The Vision

During his inaugural speech in September 2001, Xavier University President Michael J. Graham, S.J., keenly aware of the impact a university and its surrounding region can have on each other, posed a challenging idea:

"What is the great conversation that might occur between [us] if we found ourselves around a common table ...? What might we study then, teach then, learn then, research, report and write about then?"

The answers are being realized with the help of the James and Delrose Eigel Center for Community-Engaged Learning.

The Eigel Center serves as a catalyst for the efforts of faculty, students, administrators and staff to partner with the broader community to promote student learning and community well-being. It answers the call in the University's strategic plan for a "community-engaged learning network" by serving as its hub. And most important it builds on Xavier's strong tradition of service by encouraging students to dig deeper to discover the mutual benefits of community engagement.