An unexpected early Christmas gift of snowfall arrives on the XU campus on Dec. 11 right in the midst of finals. (top left) Xavier signage looks like a Christmas Card; (top center) Students take advantage of the occasion to create a new "Frosty" friend; (top right) Palm trees fronting the Administration Building flatten out under the non-tropical weight; (bottom left) Early morning light sees the first flakes begin to fall; (bottom center) Any time is right for a snowball fight; (bottom right) Walking to class never looked so good. Visit HERE for higher resolution copies of these and other photos.

NCF ANNIVERSARY GALA - ALUMNI HOMECOMING 2008

Long-time XU President Norman Francis was showered with tributes at the Legacy for a Legend 40th Anniversay Tribute presented by Liberty Bank. (left) President Francis chats with Master of Ceremonies Bill Cosby Jr. and Liberty Bank President Alden McDonald; (center) Chair of the XU Board of Trustees Dr. Myron Moorehead and artist Thomas Bruno unveil a bronze bust of Dr. Francis; (right) Bishop Roger Morin from the Archdiocese of New Orleans presents Dr. Francis with a special Vatican Medallion sent by Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI and N.O. Archbishop Alfred Hughes. Visit HERE for more Gala photos.

(left) Joy Bachemin Joseph '60 accepts the 2008 Victor H. Labat Alumnus of the Year Award from (L-R) National Alumni President Frederick Carter '69, the late Victory Labat's grandson Michael Labat, Jr. '90 and XU President Norman Francis '52 at the annual Homecoming Gala; (center)The annual Alumni Banquet drew a sell out crowd of more than 600 attendees to the University Center Ballroom, including these happy alums; (right) Current students and alums got together for several events during Homecoming Week, including the Gold Rush basketball game in The Barn. Visit HERE for more Homecoming photos.

(left) President Norman Francis accepts a check representing matching funds to establish new endowed professorships during the annual Louisiana State Board of Regents event, hosted this year by Xavier; (center) Lagina Williams, a senior biology/premed major from Merrillville, Ind., is officially crowned Miss Xavier 2008-2009 the annual Coronation Ball [visit HERE for more ball photos]; (right) Aetna executive Floyd Green and XU professor Dr. Joe Ricks present sophomore accounting major Erin Lewis with a Wii during Business Week.

(left) Some of the more than 1,800 students who are registered in New Orleans line up to cast their vote in the Nov. 4 Presidential election. Xavier was host to a mega precinct for the surrounding neighborhood as well. (center) Basketball is back - the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets both opened their 2008-2009 seasons with victories. (right) The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Black College Tour had the campus shaking during its annual visit.

(left) Genee Bailey, a P3 pharmacy major from Gretna, LA (Archbishop Blenk), takes the blood pressure of one of shoppers at the Lakeside Mall Shopping Center who stopped by to learn more about Diabetes and to receive free glucose and blood pressure tests from College of Pharmacy students and faculty during the annual "Operation Diabetes"; (center) A large contigent of faculty, staff and students join in on the highlight of every campus Wellness Week: the mile-long Walk with the President, headed by Dr. Norman C. Francis. (right) A panel discussion addressing the U.S. economic crisis, the bailout, the potential long-term effects and the cost of inaction drew a large crowd at the University Center. It was just one was the activities during Business Week, sponsored by the Division of Business.

(left) A student choir under the direction of Veronica Downs-Dorsey sing praises during the Institute for Black Catholic Studies' seminar Being Black and Catholic; (center) Workers lay the extensive piping as construction on the College of Pharmacy's Qatar Pavilion progresses; (right) New artwork graces the Quad areas of the campus – part of the Sculpture for New Orleans project, a two-year exhibition placing monumental sculptures throughout th city to bring attention to the visual arts and artists of post-Katrina New Orleans. The XU Art Department assisted with installation here on campus.

(left) President Norman Francis chats with WWL radio personality Garland Robinette during the station's live remote broadcast on campus; (center) More than 600 Xavier students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends showed up in force to help raise monies for the University and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) at the 21st annual Fund Run in Audubon Park; (right) Senior Lauren Williamson of New Orleans and freshman Princess Carter of Philadelphia enjoy the cooler temperatures and the new patio area recently finished by the University Center.

(left) Students Tracy Daniel, Jalessa Novalez and Kevin Barnes take a few minutes to re-enlist in the University’s e2Campus emergency text message alert system for the new academic year. More than 1,200 members of the campus community signed up during the first week of re-enrollment. (center) Members of the Class of 2010 team up with the U.S. Army for a rock-climbing activity during Junior Week. (right) Biology professor Dr.Peter Barrett holds an "open lab" - giving note-taking a guided tour of his C. elegans (worm) research.

(left) XU President Norman Francis shares a laugh with Louisiana First Lady Supriya Jindal after introducing her as the keynote speaker at the United Nego College Fund's first Louisiana Governor's Luncheon held in Baton Rouge. Proceeds from the luncheon will support UNCF’s schools in the state. (center) Former NASA astronaut Dr. Bernard Harris, Jr. engages XU students following his presentation at a Freshman Seminar. He is founder of the non-profit Harris Foundation, Inc. to advocate for more effective math/science education and youth crime prevention programs. (right) Classes were back to normal this past week as students, staff and faculty hurried back to campus after a one-day closure to let Hurricane Ike pass by.

(top left) President Norman Francis continues his tradition of personally awarding each degree at Xavier's 81st annual commencement ceremony; (top center) Seeing double - Alicia and Angela Pressley - one of four sets of twins to graduate together this year; (top right) Keynote speaker Tavis Smiley makes a point; (bottom left) Pharm.D. graduates celebrate their success; (bottom center) Families are always a big part of occasion; (bottom right) Several states away and 12 hours earlier, President Francis is joined by his daughter Christina Francis, University of Miami trustee Bob Simms '49, and UM athletic director Paul De at the Florida university's commencement, where he was awarded the most recent of his 39 honorary degrees. Visit here for more commencement photos.

(top left) President Norman Francis greets Her Excellency Sheikha Hind Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani upon the State of Qatar delegation's arrival on campus; (top center) Officials participate in the official "groundbreaking"; (top right) Pharmacy student Danielle Ardoin thanks His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani for his financial support for the expansion and student scholarships; (bottom left) Francis gives HH the Amir a tour of the campus, with demolition of old Student Center in background; (bottom center) Some of nearly 500 students who have received Qatar scholarships pose with HH the Amir; (bottom right) Francis presents HH the Amir with a pharmacy mortar and pestle as a gift to remember the occasion.

(left) President Norman Francis chats with Nike representatives at the grand opening of the new major Nike outlet store near the campus at Tulane and South Carrollton Avenues; (center) Workers use a crane to carefully remove a treasured John T. Scott art piece [ "The Three Faces of St. Francis Xavier"] from the old Student Center, which is coming down to make room for future construction; (right) President Francis welcomes U.S. Senator John McCain and his wife to the campus, where the presidential hopeful conducted a "town hall" meeting.

(left) Dr. Thomas Scheye, a strategic consultant engaged by Xavier to help facilitate the development of the campus master plan, conducts a “town hall” meeting with faculty and senior administrators to garner feedback on newly released committee reports. Similar meetings were held for XU staff and students; (center) the Rev. Maurice Taylor '02 returns to home to his alma mater to Xavier to teach theology; and (right) Albertson's representatives Jackie McCray and Craig Cooude try to recruit pharmacy majors Huong Tran and My-Trang Luong at the annual College of Pharmacy Career Fair.