�ؾ���

In the News

Xavierite Excellence

Alumni Spotlight

Faculty & Staff Highlights

Athletics News

In the News

Xavierite Excellence 

Alumni Spotlight

Faculty & Staff Highlights

Athletics News

• In the News
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
• �ؾ��� has won a 2024 Gracie Award for its original online programming "TONED" 
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

Xavierite Excellence 

Alumni Spotlight

Faculty & Staff Highlights

•  
• Dr.  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

Athletics News

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
• The Xavier cheerleading squad won a title, and Gabrielle Union couldn't hold back tears 
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

In the News  

Xavierite Excellence  

Alumni Spotlight  

•  
•  
•  
• Alums  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

Faculty & Staff   

Athletics   

In the News 

• �ؾ��� honors the legacy of its alum and former president, Norman C. Francis, with a statue unveiling during Black History Month. -  
• Xavier is ranked as the #2 HBCU in the nation for financial payoff for Black graduates. -  
• �ؾ���’s foundress, Saint Katherine Drexel, is highlighted as a significant part of Christian history -  
• �ؾ��� was announced as the location for season three of BET+’s “College Hill: Celebrity Edition” -  
• �ؾ��� is among the 10 institutions to receive a portion of a $14 million grant to fund liberal arts and humanities education -  
• Xavier celebrates Black History Month with a series of events. -  
• �ؾ��� launches a new rowing club, which makes it one of 2 HBCUs to have a rowing program, a venture that could increase diversity in the sport -  
• Tamar Braxton, Saucy Santana, Blac Chyna and more are set to star in season 3 of BET+’s College Hill: Celebrity Edition, which will take place at �ؾ��� -  
• �ؾ��� is a part of a new consortium that secured a $160 million grant for an energy transition initiative -  
• Paramount Pictures is giving $50,000 to support scholarships that will be awarded to students attending �ؾ��� and other HBCUs. Applications are open from April 1 through April 30, 2024. To apply, students can visit -  
• �ؾ��� is noted for the financial payoff it offers its students in a story on how HBCUs are powerhouses for progress -  
• Tracey Edmonds has recently received an award from the New Orleans City Council for the contributions made by her company, Edmonds Entertainment, in promoting the cultural richness of District B and the City of New Orleans. Congressman Leslie Harris and the City Council presented the award to Edmonds Entertainment for showcasing the city’s vibrant diversity and highlighting the unique contributions of �ؾ���. -  
• Tech & Learning magazine names Kaplan’s All Access License, which allowed students at HBCUs, including �ؾ���, to have access to free test prep for admission exams, as the winner of its Best of 2023 contest -  
• The Gambit gives the McMillan-Stewart Foundation a thumbs up for its $300,000 donation to �ؾ��� to create a new scholarship for students struggling financially -  
• �ؾ��� a part of a multi-institution project to help combat land and ecological losses in the Mississippi River Delta -  
• �ؾ��� is one of the universities involved in the MissDelta project, which collects data on the coastal water levels and ocean waves inside the Birdsfoot region of the Mississippi River and uses that data to analyze extreme storm surges and wave events. -  
• In a gift by a former archivist at �ؾ���, OperaCréole has been granted the opportunity to restore and produce the score of Edmond Dede’s “Morgiane,” which had previously been thought to be lost for 100 years until discovered in the collections of Harvard’s Houghton Library. -  
• Xavier’s Norman C. Francis Academic Science Complex addition is highlighted as one of Billy Sizeler’s architectural projects. -  
• �ؾ��� was represented during an HBCU fair at Curtis High School in Staten Island to make higher education more accessible for students of color. -  
• The story of Elma Booker, a dance instructor in New Orleans in the 1920s who used to have recitals at Xavier, can be found in the Amistad Research Center -  
• King Zulu 2024 facilitates financial contributions to educational institutions, including �ؾ���. Queen Zulu 2024’s maternal grandfather graduated from Xavier as well. -  
• �ؾ��� is one of the HBCUs where Hulu screened its newest show, “Black Cake.” -  
• The Gambit gives �ؾ��� a thumbs up for receiving a $1.5million grant from the Mellon Foundation -  
• �ؾ��� president, along with other HBCU presidents in the state, will have to create a list of 3 nominees that the governor will appoint to a council for the success of the state’s Black male population -  
• �ؾ��� is one of the participating institutions in the UNCF climate report for HBCU leadership in climate change and sustainability -  
• �ؾ��� kicked off its Louisiana Can initiative to combat the HIV epidemic with an event held on February 7, 2024 -  

Xavierite Excellence 

• A team of students from �ؾ��� is among the finalists in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar District Cup competition, where teams compete to design distributed energy solar systems for a real-world district. -  
• Students from Xavier attended the 2024 Legacy Bowl Career Fair. -  
• Students at Xavier are taking part in the Power Decide Ambassador Program, which is part of the global healthcare company Organon’s next phase of programming for “Her Plan is Her Power,” which improves access and outcomes related to unplanned pregnancy in the U.S. -  
• Incoming student Wayne Randall-Bashay from New Iberia has signed with Xavier’s men’s basketball team. Randall-Bashay played a crucial role in last year’s record-setting Division I runners-up team -  

Alumni Spotlight 

• Dr. Norman C. Francis (‘52), President Emeritus of Xavier, was spotlighted as a Black pioneer in New Orleans. -  
• Jojo O’Conner (‘21) has been featured in a media highlight as the fiance of Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. -  
• U.S. Congressman Troy Carter (‘86) gives a statement on the passing of Daniel Packer Jr., former president of Entergy New Orleans. -  
• U.S. Congressman Troy Carter (‘86) gives a statement on the passing of former Councilwoman Wilma Irvin. -  
• In 1972, a new bank, Liberty Bank and Trust, led by �ؾ��� Emeritus President Norman C. Francis, asked Alden McDonald Jr. to join their ranks and has since grown to be the largest Black-owned bank in the U.S. -  
• Dr. Bruce Hamilton (‘93) makes up the 4% of dentists in the nation who are Black and encourages others to join the field. -  
• Dr. Steven Noble (‘00), a cardiothoracic surgeon with Chesapeake Regional Healthcare, inspires more Black men to enter the medical field. -  
• Sherlette Hendey-Newbill (‘94) is endorsed by the Dorsey Community for her candidacy for LAUSD Board District 1 -  
• Emory James Clark (‘52) is honored in the city of Cambridge for becoming the first, and so far the only, Black pharmacist to own and operate his own pharmacy in the city. -  
• Dr. Norman C. Francis (‘52), President Emeritus of Xavier, had assistance from activist Father Louis J. Twomey, S.J., to convince the Jesuit priests at Loyola University New Orleans to admit Dr. Franics as the law school’s first Black student. -  
• Leslye Colvin (‘81) is the chair for the NETWORK Advocates Board -  
• Dr. Cea C. Tillis (98) is honored for Black History Month in Hammond. -  
• Xavier President Emeritus Dr. Norman C. Francis (‘52) is one of the notable members of the Bunch Club, a 107-year-old organization that helps Black men and the Mardi Gras New Orleans community. -  
• Dr. Joy Harden Bradford (‘00), of the podcast “Therapy for Black Girls,” talks about her new book, “Sisterhood Heals,” on a podcast, emphasizing the importance of sisterhood -  

Faculty & Staff 

• Reynold Verret, �ؾ��� president, will put forth three nominees along with other HBCU presidents that the governor will appoint to a council for the success of the state’s Black male population -  
• President Verret was on a panel to address the importance of pipeline partnerships. -  
• Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, the Melba Fortuné Martinez Endowed Professor in the counselor education program and director of the Center for Equity, Justice, and the Human Spirit (CEJHS) at �ؾ���, hosted a webinar that celebrates the resilience of the Black community throughout history. -  
• Ron Bechet, Labat Professor of Art at Xavier, was named as one of the board of trustees members for the New Orleans Museum of Art. -  
• Faisal Abedin, adjunct professor of physics, is the author of this research into the neurotoxicity of Alzheimer’s disease. -  
• Helena Robinson, Xavier’s director of sustainability and quality control, was highlighted as a Citizen’s Climate Lobby volunteer for her work to reduce carbon emissions. -  
• Aliyah Bell (‘23), assistant director of sustainability and quality control at Xavier, was spotlighted as a volunteer for the Citizen’s Climate Lobby for her work to reduce carbon emissions at the university -  
• Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, the Melba Fortuné Martinez Endowed Professor in the counselor education program and director of Xavier’s (CEJHS), hosted a webinar on the detrimental effects of structural racism on the mental and physical health of young children. -  
• Dr. Norman C. Francis is spotlighted as a Black pioneer in New Orleans for being the first Black President of �ؾ��� and the first Black graduate of Loyola University Law School. -  
• To change street names rooted in white supremacy, the city changed Jefferson Davis Parkway to Norman C. Francis Parkway after Xavier’s President Emeritus, prominent alum, and civil rights activist Dr. Norman C. Francis (‘52). -  

Athletics  

• �ؾ��� welcomes a historic new rowing club, the second-ever rowing program to be offered at an HBCU, with a kickoff event in partnership with New Orleans Rowing Club (NORC) and BLJ Community Rowing. -  
• Xavier’s women’s basketball team wins 4th consecutive game with 75-66 win over Texas College -  
• Xavier’s men’s basketball team beats University of the Southwest 75-65 to move into third place in the Red River Athletic Conference -  
• Xavier’s women’s basketball team dominated the University of Southwest in a 77-38 win -  
• �ؾ��� men’s basketball team pulls away in the second half for victory over Jarvis Christian -  
• �ؾ��� men’s tennis team, with the help of Jacobi Bain (junior), defeated Dillard in a 5-2 victory -  
• TJ Jones (graduate student) led the Gold Rush to a significant victory over Huston-Tillotson in a Red River Athletic Conference men’s basketball game with 10 rebounds and 25 points in 25 minutes. -  
• �ؾ��� women’s basketball team clinches its 23rd consecutive winning season with a win over Jarvis Christian, its fifth consecutive victory -  
• Xavier’s women’s basketball team won against Huston-Tillotson thanks to Taylor Dewitt’s (graduate student) and Zaria Harleaux’s (senior) combined 17 fourth-quarter points. -  
• �ؾ��� women’s basketball team wins 76-61 over North American University, making it their 6th consecutive win -  
• At the Thresher Invitational hosted by Bethel College, �ؾ��� Cheer had the highest daily score, with 97.73 the first and 97.8 the second. -  
• Xavier’s women’s tennis team won against LSU-Shreveport -  
• Xavier’s men’s basketball team beat the LSU Shreveport Pilots. -  
• Southern University at New Orleans is bringing back its baseball program, hoping to have a similar success as �ؾ���, which made it to the Black College World Series in its first few seasons of bringing back its baseball program -  
• Xavier’s baseball team defeated rival Dillard University in a doubleheader Saturday at Wesley Barrow Stadium. -  
• Xavier’s women’s basketball team won against Huston-Tillotson thanks to Taylor Dewitt’s (graduate student) and Zaria Harleaux’s (senior) combined 17 fourth-quarter points. -  
• �ؾ��� men’s basketball team, led by graduate student TJ Jones (graduate student), wins 104-69 against North American University -  
• Xavier’s women’s basketball team won against LSU-Alexandria. -  
• The Gold Nuggets solidified their hold on the second place in the conference as they continued their second seven-game win streak -  
• Xavier’s Rowing Club (XRC) is celebrated as only the second of its kind at an HBCU. -  

In the News

• �ؾ��� announced it will open a medical school to combat the lack of representation in the healthcare field and improve educational equity. -  
• �ؾ��� Received a $1.5M grant through the Mellon Foundation’s “Humanities for All Times” Initiative -
• �ؾ��� co-hosted the screening of a film about Jim Crow in Haiti in their Convocation Center on Martin Luther King Day -  
• �ؾ��� will host the fourth and final art exhibition organized by SEEING BLACK this Spring -  
• �ؾ��� is building an $80 million residence hall to house the influx of out-of-state students. -  
• �ؾ��� has partnered with the University of Manchester in the U.K. -  
• bEHR Health Systems, Inc., a start-up health tech company based on �ؾ���’s campus dedicated to utilizing health equity practices to maximize health in the Black community, is hosting its ‘Official 2024 Mardi Gras Steps Challenge’. -  
• The Louisiana Cancer Research Center is accepting applications for SUCRE, its summer undergraduate research program, and selected students can explore and develop their interests by working in a research lab with an assigned faculty mentor from member institutions, including �ؾ���. -  
• Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins traveled to New Orleans and met with students and faculty at Xavier and the New Orleans Military and Maritime Academy to speak about the importance of investing in next-generation leadership and the need for diversity in STEM, foreign policy, and international security. -  
•  

Xavierite Excellence 

• Brianne Chiasson (P4) and John Michael Houeye (P4) competed on the national level as representatives of Xavier after winning a local skills competition. -

Alumni Spotlight 

• Farrah Rochon (‘98) is noted as being a New York Time's bestselling author who began writing in between her classes at Xavier. -  
• Troy A. Carter, Sr. ('86), U.S. Representative for Louisiana’s Second Congressional District, released his "Year in Review" for 2023. -  
• Naomi Winston ('21) was featured on "CBS Mornings" for inclusive coloring books that tackle colorism, a problem Naomi first started to unlearn and outgrow at Xavier -  
• Dr. Pierre Johnson ('02), distinguished OB-GYN, was the keynote speaker during an MLK commemorative breakfast in Beloit, Wisconsin. -  
• Leonard Lightfoot (‘04), Brandon Cole (‘06), Jamin Butler (‘04), Gino Jones (‘04), and Christopher Bolder (‘05), who founded the Black Coffee Co., were featured by Afro Tech for their entrepreneurship and philanthropy in helping the next generation of students succeed. -  
• Dr. Brian L McGee ('98) was named one of the influencers of the year by "Arkansas Money & Politics (AMP).” -  
• Joyce Carter ('69) is recognized by a local Chicago newspaper for her 2023 Alumnus of the Year award. -  
• Dr. Marion Smith (‘74), exhibits coordinator at The Museum and Railroad Historical Center in Greenwood, South Carolina, is readying an extended exhibit with multiple parts of Black History Month observances affiliated with The Museum’s exhibit, “Reaching Higher: South Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.” It opens Feb. 3 -  
• Nikia A. Laurie ('96) was appointed interim director of the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical Biotechnology Research Institute at North Carolina Central University in Durham. -  
• Joyce Carter ('69) was applauded by for her 2023 Alumnus of the Year award.-
• Chandra Scott ('99) is the executive director of Alabama Possible, a Birmingham non-profit that works to eradicate poverty, which spearheaded and hosted the nation's first-ever Historically Black Community Colleges (HBCCs) conference on February 8-9 in Mobile, Alabama. -
• Annie Easley was a black scientist in an era when segregation still prevailed in the United States. -  

Faculty & Staff  

• Reynold Verret, President of Xavier University, was a speaker during the Louisiana Workforce Summit. Troy A. Carter Sr. ('86), U.S. Representative for Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District, cohosted the event with Workday. -  
• Monica Pierre, an assistant professor in �ؾ���’s Mass Communications Department, won her 3rd career Emmy for the documentary she executive produced, “Battlegrounds: The Lost Community of Fazendeville.” -  
• Dr. Cirecie Olunatuji-West, the Melba Fortuné Martinez Endowed Professor in the counselor education program and director of Xavier’s Center for Equity Justice and Human Spirit (CEJHS), hosted webinar about promoting success in Black children -  
• Dr. Silas Lee, professor of sociology and political analyst, shares his thoughts on the battle over Louisiana's voting map. -  
• Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, the Melba Fortuné Martinez Endowed Professor in the counselor education program and director of Xavier’s Center for Equity Justice and Human Spirit (CEJHS) and Dr. Constance West, adjunct faculty in Xavier's Division of Education, offered a pre-recorded two-part training designed to help Black Mothers. -

Athletics Highlights 

• Taylor Dewitt (graduate student), is named the RRAC Player of the Week for the second time this season -  
• TJ Jones (graduate student) is the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Player of the Week. -  
• Kennedy Wade (senior) was a repeat selection Wednesday on the 2023 All-Louisiana women’s volleyball team, earning a spot on the second team. Ruxandra Flueras (junior) and Taylor Parker (freshman) also received honorable mentions. -  
• Taylor Dewitt (graduate student) was a runner-up for the Greater New Orleans Amateur Athlete of the Month for December due to her excellence on the basketball court. -  
• TJ Jones (graduate student) helped the Xavier men’s basketball team take the lead to win in the final minute of the game against Our Lady of the Lake. -  
• Taylor Dewitt (graduate student) averaged 17.4 points, 7.4 rebounds in five games and shot 57.7 percent from the floor and 71.1 percent from the line for the �ؾ��� women’s basketball team. -  
• Adrian Holloway, head baseball coach at Xavier, speaks at the second annual Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Baseball Bash at The Cannery in New Orleans. -
• Xavier's men's basketball team pulls away in the second half to win 78-63 against Houston-Tillotson -  
• Xavier's women's basketball team is 5-0 in their conference after winning against Huston-Tillotson -  
• Xavier's women's basketball team ties a record for scoring defense when they outscored Our Lady of the Lake 18-4 in the second quarter -  
• �ؾ��� earned a Red River Athletic Conference women’s basketball victory against Texas A&M-Texarkana. -  
• �ؾ��� earned a Red River Athletic Conference men’s basketball victory against Texas A&M-Texarkana. -  

• The Moguldom Nation -  
• Beckers Hospital Review -  
• Victory Sports Network -  
• Victory Sports Network -  
• Victory Sports Network -  
• Forth Worth Magazine -  
• Inside Higher Ed -  
• Wbrz.com -  
• NOLA.com -  
• Inside Higher Ed -  
• Global Health Newswire -  
• WWL TV -  
• US News -  
• Beckers Hopsical Review -  
• Fox 8 -  
• Biz New Orleans -  
• Louisiana Radio Network -  
• Beaumont Enterprise -  
• Theintelligencer.com -  
• New Orleans City Business -  
• The Dothan Eagle -  
• HBCU Buzz -  
• The Clarion Herald -  
• DOT Med -  
• Fox News -  
• The National Catholic Reporter -  
• The Philadelphia Tribune -  
• L’Observatuer -  
• The Northwest Arkansas Democratic Gazette -  
• The Record -  
• The Louisiana Weekly -  
• The Tablet - (United Kingdom) 
• EurekaAlert -  

• KLAF -   
• WWNO -   
• UConn Today -   
• NOLA.com -  
• UAB News -   
• Senator Cassidy’s newsroom -   
• Fox 8 -   
• NOLA.com -   
• Best-universities.net -   
• Baptist News -   
• Fox 8 -  
• US News -  
•  (New Zealand) -  
• NOLA.com -  
• MyNewOrleans.com -  
• NOLA.com -  
• Entrepreneur.ca (Canada) -  
• The Day -  
• Major League Baseball -  
• Our Community Now -  
• Yahoo Finance -  
• PharmaBix.com -  
• 247 Sports -  
• Nach-Welt (Germany) -  
• Abante (Philippines) -  
• WBKO -  
• Bowling Green Daily News -  
• NOLA.com -  
• WWL TV -  
• Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette -  
• 4State News -  
• Hawkeye Report -  
• WGNO -  
• The Billings Gazette -  
• KCRG -  
• Newschannel20.com -  
• Fox 16 -   
• Oil City News -   
• KMA Land -    
• The News Gazette -   
• KGWN TV: Wyoming News Now -   
• Chatsports.com - p  
• Nation of Blue -  
• Purdue Exponent -   
• Chatsports.com -  
• Creighton University Athletics -  
• Marquette University Athletics -   
• UK Athletics (United Kingdom) -   
• DePaul University Athletics -  
• WDSU -   
• KTVQ -  
• Montana Sports -  
• University of Minnesota Athletics -  
• Observer Today -  
• Times Observer -   
• Lebanon Democrat -   
• BRProud.com -   
• The Tennessee Tribune -  
• Biz New Orleans -   
•  -  
• Louisiana Illuminator -  
• 247 Sports -   
• Canadian Insider (Canada) -   
• NOLA.com -   
• The Advocate -  
• KATC -  
• NOLA.com -  
• WGNO -  
• ACI Prensa (Peru) -   
• KTBS -   
• BRProud.com -   
• Moguldom -   
• The Louisiana Weekly -  
• Lobservateur -  
• Louisiana Illuminator -  
• Bossier Press - L  
• Bossier Press -   
• Star Local Media -   
• Tyler Morning Telegraph -   
• University of Louisiana Lafayette Newsroom -  
• Sports Illustrated -   
• Yahoo News -  
• The Washington Post -  
• American Magazine -  
• HBCU Sports -  
• NOLA.com -  
• BR Proud -  
• WWLTV -  
• Yahoo! News -  
• Fox 8 -  
• WAFB -  
• L'Observateur -  
• USA Life Sciences -  
• Marketscreener (Italy) -  
• Metropoles -  
• Biz New Orleans -  
• Ebony - ' 
• Yahoo! News -  
• New Orleans City Business -  
• Saportareport -  
• Our Community Now -  
• Ed.gov -  
• India Education Diary -  
• Journal of Blacks in Higher Education -  
• MenaFN -  
• Brittanica -  
• Fox 8 -  
• KPLCTV -  
• KSLA -  
• NOLA.com -  
• WGNO -  
• Guru Focus -  
• KATC -  
• NOLA.com -  
• The Advocate -  
• Fox 8 -  
• NOLA.com -  
• WGNO -  
• Yahoo! News -  

• - NBCLX
• - WDSU
• - Business Insider
•  
• - The Clarion Herald
• - WWLTV.com (4WWL)
• - WGNO
• - Louisiana Radio Network
• - Higher Education Reporter
• - Chronicle of Philanthropy
• - WDSU
• - The Advocate
• - AP-NOLA
•  

•  
• Xavier Ranked as Top University in Louisiana for Graduates who successfully enter the Job Market

• WGNO-TV - 
• NOLA.com - 
• NOLA.com - 
• WDSU TV - [video]
• NOLA.com - 
• WWL-TV - [Video] 
• Fox 8 TV -  [3 Xavier-educated Doctors]
• NOLA.com - 
• N.O. Advocate - 
• WVUE - [Video] [Troye Madison-Washington '82 MA '87]
• EWTN News - 
• New Orleans Magazine - 
• Best Value Schools - 
• Philadelphia Inquirer - 
• Chicago Tribune -  [Dr. Pierre Johnson '02]
• Washington Post - 
• WDSU-TV - [Video] 
• N.O. Advocate - t
• NOLA.com - 
• AZfamily.com - 
• N.O. Advocate - 
• NOLA.com  - 
• PBS Newshour - 
• NOLA.com - 
• ViaNolaVie - 
• Fox News - 
• Fox News - 
•  
• Best Value Schools - 
• Nola.com - 
• Ranker.com - 
• Zippia.com - 
• USC News -  [Keairez Coleman]
• JBHE - 
• Archdiocese of Philadelphia - 
• WGNO-TV- 

• Qatar University Newsroom - 
• NOHC This Week at the Collection - 
• Knowledge@Wharton - 
• Birmingham Times - 
• Catholic Philly - 
• The Conversation.com -  [President Reynold Verret]
• Associated Press - 
• U.S. News - 
• N.O. Advocate - 
• WBOK - [Audio] 
• Nola.com - 
• Catholic News Agency - 
• Diverse Issues - 
• NOLA.com - 
• Forbes - 
• Biz - 
• Inside Higher Ed - 
• Biz - 
• NOLA.com - 
•  - Indoor Public Pool, 2nd District NOPD Station Open in Gert Town