Xavier University facts for kids

For other uses, see Xavier University (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids
Xavier University

Latin: Universitas Xaveriana
Former names	Athenaeum (1831–1840) St. Xavier College (1840–1930)
Motto	Vidit Mirabilia Magna (Latin)
Motto in English	He has seen great wonders
Type	Private university
Established	1831; 194 years ago (1831)
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic (Jesuit)
Academic affiliations	AJCU ACCU GCCCU CIC
Endowment	$269 million (2024)
President	Colleen Hanycz
Provost	Rachel Chrastil
Academic staff	392 Full-time 399 Part-time
Students	5,648 (spring 2024)
Undergraduates	4,455 (spring 2024)
Postgraduates	1,193 (spring 2024)
Location	Cincinnati , Ohio , United States
Campus	205 acres (83.0 ha)
Colors	Navy Blue - White - Silver
Nickname	Musketeers
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – Big East Conference
Mascot	D'Artagnan the Musketeer The Blue Blob

Xavier University is a private Jesuit university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It is one of the oldest Catholic and Jesuit universities in the country. About 5,600 students attend Xavier, including both undergraduate and graduate students. The university has its main campus in Cincinnati and also offers nursing programs in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio.

Xavier University focuses on a liberal arts education. It follows the Jesuit tradition, which means students learn through community service and courses that connect different subjects. Faith, philosophy, and ethics are also important parts of their studies. Xavier's sports teams are called the Xavier Musketeers. They compete in NCAA Division I as part of the Big East Conference.

History of Xavier University

St. Xavier Church and College in 1848

Xavier University is the fourth oldest Jesuit university and the sixth oldest Catholic university in the United States. It started in 1831 as a college for men in downtown Cincinnati. It was first called The Athenaeum and was next to St. Francis Xavier Church. Bishop Edward Fenwick named it after Saint Francis Xavier.

In 1840, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) took over the college. Its name changed to St. Xavier College to honor St. Francis Xavier, a Spanish Jesuit missionary. In 1912, St. Xavier College moved to its current location in Evanston, about 5 miles (8 km) north of downtown Cincinnati. The college bought 26 acres (0.11 km²) from a sports club for its new campus.

St. Xavier College and St. Xavier High School became separate schools in 1919. They became financially independent in 1934. In 1930, the college changed its name again to Xavier University, which it still uses today. Women began attending evening, weekend, and summer classes at Xavier in 1914. In 1969, women were fully admitted to all programs. Another Catholic college in Cincinnati, Edgecliff College, joined Xavier University in 1980.

What Students Learn at Xavier

Xavier University offers many different study programs. Students can choose from over 90 undergraduate majors and 40 graduate programs. These programs are offered through different colleges, including Arts and Sciences, Professional Sciences, Nursing, and the Williams College of Business.

Some popular majors include nursing, business, biomedical sciences, psychology, and biology. All students must complete a set of required courses called the Core Curriculum.

University Rankings

Xavier University is recognized by several organizations for its quality education.

U.S. News & World Report ranked Xavier among the top national universities for 2025.
Princeton Review included Xavier in its list of 'Best 378 Colleges in America' for 2024.
U.S. News & World Report also ranked Xavier's undergraduate business programs highly in 2022-23. This included business analytics, entrepreneurship, marketing, and finance.
Xavier was also ranked among the best undergraduate teaching programs by U.S. News & World Report.

Smith Hall, home to the Williams College of Business

Core Curriculum Courses

All undergraduate students at Xavier must complete the Core Curriculum. These are required courses in different subjects. They include:

Xavier's Campus

The Gallagher Student Center

The Xavier University campus covers about 205 acres (0.83 km²) in the Evanston neighborhood of Cincinnati. The Gallagher Student Center and Bellarmine Chapel are at the heart of the campus. Bellarmine Chapel has a unique roof shape that looks like a saddle.

Academic Buildings

Six buildings with a castle architecture style face Victory Parkway on one side of the Academic Mall. These include Lindner Hall (Physics), Logan Hall (Chemistry), Albers Hall (Biology), Hinkle Hall (Math, Computer Science, English, History, Philosophy, Theology), Schmidt Hall (University Administration), and Edgecliff Hall (Music).

On the other side of the Academic Mall are Walter Schott Hall (Admissions, Financial Aid, Languages, Classics, Communication Arts, Political Science, Sociology), McDonald Library (University Library and Archives), and Alter Hall (main classrooms). Our Lady of Peace Chapel was moved to the Academic Mall in 2018. It is a small chapel that was originally built in 1938.

Academic Quad and Residence Halls

The Academic Quad, also known as the Hoff Quad, is east of the Academic Mall. It has the Conaton Learning Commons (student support), Smith Hall (Williams College of Business), and Hailstones Hall (classrooms).

North of the Academic Mall is the Residential Mall, where four residence halls for younger students are located: Brockman, Buenger, Kuhlman, and Husman. The area between Kuhlman, Husman, and Gallagher is called "The Xavier Yard." Justice Hall, a residential complex for older students, opened in 2011. It also has the main dining center for the campus.

Justice Hall, one of the university's main residence halls

West and East Campus Areas

West Campus is across Victory Parkway. It has athletic facilities like J. Page Hayden Field (baseball), Corcoran Soccer Field, Schmidt Fieldhouse, and the Heidt Champion Center. Academic buildings on West Campus include St. Barbara Hall and the Armory (ROTC program), Joseph Hall (Education and Sports Studies), and Elet Hall (Psychology).

The Cintas Center is next to the Residential Mall. This is where the Musketeers play their basketball games. It has 10,250 seats and also includes conference and banquet centers. The A. B. Cohen Center, near Cintas Center, houses the Art Department and Xavier Art Gallery. The Health United Building opened in 2019. It has a recreation center, a health and wellness center, and classrooms for nursing, occupational therapy, and other health programs.

Xavier Sports Teams

Musketeers logo

Xavier's sports teams, the Musketeers, compete in NCAA Division I in the Big East Conference. Xavier offers eight sports for men and eight for women. The university has a very high graduation rate for its athletes, one of the best in the nation. Xavier teams often have rivalries with local universities, like the University of Cincinnati.

Xavier was a founding member of the Midwestern City Conference in 1979. It later joined the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1995. In 2013, Xavier moved to the new Big East Conference. The basketball and volleyball teams play in the 10,250-seat Cintas Center, which opened in 2000.

Men's Basketball Team

The Xavier men's basketball team is very well-known. They have had a lot of success, reaching the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament in 2004, 2008, and 2017. Since 1985, every men's basketball player who played all four years has graduated with a degree.

Baseball Team

Hayden Field seen from Hinkle Hall

The Xavier baseball team won the Big East Championship in 2014 and 2023. They also won the Atlantic 10 tournament in 2009.

Swimming Team

The Xavier men's swim team has won the Big East Conference Championship several times. They won in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2021. This includes two "three-peats" (winning three years in a row).

Club Sports

Xavier also has many club sports for students, faculty, and staff. These clubs offer competitive, recreational, and instructional activities.

In 2017, the Xavier Men's Rugby Club team reached the Final Four in the National Small College Rugby Championship, finishing 3rd in the country.
The Xavier Men's Volleyball Club Team took 2nd place at Nationals in April 2019. In 2022, they won the national championship.

Xavier Mascots

Xavier University is special because it has two mascots!

D'Artagnan the Musketeer is the official mascot. The idea for a Musketeer mascot came about in 1925.
The Blue Blob joined in 1985. The original Musketeer mascot sometimes scared younger fans, so a friendlier mascot was needed. The Blue Blob is a furry creature that has appeared on TV and in magazines. It even has its own merchandise like bobble-head dolls and T-shirts. There's an annual "Blue Blob Appreciation Night" during basketball season. The Blue Blob has also appeared in commercials for ESPN.

Faith and Community Service

The Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice is a key part of Xavier University's mission. It helps students become "men and women for others."

Student Programs for Service

The center helps new students connect with each other and offers many chances to serve the community. Students can:

Work in the Nexus community garden.
Volunteer weekly with local organizations through the X-CHANGE program.
Participate in Community Action Day, where the whole university and alumni volunteer.
Help at the St. Francis Seraph Soup Kitchen once a month.
Go on Alternative Breaks to serve in the United States and other countries during school breaks. About 25 such trips are offered each year.

Students at Xavier perform over 60,000 hours of community service each year. Many programs also include time for students to think about their experiences.

More in-depth service opportunities include:

Summer Service Internship: 20 students live on campus and work for local non-profit organizations.
Graduate Internship: Recent graduates work with the center's staff.
Year-of-Service Fair: This event introduces students to over 50 options for a year of service after graduation, both in the U.S. and abroad. Popular programs include Peace Corps, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and Americorps.

Student Newspaper

The Xavier Newswire is the university's independent student newspaper. Students publish it every week during the school year. It started in 1915 and was first called The Xavierian News. The newspaper staff meets to create the paper on Tuesday nights. Since 2010, they have met in the Gallagher Student Center on campus. The Newswire started printing in color in 2008.

Notable Alumni

Many successful people have graduated from Xavier University, including:

Danny Abramowicz, professional football player
J. Kenneth Blackwell, former Ohio Secretary of State
John Boehner, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Jim Bunning, former U.S. Senator and professional baseball player
Charles Geschke, co-founder of Adobe Systems
Brian Grant, professional basketball player
John C. Lechleiter, former CEO of Eli Lilly and Company
Jack Miles, Pulitzer Prize winner
James Posey, professional basketball player and coach
Julianne Smith, U.S. Ambassador to NATO
David West, professional basketball player
Garry Wills, author

Notable Faculty

Some well-known people have also taught at Xavier University:

John J. Gilligan, former Congressman and Governor of Ohio
Henry Heimlich, known for the Heimlich Maneuver
Boris Podolsky, physicist