Saturday, February 19, 2011

Parents Exploring New Orleans Colleges Should Check Out Xavier Louisiana University

By David Mims


Families that are scouting for a college for their ambitious high school student would do well to check out Xavier Louisiana University. A campus visit in the Junior or Senior year is an important part of the search process.

Xavier is a school that will appeal to a special type of student. It was founded by St. Katherine Drexel who was the second of only two Americans to be canonized by the Catholic church. Growing out of her ministry to the children of former slaves Xavier is the only university in America that is historically Black and Catholic.

Born in 1858, Katherine Drexel was wealthy and well educated. She was raised with a sense of duty to those less fortunate. When she told the Pope that she wished to donate her fortune to supporting ministry in Black and Native American communities he suggested she go to them herself.

Xavier University is one of the many schools founded by Katherine Drexel. Her heritage lives on here, both in the school's dedication to the Catholic faith and in its stated purpose to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society. Students here are expected to excel academically.

Xavier prepares students to become leaders in their chosen professions and agents for positive change within a global society. A significant number of Black pharmacists in the United States are graduates of Xavier. The pre med faculty is remarkable for the number of its graduates accepted into medical schools.

The fact that there is no football team at Xavier is a clue to what the school's priorities are. However there is an active athletics program and plenty of competitive events that attract legions of fans. A variety of activities provide parents and families with reasons to visit.

A great time to visit is during Lagniappe Summer Weekend, usually held late in May. This weekend serves as Freshman Orientation for new students and as an introduction for prospective students and their parents. Students will stay in campus housing but parents will need to make their own arrangements for lodging. Fortunately that isn't difficult.

Located in the Triangle section of New Orleans, Xavier is close to a number of fine hotels. The Holiday Inn Metairie New Orleans Airport hotel is only about five and a half miles from the Xavier campus. Visitors will enjoy a good night's rest after a long day of meeting, greeting and sight seeing.

Guests will find complimentary WiFi throughout the hotel. There is also a fitness center and outdoor swimming pool for guests who want to get a little exercise before they turn in. They will also find refrigerators, coffee makers and 32inch HD TVs in every room.




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