Artist Series, Concert Choir 6:00 pm
Nov. 3 Concert Choir Concert 7:00 pm
Nov. 9 Student Recital 12:15 pm
Nov. 15 Student Recital 12:15 pm
Nov. 16 Homecoming Jazz Band Concert
Nov. 30 Student Recital 12:15 pm
Nov. 30 Symphonic Band Concert 7:00 pm
Dec. 3 University Chorus Concert 3:00 pm
Dec. 6 French Concert
Dec. 7 Student Recital 12:15 pm
Dec. 8 Gala Christmas Concert, 7:00 pm
Dec. 10 Erion Williams, Senior Saxophone Recital 4:00 pm
"Collage Concert" at Xavier Sept. 29
Xavier University of Louisiana’s music faculty and students will
present a Collage Concert on Friday, Sept. 29, at 7:00 p.m.
in the Music Building Recital Hall. The concert is free and
open to the public.
“We call it a Collage Concert because it’s made up of all the
best elements of the Xavier music department,” said music
chairman Dr. John E. Ware.
Among the performers are Xavier’s faculty artist in residence,
pianist Wilfred Delphin. The department’s vocal performance
ensembles, the University Chorus and Concert choir will
perform along with instrumental groups, the Symphonic Band
and the Jazz Ensemble. Several individual music students will
also be featured.
Ware adds, “We are especially excited to feature our artist in
residence Wilfred Delphin." A 1971 graduate of Xavier,
Delphin has performed around the world, making his
professional debut in 1977 as part of the Delphin and Romain
duo piano team. Delphin is a former professor at Southern
Illinois University School of Music and a resident of the Cane
River community of Northern Louisiana.
For more information on the concert, contact the Xavier music
department at 504-520-7597.
Harding, Wallace Lead Xavier Runners Again
Lafayette, La. - Sophomores Ebony Harding and Darren Wallace of Xavier University of Louisiana both finished in the top 30 Friday to lead their teams in the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational cross country race at Acadiana Park.
Harding ran 5,000 meters in 22 minutes, 12.76 seconds to place 22nd out of 57 runners in the women's race. Wallace ran 28th out of 60 in the 8,000-meter men's race with a time of 30:31.55.
Xavier, which won both team championships in last week's season-opening Southern University Invitational, scored 160 points to finish sixth out of seven women's teams. Xavier's men were seventh out of eight schools with 161 points.
Individual champions were Southeastern Louisiana's Mandy Wallace in the women's division (19:23.99) and Louisiana-Monroe's Maya Aden in the men's (26:49.38). Host Louisiana-Lafayette scored 56 points to edge runner-up SLU by two points for the women's team title, but SLU won the men's championship by the same margin over the Cajuns.
Xavier's next meet will be the LSU Tiger Festival at Highland Road Park in Baton Rouge, La., next Saturday. The 6,000-meter women's race will start at 7:45 a.m., followed by the men's 8,000-meter race at 9:15 a.m.
Phelps Honored as Emerging Business Leader
New Orleans, La. - Aminah Phelps, a sophomore Biology/Premed major from Atlanta, Ga. (Riverwood High), was named the National Business Plan Competition Winner at the 2006 Emerging Business Leader Summit. She was honored at the 24th National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week conference, held in Washington, D.C.
“MBDA is committed to investing in our future by developing youth entrepreneurs,” said Ronald N. Langston, National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, “Aminah represents a shining example of our future business and community leaders; America’s minority youth must come to realize that economic independence is attainable through business ownership.”
Phelps, a future business owner and creator of AminahDesigns.com, was selected on the business plan’s appeal to consumers, quality of the product, ability to make a profit, leadership, management style, business knowledge and experience, and its financial strength. As the national winner, she receives a week-long business executive training from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business covering management, marketing, finance, and operations.
AminahDesigns.com will be an online provider of high quality, affordable, custom-designed jewelry with over 35 styles of pierced and non-pierced earrings and organic spa products.
The purpose of the Emerging Business Leaders Summit (EBLS) is to expose minority college students to the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship. Among those who apply from around the Nation, fifty students are selected to participate in this annual event.
XU "Operation Diabetes” Sept. 30 at Lakeside Shopping Center
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana’s College of Pharmacy continues its efforts to tackle one of the nation's most serious health challenges, when it presents its third annual "Operation Diabetes" event on Saturday, Sept. 30, at Lakeside Shopping Center.
Diabetes is widely referred to as the "silent killer" disease that that can cause kidney failure, blindness and even foot or leg amputations for thousands of patients each year…and many people don't even know they have it. “In Louisiana, approximately 208,000 adults have been diagnosed with diabetes,” said Dr. Adrienne Allen, program
coordinator.
The incidence of the disease is especially alarming in the Black community. In fact, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ Louisiana Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System reports that African Americans are 50-percent more likely to have diabetes than whites. The risk of developing diabetes increases with age and about 25 percent of African Americans who have diabetes are over the age of 45.
Even with those statistics, there is hope for Diabetes patients. Research shows that if diabetics control their blood glucose, diabetes complications such as leg and foot amputations, blindness, and kidney failure can be reduced or even prevented. Yet, even though about one-third of the people with diabetes in Louisiana are on insulin, less than half of them do not check their blood glucose levels every day.
The public is invited to find out more about Diabetes – including managing the disease, and even prevention – at the Lakeside Mall event on Saturday, Sept. 30, from
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Members of the College of Pharmacy will administer diabetes screenings on location, and consult with patients who are trying to cope with the disease.
“The goal of Operation Diabetes is education,” said Allen. “If we can educate people, increase their awareness of diabetes and how to manage the disease, we can absolutely reduce diabetes complications and deaths."
The event is being sponsored by Xavier's Center for Student Leadership and Development office through funding provided by a United Negro College Fund Special Projects Grant (UNCFSP/Learn and Serve).
Xavier’s College of Pharmacy is one of only two pharmacy schools in Louisiana, and one of the nation's top producers of Doctor of Pharmacy degrees awarded to African-Americans. Since 1927 it has graduated an estimated 25% of the 6,500 African-American pharmacists practicing in the United States.
For more information about Operation Diabetes, contact Dr. Adrienne Allen at Xavier University College of Pharmacy (504) 520-5365.
Cross Country Teams Capture Southern University Meet
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana won the men's and women's team championships at the Southern University Invitational cross country meeting in Baton Rouge on Saturday.
THe Gold Nuggets scored 29 points to win the women's title by 19 points over runner-up Southern, while the Gold Rush scored 30 points to finish six points ahead of Mississippi Valley in the men's division.
"I was very pleased to see us come back thuis way," said XU coach Joseph Moses. "Our young folks stepped up. And we're going to get better."
XU sophomore Ebony Harding ran two miles in 13 minutes, 19.04 seconds to finish third out of 19 runners in the women's race. Xavier had five of the nine fastest women, including a 3-4-5 finish. Sophomore Darren Wallace paced the Xavier men with a fourth place individual finish (15:43.14) finish in the three-mile run.
Xavier Opens 2006-07 Academic Year
New Orleans, La. - After an incredible year of recovery from the destruction following Hurricane Katrina last August, Xavier University of Louisiana returns to its regular school schedule when students return Sept. 5 for registration, with classes beginning next Friday, Sept. 8.
About 2,700 students are expected to return for the Fall semester. That's about 70% of Xavier's pre-Katrina enrollment, and consistent with the university's projections in
the wake of so many students being displaced last year by Katrina.
Residence halls will begin check-in for incoming Freshmen at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Among the activities scheduled for the approximately 450 [expected] new students – who selected Xavier as their school, despite Katrina – are a Eucharistic celebration, an "information blitz", plus a talent show and more.
Xavier's legendary president for the past 38 years, Dr. Norman C. Francis, will welcome students and parents at a welcome reception, Tuesday Sept. 5 in the University Center dining hall at 6:30 p.m. Earlier that day, he will address parents and students at 2:00 p.m. the UC Ballroom.
There is also a parent’s orientation scheduled on Tuesday with topics such as Family Transitions, Residence Living and Commuter Parents Information sessions.
Freshmen will have the opportunity to obtain information on campus and academic life at information sessions, participate in a capping ceremony, and later in the week – on
Saturday, Sept. 9 – they are encouraged to participate in student community service projects along with other activities.
Registration for Xavier upperclassmen will be held Sept. 6 and 7. Classes for all students will begin, as noted, on Friday, Sept. 8. For a complete list of Orientation events, visit HERE.
XU Included Among The Princeton Review’s “Best Colleges”
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana has been singled out as one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education by The Princeton Review.
The New York-based education services company features Xavier, the nation's only historically Black and Catholic university, in the new 2007 edition of its annual guide, "The Best 361 Colleges."
According to the editors, only about 15 percent of the four-year colleges in America – and two Canadian colleges – are in the book. The guide offers two-page profiles on the schools, plus student survey-based ranking lists of top 20 colleges in the book in various categories.
"The main factor in our selection of schools in the book was our high regard for their academic programs,” said Robert Franek, vice president for publishing. “We evaluated them based on institutional data we collect about the schools, feedback from students at them, and visits to schools over the years.”
The ranking lists in The Best 361 Colleges are based on The Princeton Review's survey of students attending the colleges in the book. Students rated their schools on several topics and reported on their campus experiences at them. In their comments, Xavier students noted the University’s tough curriculum, the expertise and passion of its faculty, and its family-like atmosphere.
Citing Xavier’s unparalleled success in a number of academic areas – particularly premedical and pharmacy studies – the college guide noted that the “typical Xavier undergrad is ‘black, smart, sometimes a little too hard on themselves,’ and ‘strives for success and wants to further her education through a graduate/professional program.’ Undergraduates here are typically studious …”
For more info on Xavier or a complete look at the guide, visit http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/rankings/rankings.asp
Xavier Ranks High in U.S. News College Guide
New Orleans, La. - Xavier University of Louisiana once again gets the nod of U.S.News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Colleges.”
In the 2007 edition of its popular annual college guide, U.S. News ranks Xavier 29th on its list of the "Best Universities - Master's" from the southern region of the United States.
The annual guide divides all colleges and universities into four categories – national, master's, comprehensive and liberal arts colleges – grouping them further into designated geographical regions. Xavier is included among the master's schools because it offers a full range of undergraduate and master's level programs, in addition to a single doctoral program.
A total of 88 colleges and universities from 12 states were included in this year’s southern region rankings. According to the magazine, which lists more than 1,400 schools, the ratings are based on academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student s/electivity, financial resources and alumni giving.
The complete list of the southern "Best Universities - Master's" is available here: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1univmas_s_brief.php
City of Refuge, Tavis Smiley Endow XU Scholarship
New Orleans, La. - Bishop Noel Jones, pastor of the City of Refuge church in Los Angeles, and Tavis Smiley, media personality and a member of the church, have endowed a scholarship to help needy and deserving students at Xavier University of Louisiana
Jones and Smiley presented the first contribution of $100,000 to Xavier President Norman C. Francis earlier this month with a pledge to support the endowment over the next five years. The university will administer all aspects of the fund and determine the criteria for distribution.
“This endowment ensures the long lasting prosperity of Xavier and specifically provides support for future young minds who will have an opportunity to further their education,” Jones said.
The announcement comes as Xavier continues recovery efforts one year after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Just five months after levee breaks drove four-to-six feet of floodwaters into virtually every building on the campus, the university reopened its doors in January with nearly 3,000 students.
“Our first priority has always been the students. This contribution by the City of Refuge, Bishop Jones and Tavis Smiley reminds us that now and in the future, students are our number one priority,” said Francis.
Tens of thousands of students attending HBCUs were displaced by Hurricane Katrina and caused to find temporary education and refuge across the country. Two of the colleges, Dillard and Xavier, were flooded and forced to close. 6,500 students were impacted at those two schools alone.
"Tavis Smiley has been a supporter and friend of Xavier for many years before Katrina, and before receiving an honorary degree in 2004 for his outstanding journalistic career," said Francis. "We are deeply grateful for this latest demonstration of support for the Xavier mission by Tavis, and by his pastor Bishop Noel Jones along with the City of Refuge congregation members."
The endowment is the second part of a commitment by members of the City of Refuge who have donated more than $300,000 to aide individual victims and families displaced by the hurricane. Jones and Smiley promised to return next year to provide more support for the university’s recovery efforts.
“I’m pleased to be a member of the City of Refuge and I am extremely proud of the members who have answered the call with enough love in their heart and hope in their soul to reach into their pockets again to give above and beyond what they have already contributed to restore this important institution,” Smiley said.
Photos are available at: http://www.xula.edu/image-bank/high_res/xu-tavis_smiley-bishop_noel_jones/
Former Presidents Launch “Wave of Hope” Campaign
New Orleans, La. - Former presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush have joined with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to spearhead a multi-million dollar campaign for rebuilding campuses and replenishing scholarships along the Gulf Coast.
The Wachovia Corporation has spearheaded the fundraising efforts with a $1 million contribution to the campaign, which will benefit the seven HBCUs impacted by Hurricane Katrina: Xavier, Alcorn State, Bishop State, Dillard, Jackson State, Southern- New Orleans and Tougaloo.
“Katrina washed away many things, but we can’t allow this disaster to bring further tragedy,” said former president, Bill Clinton, about the Wave of Hope campaign. “We cannot afford to lose these schools that are important to our communities, our children and our future.”
Tens of thousands of students attending HBCUs were displaced by Hurricane Katrina and caused to find temporary education and refuge across the country. Two of the colleges, Dillard and Xavier, were flooded and forced to close. 6,500 students were impacted at those two schools alone.
160 Honor Graduates Accent Commencement
New Orleans, La. - 160 of this year’s 535 College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School graduates received their diplomas with honors during Xavier University of Louisiana's 79th annual commencement, which was held for the first time at the New Orleans Arena.
The Class of 2006 heard a stirring keynote address by Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, who was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree during the ceremony.
Twenty-seven students graduated with summa cum laude honors, while another 30 earned magna cum laude honors and 77 others earned cum laude distinction. An additional 26 students earned Graduate School honors.
Summa Cum Laudes
Four students with perfect grade point averages headed this year’s group of summa cum laude graduates. The graduates – all of whom received bachelor of science degrees – included: Kendra Adams, a business major from LaPlace. La.; Julie Dumas, engineering major from Vacherie, La.; Tiffany Haynes, a psychology major from Colt, Ark.; and Brooke Howard, a biology/pre-med from Smyrna, Ga.
Earning bachelor of arts degrees with summa cum laude honors were Leslie Spillman and Brandi Tregre.
Also earning bachelor of science degrees with summa cum laude honors were: Sarah Ann Anderson, Joliette Barnum, Tiffany Bell, Jessica Butler, LaToya Clark, Marie-Teresa Colbert, Chantel Gant, Krystal Jerry, Amanda Martin, Shannon Murphy, Cuong Nguyen, Kien Anh Nguyen, Candace Pettigrew, Dione Rudison, Shannon Seals, Diane Thomas, Mai Linh Tran, Rene Turner, Christopher Whitmore, Keisha Williams and Natalie Younger.
Magna Cum Laudes
Students graduating magna cum laude with bachelor of arts degrees were: Angel Bradford, Yolanda Davis, Cassie Ford, Sara Jacobelli and Stephanie Rodgers.
Earning bache |
