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Presidential Inauguration of
C. Reynold Verret, Ph.D.
Sixth President of
Xavier University of Louisiana
Friday, February 26, 2016
11:00 a.m.
Xavier University Convocation Center
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HISTORY
There are over 100 historically Black and 262 Catholic colleges and universities in the United
States, but Xavier University of Louisiana holds the distinction of being the only Catholic
Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the nation. Xavier is committed to helping
students reach their highest potential while fostering their development into well-rounded global
citizens, as espoused in the University’s Mission Statement.
Xavier University of Louisiana was founded by St. Katharine Drexel (1858–1955) who was
canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000. St. Katharine was the daughter of banker-financier
Francis Drexel and was raised in a deeply religious Catholic household. Her profound love of
God and neighbor led her to challenge her nation and her Church to end their discriminatory
mistreatment of Native Americans and African Americans. She believed that serving the needs
of others, preaching God’s love for every person, and providing quality education were the keys
to achieving social justice and empowerment. To this end, St. Katharine used the interest from
her inheritance to establish and staff many elementary and high schools throughout the country
to educate Native Americans and African Americans. St. Katharine also founded a congregation
of religious women, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (SBS), to share in her dedication to
God and work for justice.
Aware of the dearth of Catholic-oriented higher education available to young African Americans
in the South and with a desire to train students who would become servant-leaders in society,
government and the Church, St. Katharine came to New Orleans in 1915 and established Xavier
as a college-preparatory high school. She chose the words on the cornerstone of Xavier’s main
administration building to reflect her vision: “God’s greatest work on earth is man; man’s master
art is leading men to God.” A Normal school for the training of teachers opened on the campus in
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HISTORY
1917; then, in 1925, Xavier University was born when the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
opened its doors. The first degrees were awarded three years later and the College of Pharmacy
was established in 1927.
Although many local residents were aware of Xavier’s existence, it was not until the 1932
dedication of the beautiful gothic administration building of Xavier’s current campus that
the University’s identity as Black and Catholic was proclaimed more broadly in publications
throughout the United States, including Time magazine. Today that identity remains as strong
as ever, and Xavier’s brand as the only Catholic HBCU continues to be a source of pride, dignity,
and inspiration for the Xavier community and beyond.
Up until 1968, the SBS owned and operated Xavier with a commitment to developing leaders
and encouraging self-determination for the University. In that year, control was transferred to a
lay board, and Dr. Norman C. Francis, a 1952 Xavier graduate, was appointed president, therein
realizing the Sisters’ and the institution’s commitment and mission. While the Sisters retained
no “reserved powers,” the by-laws of the corporation mandated that one-third of the trustees be
SBS. Currently, there are six SBS serving in the capacity of faculty or staff at Xavier.
St. Katharine was clear about the spiritual foundation, noble purpose, and core values of the
University. Xavier was to provide students with a liberal and practical education that also
ingrained in them the importance of giving back to society. Xavier, while continuously adapting to
meet the needs of the times, has remained faithful to its mission. Ninety years later, its founding
principles remain at the core of a Xavier education.
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C . R E Y N O L D V E R R E T, P H . D.
SIXTH PRESIDENT OF XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
The sixth president of Xavier University of Louisiana, Dr. C. Reynold Verret, is the University’s
second lay president. He was unanimously elected by Xavier’s Board of Trustees following an
exhaustive national search and began his tenure as president on July 1, 2015.
Throughout his career, Dr. Verret has worked to enhance student achievement, progression to
degrees, and advancement to promising professional careers. He has contributed to increasing
the number of students pursuing degrees in STEM and related disciplines as well as continuing
to advanced study. This has included successful initiatives to mitigate the shortage of qualified
science and math teachers in K-12 schools.
From 2012 - 2015, Dr. Verret served as provost and chief academic officer at Savannah State
University, the oldest public historically black university in Georgia. There he led the university’s
initiatives to build enrollment, enhance the quality and diversity of academic programs, and
create cooperative relationships with neighboring institutions and international partners.
Prior to his position at Savannah State University, Dr. Verret served as provost at Wilkes
University in Pennsylvania and as Dean of the Misher College of Arts and Sciences and
Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. At
these institutions, he led the revision of the general education curricula, oversaw accreditations,
developed international programs, established collaborative agreements with K-12 and higher
education schools, instituted new state-approved academic programs, promoted interdisciplinary
efforts between the humanities and sciences, and planned new facilities. Dr. Verret also served
on the faculty at Tulane University and at Clark Atlanta University, where he was chair of the
department of chemistry for many years.
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C . R E Y N O L D V E R R E T, P H . D.
SIXTH PRESIDENT OF XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
As a scientist, Dr. Verret’s research interests have included the cytotoxicity of immune cells,
biosensors, and biomarkers. He has published in the fields of biological chemistry and
immunology. At the University of the Sciences, he led a faculty effort to establish a knowledge
network on social exclusion in support of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health
within the World Health Organization.
Throughout his career, Dr. Verret has worked to build bridges across disciplines, recognizing
that significant questions and societal challenges require knowledge and analysis across many
fields. He has promoted interdisciplinary curricula between Liberal Arts, Humanities and the
Sciences that address the interplay of culture, science, and society and prepare students in all
disciplines for leadership roles.
He has served on many professional organizations and advisory bodies, including those of the
National Institutes of Health, the Board of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, and the
Georgia Coastal Indicators Coalition. He has received awards and fellowships for teaching and
scholarship.
In 1963, when Dr. Verret was 8 years old, he and his family escaped the atrocities of President
François Duvalier and settled in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Verret earned his undergraduate
degree cum laude in biochemistry from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was also a postdoctoral fellow at the
Howard Hughes Institute for Immunology at Yale University and at the Center for Cancer
Research at MIT.
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PA S T P R E S I D E N T S
Reverend Edward Brunner, S.S.J.
1927 – 1932
Mother M. Agatha Ryan, S.B.S.
1933 – 1955
Sr. M. Josephina Kenny, S.B.S.
1955 – 1965
Sr. Maris Stella Ross, S.B.S.
1965 – 1968
Norman C. Francis, J.D., LL.D
1968 – 2015
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INAUGURAL PROCESSION
The Grand Marshal
Student Leaders
Delegates of Academic Institutions,
Learned Societies, and Organizations
Board of Trustees
Presidential Advisory Board
University Faculty and Staff
Platform Guests
C. Reynold Verret, Ph.D.
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INVESTITURE PROGRAM
Grand Marshal...............................................................................................................Ron Bechet, M.F.A.
Professor, Department of Art
Announcer.................................................................................................... Michelle B. Boissiere, Ph.D., ‘86
Assistant Professor, Department of Biology
Processional Music...............................................................................................................Abram’s Pursuit
David R. Holsinger, b. 1945
Xavier University of Louisiana Symphonic Band
Directed by Timothy Turner, D.M.A.
Presentation of the Colors of the
United States of America and the
State of Louisiana.............................................................................. Xavier University of Louisiana
Police Department Color Guard
The National Anthem .................................................................................................... Francis Scott Key
Xavier University of Louisiana Chorus
Directed by John Ware, D.M.A., ‘77
Accompanied by Wilfred Delphin, D.M.A., ‘71
Invocation...................................................................................... Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn, D.Min, D.D.
The Occasion..............................................................................................................Deidre D. Labat, Ph.D.
Interim Provost and Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs
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INVESTITURE PROGRAM
Greetings
From the Students.................................................................................................................. Treyvon Merritt, ‘16
Student Government Association President
Rev. Laudy Merilant, O.M.I. (Hatian Creole), ‘17
Emmanuel Kouagou (French), ‘17
Edelmy Marin (Spanish), ‘19
Yasser Abdelaziz (Arabic), ‘16
Uyen Vu (Vietnamese), ‘17
From the Alumni........................................................................................................... James Paschal, Ph.D., ‘57
President, National Alumni Association
From the Faculty............................................................................................................Thomas Huckaba, Ph.D.
Chair, Coordinating Committee of the University Academic Assembly
From the Staff..................................................................................................................... Adrian Woods, Ph.D.
Director of Academic Programs, Student Academic Success Office
From the Board of Trustees..................................................................................................Michael M. Rue, J.D.
Chair, Xavier Board of Trustees
From the Presidential Advisory Board.............................................................................................Carol W. Suggs
Chair, Presidential Advisory Board
From the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.................................................... Sr. Donna Breslin, S.B.S., M.S.W.
President, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
Musical Interlude...................................................................................................................Elusive Dream
Toshiko Akiyoshi, b. 1929
Xavier University of Louisiana Jazz Ensemble
Directed by Timothy Turner, D.M.A.
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PROGRAM
Greetings
From the Archdiocese of New Orleans.................................................Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond, D.D.
Archbishop of New Orleans
From the Republic of Haiti...........................................................................................Ambassador Paul Altidor
Ambassador to the United States of America from Haiti
From the United States Congress.......................................................... The Honorable Cedric Richmond, J.D.
United States Congressman, Second Congressional District of Louisiana
From the City of New Orleans.............................................. The Honorable Mayor Mitchell J. Landrieu, J.D.
Mayor of the City of New Orleans
From the Louisiana Higher Education Community.......................................................Tina S. Holland, Ph.D.
President, Our Lady of the Lake College, Baton Rouge, LA
Musical Selection.........................................................................He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
Traditional American Spiritual
Xavier University of Louisiana Chorus
Directed by John E. Ware, D.M.A.
Accompanied by Wilfred Delphin, D.M.A. ‘71
Dara Rahming, ‘95, Kayla Lewis, ‘19
Introduction of C. Reynold Verret, Ph.D................................................................. Michael M. Rue
Presentation of University Symbols
Foundational Documents
University Charter......................................................................................... Ralph Johnson, M.B.A.
Senior Vice President, Administration
Mission of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament........ Sr. Patricia Suchalski, S.B.S., M.A., ’73; ‘85
Past President, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
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PROGRAM
Biography of St. Katharine Drexel by Sr. Consuela Duffy, S.B.S............ Terri M. Frazier, ‘06; ‘17
President, Pharmacy Student Association
University Seal.............................................................................................Randall Schexnayder, M.S., ‘80
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, College of Pharmacy
Sharlene Sinegal-DeCuir, Ph.D., ‘99
Assistant Professor, Department of History
University Mace..............................................................................................................Ron Bechet, M.F.A.
Academic Regalia..................................................................................................Ann R. Barbre, Ph.D., ‘70
Associate Dean, College of Pharmacy
Sr. Grace Mary Flickinger, S.B.S., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Biology
Clifford Wright, J.D.
Professor, Division of Business
Chain of Office..................................................................................... Norman C. Francis, J.D., LL.D., ‘52
President Emeritus, Xavier University of Louisiana
Board Appointment............................................................................................................. Michael M. Rue
Blessing of Dr. Verret......................................................................... Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond
Investiture.............................................Michael M. Rue, Sr. Donna Breslin, S.B.S., Norman C. Francis
Presidential Address..........................................................................................C. Reynold Verret, Ph.D.
President, Xavier University of Louisiana
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PROGRAM
Alma Mater
In the Mississippi Valley, In the Crescent Bend
Stands our loved and noble Xavier, Far her praises send.
(Refrain)
Wave her colors bear them onward, Gold and white so true
Hail to thee, all hail, dear Xavier, Hail, all hail, X.U.!
Xavier, ever be our guide, And lead us on the way,
Through life’s journey, onward, upward, To the eternal day. (Refrain)
Xavier University of Louisiana Chorus
Benediction............................................................................................... Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond
Recessional..................................................................................................................... Grazing In The Grass
Hugh Masekela, b. 1939
Xavier University of Louisiana Brass Band
Featuring Michael White, Ph.D.,
The Rosa and Charles Keller, Jr. Endowed Chair in the Arts and Humanities
Directed by Timothy Turner, D.M.A.
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D E L E G AT E S
15
1701
Yale University
Beau Babst, B.A.
Alumnus
1935
Norfolk State University
Camellia Okpodu, Ph.D.
Professor, Biology
1754
Columbia University in the
City of New York
Frederick G. Kushner, M.D.
Alumnus
1836
Emory University
David T. Okou, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
1766
Rutgers, The State University
of New Jersey
Joan W. Bennett, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor of Plant
Biology and Pathology
1841
Fordham University
Mark Suprenant, J.D.
Alumnus
1789
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
Clifford M. Kenwood, M.R.P., M.B.A.
Alumnus
1842
1821
George Washington University
Aristide Collins, Jr., Ed.D.
Vice President, Development
and Alumni Relations
1821
University of the Sciences in
Philadelphia
Mignon Adams, M.S.L.S.
Professor Emeritus
1831
1834
New York University
Marc A. Walters, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chemistry
Tulane University
Michael A. Fitts, J.D.
President
1867
University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign
Jose Schutt-Aine, Ph.D.
Professor, Electrical and
Computer Engineering
1869
Dillard University
Walter M. Kimbrough, Ph.D.
President
University of Notre Dame
Roderick West, J.D.
Alumnus
1869
University of California
System
Loren J. Blanchard, Ph.D., ‘84
Executive Vice Chancellor,
Academic and Student Affairs
1842
Villanova University
Jody Fortunato
Alumnus
1870
Benedict College
David H. Swinton, Ph.D.
President
1846
University at BuffaloState University of New York
Tilman Baumstark, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Provost,
Faculty Affairs
1870
St. John’s University
Russell J. DiGate, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Pharmacy and
Health Sciences
1855
Millersville University of
Pennsylvania
Aminta Hawkins-Breaux, Ph.D.
Vice President, Advancement
1860
Louisiana State University
and Agricultural and
Mechanical College
Austin Allen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, College of
Art and Design
1871
West Chester University of
Pennsylvania
Vernon Harper, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for
Planning and Academic
Administration
1877
University of Detroit Mercy
Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D.
President
D E L E G AT E S
1881
Spelman College
Kimberly Jackson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chemistry
and Biochemistry
1910
Radford University
Irvin Clark, Ed.D.
Associate Vice President and
Dean of Students
1933
Wilkes University
Jack Chielli, M.A.
Associate Vice President,
Marketing Communications
1885
University of Saint Thomas,
Minnesota
Don Francis, Jr., M.S.W.
Alumnus
Denmark Technical College
Leonard McIntyre, Ph.D.
President
John Carroll University
William F. Ryan, J.D.
Alumnus
Jarvis Christian College
Shirley A. Friar, Ph.D.
Vice President, Planning,
Strategic Initiatives and
Compliance
1948
1886
1912
Savannah State University
Cheryl D. Dozier, D.S.W.
President
Loyola University New Orleans
Reverend Kevin W. Wildes, S.J., Ph.D.
President
L.E. Fletcher Technical
Community College
Kristine Strickland, Ph.D.
Chancellor
1890
1912
1948
Nicholls State University
Bruce T. Murphy, Ed.D.
President
Buena Vista University
Barbara J. Byrne, Ph.D.
Vice President for Academic
Affairs and Dean of the Faculty
University of Holy Cross
David M. Landry, Ph.D.
President
1948
1891
1916
Southern University at
New Orleans
Victor Ukpolo, Ph.D.
Chancellor
University of Louisiana at
Lafayette
DeWayne Bowie, Ph.D.
Vice President, Enrollment
Management
New Orleans Baptist
Theological Seminary
Steve W. Lemke, Ph.D.
Provost
1956
1898
1917
1921
Delgado Community College
Joan Y. Davis, J.D.
Chancellor
1958
University of New Orleans
Randy Moffett, Ed.D.
Interim President
1901
Grambling State University
Willie D. Larkin, Ph.D.
President
1923
Our Lady of the Lake College,
Baton Rouge, LA
Tina S. Holland, Ph.D.
President
1973
South Central Louisiana
Technical College
Melvin J. Harrison, M.Ed.
Director, Student Affairs
1910
North Carolina Central
University
Undi Hoffler, Ph.D.
Interim Vice Chancellor, Research
and Economic Development
1931
Louisiana State University
Health Sciences CenterNew Orleans
Larry H. Hollier, M.D.
Chancellor
1988
Clark Atlanta University
Myron N.V. Williams, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chemistry
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UNIVERSITY SYMBOLS
University Seal: The words on the seal in Latin translate to, “If God be with us, nothing is to be
feared” which is a deep rooted maxim of Xavier’s foundress, St. Katharine Drexel. The gold and the white
are Xavier’s colors, and the green signifies confidence in God. The lion, symbol of courage and strength,
represents the Xavier student, nourished with the wheat, which is a symbol of the Blessed Sacrament.
The crescent symbolizes Mary, the mother of Jesus. It also represents the city of New Orleans which is
often referred to as the “Crescent City.”
University Mace: The mace is a ceremonial reminder of the university’s power and authority. It is
carried in all University Convocations and Ceremonies including Commencement. Staffs are important
ritual and ceremonial objects in both West African and Native American cultures. The mahogany staff,
carved by the late Calvin Moret, is reminiscent of the royal staffs of Ghana’s Asante people. A carved
diamond motif is repeated on the staff. Two cast bronze bands punctuate the length of the staff. The top
band bears the seal of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament on one side and the fleur-de-lis design is on
the opposite side. The founding year of the University, 1925, is carved on the front side of the lower band.
Motifs of the medicine man’s eye, a Native American symbol for wisdom, and an Asante adinkra symbol
with the words: “He who does not know can know from learning” are carved on the back side. The mace
was designed and made by Ron Bechet, the Victor H. Labat Endowed Professor of Art.
Chain of Office: The chain is worn with the Presidential Regalia as a sign of authority, continuity,
and allegiance to the institution. It consists of the University Seal on a chain with sections engraved
with the names each of the previous presidents and their terms of office It is symbolic of the President’s
guardianship over the mission and resources of the University.
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A C A D E M I C R E G A L I A in American Colleges and Universities
In the United States, as a result of our English heritage, caps and gowns have been used from colonial
times, particularly at Columbia (King’s College), New York University, the University of Pennsylvania,
Bryn Mawr, Yale and others. About 1885 there was a widespread student movement in America to wear
caps and gowns at Commencement ceremonies. The graduating students seemed to feel a need for a
significant and dignified apparel for the occasion, and the democratic as well as the traditional qualities
of the cap and gown appealed to them. The faculties were quick to approve this practical and dignified
graduation dress, and soon members of the faculty themselves adopted the custom of wearing gowns at
academic ceremonies, and an occasional hood even appeared, though fashioned after no particular code
as to pattern and color.
In 1895 the Intercollegiate Commission presented to American institutions of higher learning the
Intercollegiate Code. This simple, adaptable Code regulated the design or pattern of the gowns and hoods
and the colors and materials to be used. Its subsequent adoption by fully 95 percent of the colleges and
universities in the country has given America a beautiful and impressive, yet extremely simple method of
signifying academic honors.
Since its adoption in 1895, the Code has been revised a number of times most recently in 1959. Just as
the Code governing design and usage has evolved, so have the gowns themselves. The most notable change
has been the switch to light, man-made fabrics. The new fabrics hold their press better, drape in a more
shapely manner, and are much cooler than the heavy materials of days gone by.
The Code provides for three types of gowns. Those for bachelors are made of black material, and have
long, pointed sleeves. The master’s gown is made with an oblong sleeve, open at the wrist. The rear part of
its oblong shape is square cut, and the front part has an arc cut away.
The doctor’s gown is made with bell-shaped sleeves and like the master’s gown it is designed and supplied
with fasteners so that it may be worn open or closed, but generally it is worn closed.
The gown is faced with velvet and has three bars of velvet on each sleeve. The color of the velvet trim may
be black or the same color as the velvet which edges the hood. The black Oxford or mortarboard style cap
is worn for all degrees, but only the doctor’s cap may be made of velvet, and only doctors or presidents of
institutions may wear a gold tassel on the cap.
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It is the hood, however, which is the most important and distinctive feature of the American Code. The
system established by the Intercollegiate Commission, when understood, enables anyone attending an
academic function in this country to distinguish at a glance the bachelors, masters and doctors, and at the
same time recognize the university which has given the degree.
The doctor’s hood, of black cloth matching the gown, is four feet in length and made with a wide panel.
The master’s and bachelor’s hoods are three and one half and three feet in length respectively. They are
made of black cloth matching the gowns and follow the Oxford shape. The hoods for all the degrees are
lined with silk in the official academic color or colors of the institution conferring the degree. These colors
are not, by the way, necessarily the same as the school’s athletic colors, though in many cases they are.
The Commission solved the problem regarding the lining of hoods conferred by universities or colleges
having more than one official color by using the chevron, a heraldic device. For example, the official Xavier
colors are gold and white, so a Xavier hood is lined in gold with a white chevron. The red and blue of
the University of Pennsylvania are combined in a similar fashion. As America has so many schools, it is
natural that the same color must be used more than once. This problem has been solved by using different
shades of a color.
The binding or trim of all hoods is of velvet or velveteen, two inches, three inches and five inches wide
for the bachelor’s, master’s and doctor’s degrees respectively. The color of this velvet trim indicates the
department or faculty to which the degree pertains, each department having been assigned a different
color by the Intercollegiate Code; for instance white is for arts, scarlet for theology, blue for philosophy,
and so on.
In assigning the colors to signify the respective faculties, the Intercollegiate Commission retained the
historical associations. The white border used for the department of arts and letters is taken from the
white fur trimming of the Oxford and Cambridge bachelor of arts hoods. Red has been the traditional
color of the church throughout all ages; hence the scarlet for theology. The royal purple of King’s Court
signifies the law. Green, the color of medicinal herbs, stands for the faculty of medicine. Blue, the color of
wisdom and truth, signifies philosophy. Golden yellow indicates science, because through research untold
wealth has been given to the world. The Oxford pink has been adhered to for a degree in the department
of music; while olive was selected for pharmacy because it is closely allied with the green of medicine; and
the russet brown of forestry is a tribute to the old-time dress of the English foresters.
The E. R. Moore Company
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XAV I E R U N I V E R S I T Y B OA R D O F T R U S T E E S
Michael Rue, J.D., Board Chair
President, Marketplace Properties
Marie V. McDemmond, Ph.D., ‘69
President Emeritus, Norfolk State University
Sonia Perez, B.J., Board Vice Chair
President, AT&T Louisiana
Alden McDonald, Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Liberty Bank and Trust Company
Gladstone Jones, III, J.D., Board Secretary
Senior Managing Partner, Jones, Swanson,
Huddell, & Garrison, L.L.C.
James Mitchell, Jr., M.B.A.
Manager, The Rock Creek Group
Justin Augustine, III, B.S., ‘81
Chief Executive Officer Regional Transit Authority
Regional Vice President, Veolia Transdev
The Honorable Marc H. Morial, J.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer,
The National Urban League
Sr. Donna Breslin, S.B.S., M.S.W.
President, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
Sr. Jane Norton, S.B.S., M.A, ‘74
Pastoral Ministry, St. Charles Barromeo Parish, New York, NY
Mark Goodman, M.A.
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, MG Capital Holding, Inc.
Sr. Marianne Poole, S.B.S., M.A., ‘66
Smithson Craighead Academy, Nashville, TN
Most Reverend Curtis John Guillory, S.V.D., M.Div., M.A.
Bishop, Diocese of Beaumont
Sr. Barbara Specker, S.B.S., M.A., ‘71
Pastoral Ministry, St. Barbara Parish, Philadelphia, PA
Carla Harris, M.B.A.
Vice Chairman, Wealth Management, Morgan Stanley
Frank Stewart, Jr., B.B.A.
Chairman, Stewart Capital, L.L.C.
Sr. Stephanie Henry, S.B.S., M.A, ‘00
Pastoral Ministry, St. Ignatius Parish, Philadelphia, PA
Roderick West, J.D.
Executive Vice President and
Chief Administrative Officer, Entergy
Toni Hoover, Ph.D.
Director, Strategy, Planning, and Management,
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Mary Zervigon, J.D.
President, Keller Family Foundation
The Honorable Ivan L.R. Lemelle, J.D., ‘71
Federal District Judge
C. Reynold Verret, Ph.D., Ex-Officio
President, Xavier University of Louisiana
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Carroll W. Suggs, Chair
Kenneth Carter, J.D.
Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn, D.Min., D.D.
Frances Gray Fayard, J.D.
Janice Martin Foster, J.D.
Richard Freeman, M.B.A.
James M. Garner, J.D.
Victor Labat, Jr., B.A.
Ti Adelaide Martin, M.B.A.
Myron E. Moorehead, M.D.
The Honorable Senator Edwin R. Murray, J.D.
Colvin Norwood, J.D.
Reverend Wayne C. Paysse, M.Div.
Ashton Phelps, Jr., J.D.
Peter Quirk, B.Engr.
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INAUGURAL PLANNING COMMITTEE
Pamela Franco
Co-Chair
Marguerite S. Giguette
Co-Chair
Ralph Johnson
Co-Chair
Nedra Alcorn
Ann Barbre
Ron Bechet
Marion Bracy
Tasha Brower
Jean-Guy Celestin
Sr. Donna Gould, S.B.S.
Amelia Jenkins
Kathleen Kennedy
Tony Moore
Sonia Perez
Scott Price
Mark Romig
Joyce Sandifer
Nannette Smith
Gia Soublet
Taylor Thornton
Gerald Villavasso
Emily White
Clifford Wright
Sr. Monica Loughlin, S.B.S.
Ex-Officio
Michael Rue
Ex-Officio
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Mission of the University
Xavier University of Louisiana, founded by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament,
is Catholic and historically Black. The ultimate purpose of the University is to contribute to the promotion
of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a
global society. This preparation takes place in a diverse learning and teaching environment that incorporates all
relevant educational means, including research and community service.
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