LEFT: Michael Bertaut of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Orleans speaks at a panel discussion on the "Business of Health Care" during the annual Business Week at Xavier. Looking on is Dr. Karen DeSalvo of the Tulane University School of Medicine and moderater Dr. Leonard Jack, Jr., of the XU College of Pharmacy. CENTER: Professor Dr. John Okogbaa (standing) and P2 pharmacy major Ryan Francois (seated) take the blood pressure and pulse of one of more than 150 shoppers who stopped by for free health screenings and diabetes information during the College of Pharmacy’s annual "Operation Diabetes" community outreach event at Lakeside Shopping Mall. 
RIGHT: Xavier Herald newspaper editor-in-chief Jalisa Mathis and staff photographer Mark Clayton proudly display the photo the latter took when both students joined other local, national and international media for a Town Hall meeting held during President Barack Obama’s visit to New Orleans this week.

LEFT: Participants in the “In the Footsteps of St. Katharine Drexel” pilgrimage are welcomed to St. Peter Claver Church, one of several New Orleans churches and locations visited by the group where St. Katharine Drexel and her Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (SBS), had an influence and, in some cases, still do. CENTER: Cynthia Cooper (ITC - Information Technology Center) and Karen Watkins (President’s Office), both with 40 years of service, are feted during the annual Founder's Day Convocation. Fifty-nine long-time faculty and staff members were recognized. RIGHT: Xavier students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends showed up in force to help raise monies for student scholarships at the 22nd annual UNCF 5K Walk/Run held this past weekend in New Orleans’ Audubon Park.

LEFT: Re-live the glory days of Xavier athletics at a special exhibit, "Xavier University 1925-2001," now on display on the third floor of the Library Resource Center. The exhibit features team and game photographs, publications, trophies and other memorabilia from XU's intercollegiate and intramural teams and spirit groups. CENTER: Music faculty member Darah Rahming (second from right) greets four senior music performance majors from New Orleans – (L to R) Myron Hartford (Clark High School), Danielle Edinburgh-Wilson (McDonogh 35), Paul Robertson (St. Augustine) and Charles James (St. Augustine) – who are back on campus after sending their summer performing with assorted ensembles in Norway, Spain, Turkey/Greece and Spain, respectively, this past summer. Rahming herself toured with Porgy & Bess in Germany. RIGHT: World-renowned architect Cesar Pelli gets a tour of the campus from President Norman Francis while in New Orleans for the unveiling of his design for the new St. Katharine Drexel Chapel – construction of which is expected to begin next spring.

LEFT: Enthusiastic members of Xavier’s incoming Freshman class proudly display their new Class of 2013 baseball caps for the first time following the annual “capping” ceremony, part of the University's week-long New Student Orientation program. CENTER: A pair of coeds stop on the way to class to take advantage of one of the many hand sanitizer dispensers placed around the campus – part the University’s efforts to insure the continued health and well-being of faculty, staff and students during the nationwide H1N1 flu pandemic. RIGHT: First-year College of Pharmacy students sign their professional oaths at the annual White Coat Ceremony, during which the neophyte students received their first professional uniform - the white jacket - symbolizing ethical practice and signifying the beginning of their professional pharmacy educations.

The newest class of freshmen hits the campus for move-in day and the beginning of New Student Orientation Week and the fall semester: (left) Sharita Watkins of New Orleans and grandmother Rita Claiborne get a hand unloading their van from peer dean Kent Seals; (center) Christopher Nash of Ft. Wayne IN arrives on campus with his dad, Robert Nash Jr. '87, and mom, Barbara Nash; (right) Timothy Jackson of Auburn AL gets an assist from dad Eddie Jackson, sister Kimberly Jackson (herself an XU sophomore) and mom JoAnn Jackson.

(left) Joyous participants beat the drums during the Closing Liturgy & Ministerial Commissioning for this summer's Institute for Black Catholic Studies - click HERE for more photos; (center) Lisa Ray '91 and Leta Knighten '87 (flanking XU President Norman C. Francis '52) were among over 60 Xavier-educated pharmacists from the Chicago area who attended a reception at the Metropolitan Club hosted by the Office of Institutional Advancement to educate alumni about the ongoing College of Pharmacy expansion; (right) The City of New Orleans patiently waits in the background as the Qatar Pavilion expansion of the College of Pharmacy begins to take shape with workers systematically building up the levels floor-by-floor. Target date for completion is Spring 2010.

(left) Area alumni, family and friends enjoy the music at the New Orleans Alumni Club's annual Jazz Brunch; (center) It was all smiles at the grand opening of the College of Pharmacy’s new Health & Wellness Center, located next to the Wal-Mart store in Harahan, La. Among those on hand for the event were: (from left) COP associate dean Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, COP dean Dr. Wayne Harris, Walmart-Mart pharmacist Brandi Puglise ’04, XU president Dr. Norman C. Francis, renowned local chef Leah Chase and Center director Dr. William Kirchain. (right) Participants in the College of Pharmacy's COE Summer Enrichment program - (from left) Laurent Condor, Brandon Allen, Dominique Cook and Jalen Johnson - calculate the volume and density of unknown sustances during a lab sessions.

(left) Biology/pre-med majors (from left) Candice Glasgow of Los Angeles CA and Bianca Villavaso of New Orleans, here setting up a meter stick to measure force and torque during a physics class, are among the savvy students taking advantage this year’s summer session and program offerings; (center) Lagniappe Weekend, a summer initiation for regional students already admitted for the Fall 2009 semester, drew standing-room-only crowds; (right) President Norman Francis gets personal with incoming students and parents. [Click here for more Lagniappe Weekend photos]

(left) Prospective students from KIIP Pride High School in Gaston NC get a student-guided tour of the Science Complex; (center) Labs are alive once again as the Summer Session gets underway; (right) Seniors Paris Florence (left) and Meaghan Triplett of New Orleans put the finishing touches on a whimsical mural created by artist Elizabeth Traina for the Speech Pathology’s audiology booth, designed to soften the apprehension levels of their younger clients.

(left) President Norman Francis congratulates Lauchland Roberts and Kenesha Pace after they were awarded the University's top service awards - the St. Katharine Drexel and Mother Agatha Ryan awards, respectively - at the Baccaluareate Mass and Honors Convocation; (center) Nine 4.0 summa cum laude graduates - (front row, from left) Rosica Stanilova, Kirk LeBouef, Joseph Drexler-Dreis, Brittany Richardson, and Tina Tweedley, (back row) Jade Vincent, Grace Thacker, James Peavy and Mona Wexler - share a moment with Dr. Francis and the two honorary award recipients just prior to the ceremony; (right) Honorary degree recipients Donna Brazile and Forest Whitaker flank Dr. Francis on the Lakefront Arena Stage. Visit HERE for more commencement photos.

(left) President Norman Francis brings members of the National Alumni Board of Governors up-to-date on campus improvements and prospects for next year; (center) Biology professor Sister Grace Mary Flickinger SBS receives a medallion and certificate from VP for Academic Affairs Dr. Loren Blanchard and President Norman Francis during the first-ever Eminent Scholars 2009 Endowed Chairs and Professors Ceremony {visit HERE for more photos); (right) Soon-to-graduate pharmacy majors take the Pharmacist's Professional Oath during the annual College of Pharmacy Awards Banquet.

(left) President Norman Francis drops in on the krewe of student callers contacting Xavierites and friends seeking their financial support of the University’s vital mission during the 2009 Annual Fund Drive phonathon. (center) Following a time-honored college tradition, junior biology/pre-med majors (clockwise from bottom left) Leah Louisville of San Antonio TX (Earl Warren High), Cameron Williams of Temecula CA (Temecula High), Candace Hopgood of Normal IL (North Community West High) and Takeya Shanks of Springdale MD (Charles Flowers High) got together and hit the books extra hard when final exam time arrived; (right) Terry Scott, CEO of Scott Management Team DBA McDonald's Restaurant, (holding plaque) congratulates the winners of the XU Entrepreneurship Institute's campus-wide student business competition, including (from left) Verina Walker, Bretton LeFlore, Aaron Burgess, Jarroid Warner, Scott, Dominique Payne, Lawrence Chambers, Kory Twaites and Alexandra Broussard.

(left) Senior administrator-turned chef-for-the-day Calvin Tregre muscles past fellow VP Joseph Byrd and real-life Sodexho Chef Sirk Burras to secure some ingredients during the Quickfire Challenge held in the XU Dining Hall; (center) Biology professor Dr. Peter Barrett and five of his student researchers - Allan Augillard, Jenna Hill, Rebekah Sadaiappen, Lynez Preyan and Candice Lightbourne - proudly display their poster presenations at the annual Festival of Scholars, a campus-wide showcase of the scholarly student research sponsored by the Center for Undergraduate Research; (right) President Norman Francis makes remarks at the ground-breaking for the Louisiana Cancer Research Center.

(left) The current leadership of the XU Employee Credit Union – board treasurer and general manager Clifford Wright, veteran administrative assistant Gloria Wright, and board president William Jeffrion – enjoy a special campus luncheon celebrating the 50th anniversary of the venerable educational financial institution; (center) Students enjoy a clown and his balloon creations during the annual Springfest Celebration; (right) Meghan Ford, Arabic instructor Hind Ohmani, XU Language chair Dr. Susan Spillman, Najia Yassin and Ashley King don native Moroccan garb for a special presentation on life and culture in the northwest African nation. The program included a Moroccan buffet, a powerpoint presentation, music, a poster display and objects d'art from Morocco. 

(left) XU coeds get a demonstration of the latest computer applications from an Apple representative during the annual Technology Day, sponsored by the Office of Technology Administration (OTA) and the Information Technology Center (ITC); (center) freshmen Sydney Forneret and Whitney McGruder haul off the free gifts and prizes they won while attending the Technology Day event; (right) Admissions counselor Bryan Carraway chats with current XU sophomore Kelly Reddix, her sister and prospective student Robin Reddix and their mom Sondra Reddick during the Office of Admission's annual spring Open House.

(left) Business professionals address a classroom of XU students during the annual campus visit of the Youth Motivation Task Force/Black Executive Exchange Program (YMTF/BEEP); (center) Members of the Class of 2009 take advantage of rare opportunity to don their graduation gowns at the annual Black History Month Convocation; (right) Senior Cher’Lynn Shaw and juniors Stephen Willams and April Harry hang out with long-time XU math professor Dr. Lester Jones at the 23rd annual Fattah Conference on Higher Education.

(left) Historian Clarence Becknell '75 points out 1949 Life magazine cover trumpeting the late Louis Armstrong as King of Zulu, part of the “From Tramps to Kings” exhibit now on display through December 2009 at the Louisiana State Museum next to Jackson Square. The impressive display covers the history of Zulu from 1909 to the present via a vast collection of photos, artifacts and costumes; (center) Gold Rush standout Shaun Dumas splits three Dillard defenders on his way to scoring in XU’s 60-55 win, completing a sweep of the men’s/women’s doubleheader at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Crosstown Classic that drew 4,500-plus fans to  the New Orleans Arena: (right) Arcadia University representative Todd Karr explains his school's study abroad programs to freshman Jade Young and sophomore Erica Lewis during the Center for Intercultural and International Programs sponsored Study Abroad Fair held in the NCF Annex lobby.

(left) Comedian and leading civil rights activist Dick Gregory, keynote speaker for the 22nd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Week for Peace celebration, fires up the audience; (center) Okay, so it's not REALLY Barack Obama, but these coeds couldn't be more pleased pose with a cardboard facsimile of the new president during a day-long inauguration event held on campus; (right) Dr./Sr. Jamie Phelps leads a discussion group during the Black-Jewish Conference that also drew a crowd to campus.

(left) The long holiday break behind them, students returned to campus for registration and the beginning of the Spring 2009 semester; (center) Construction progresses at a steady pace on the College of Pharmacy’s Qatar Pavilion as workers complete the slab/support for the western stairwell. The final piles are being driven with pouring of the foundation to follow. The expected completion date is Fall 2009. (right) The excitement is building as Xavier and Dillard get ready to renew their long-running basketball rivalry Jan. 24 at the New Orleans Arena, with this year’s home men’s/women’s doubleheader being sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.