Xavier University holds the distinction as the only university which is both Black and Catholic, out of the 102 historically Black and 253 Catholic colleges in the United States. Located in New Orleans, this small liberal arts college was founded as a high school in 1915 by Blessed Katharine Drexel of Philadelphia and her Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious community dedicated to the education of Blacks and Native Americans.

   Over the years, several more entities were added such as a normal school in 1917, the four year college program in 1925, the College of Pharmacy in 1927, and the Graduate School in 1933.

   Xavier ranks first in the nation in the number of African American students earning undergraduate degrees in biology, physics, and the physical sciences overall. It ranks first in enrolling and graduating African Americans in pharmacy, nearly 25% of the 6,000+ African American pharmacists practicing in the U.S. today coming from Xavier. It ranks first in placing African am American students in medical schools.

   In fact, the 70% acceptance rate of Xavier graduates at medical and dental schools is almost twice the national average, and 93% of those who enter medical and dental schools complete their degree programs.

   The nearly 4,000 student body is comprised of approximately 53% New Orleans area residents, the balance primarily from out-of-state, the Virgin Islands, and 27 foreign countries. Still predominantly African American and the Catholic emphasis has remained, although the campus is clearly multi-denominational today.

   Students interact among the university's numerous buildings including men's and women's dormitories, student center, relatively new Living/Learning Center, and new $20 million science addition. Dedicated in 1998, the latter more than doubled the size of he previous science complex built in 1987. For off-campus activities there are a myriad of historical and cultural sites and attractions to visit, plus fine cuisine and world-class music, all of which has made New Orleans famous around the world.

ADDRESS: 1 Drexel Drive, New Orleans, LA
PHONE: 504-486-7411
WEBSITE: http://www.xula.edu