An Introduction to Xavier University
This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Aja Altenhof and MacGregor Yates in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.
What’s Covered:
Xavier University’s Jesuit Identity
Xavier University is a private Jesuit college. As part of its Jesuit identity, Xavier places a strong emphasis on developing students to become the best versions of themselves, both inside and outside of the classroom, and on ensuring that their students will better the world around them.
These values are evident through Xavier’s community service opportunities. At Xavier, students are both encouraged to give back to the local communities in and around Cincinnati, Ohio, as well as to those in other cities and states and abroad.
While community service is not required as part of Xavier University’s curriculum, it is something that most students choose to get involved with in some way during their four years on campus.
Xavier’s Diverse Student Body
Xavier University has approximately 5,200 undergraduate students, making it a small to medium-sized school. A student body of this size works well for Xavier because it helps it cultivate a tight-knit, family feel. Regardless of your grade level, major, interests, or background, it is easy to build lifelong connections and friendships with other students, particularly because of the school’s size and inclusive campus culture.
Xavier’s student body is representative of 48 different states and 43 different countries, making it quite diverse. While 56% of students hail from Ohio, there are plenty of students from around the nation and outside of the United States.
Additionally, only 40% of students come from its high school. While many incoming college students fear that they may be coming into an environment where most students already have preestablished friend groups, that is not the case at Xavier.
Student Orientation at Xavier
When new students first step foot on campus, they will go to Xavier’s new-student orientation. It’s unique in that it takes place over four days, leading up to the start of classes.
Students arrive on a Thursday, where they are greeted by a team of students who help move the new students’ belongings into their dorm rooms. These leaders are older Xavier students and are also responsible for leading orientation.
After the students have been moved in, the families attend an opening welcome speech delivered by Xavier University’s president, and then everyone splits up to attend different activities. Parents attend a parent reception, while students meet with their orientation group of about 25 other freshmen students.
For the next few days, students are led by their two assigned student leaders, who show them around campus, introduce them to resources, and prepare them for their first day of classes. These leaders are two upperclassmen that new freshmen can look up to and lean on in those first days on campus. New students also have the other freshmen in their orientation group whom they can build relationships with as they all collectively adjust to life at Xavier.
