Xavier University

Who is a Woman of Excellence?

The answer is simple. A woman of excellence is any woman who believes in Xavier's mission of educating men and women for others, and plays some role in helping to advance this mission. This can include serving as a mentor, attending a Xavier event, joining the Women of Excellence Giving Circle or simply spreading the word about all the incredible things that are happening at Xavier.

The Women of Excellence was created to engage you, and to highlight all of the wonderful things Xavier does that we believe might be of interest to you, as a woman of excellence. We hope you enjoy reading news from Xavier and learning about our plans for the year ahead.

Celebrating the
40th Anniversary of Women

Though Xavier was founded as a traditionally all-male institution of higher learning more than 175 years ago, its Jesuit benevolence spilled beyond the campus boundaries—and the social norms of the times—as the University offered its educational opportunities to women in various ways throughout the years. As a result, women have played a vital role in the University's legacy and development since the early 1900s.

Now, 40 years after women were first admitted as full-time students, women are in the classrooms, on the faculty, in the administration and on the Board of Trustees. They are fully engaged in shaping how far the University has come and will continue to help shape the direction of its future.

We'll have a full year of events celebrating the legacy of women. Check out the sampling of planned events to the right. Additional information will be available soon.

Woman Named Associate Dean at the Williams College of Business

Hema Krishnan, PhD, has been named associate dean of the Williams College of Business at Xavier University. Krishnan is a nationally known scholar with an outstanding portfolio of teaching, research and service. She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where she earned her PhD in 1993 in the area of strategic management. She joined Xavier in 1993 and became a full professor in 2005. You can learn more about Krishnan online.

Important dates and news from the Williams College of Business:

• July 25 and Aug. 1 - GMAT review sessions. For more information, e-mail xumba@xavier.edu.

• Register for one of the MBA Information Sessions in Hailstones Hall

• Aug. 1 - Suggested deadline for applying to the evening MBA program

• Aug. 15 - Deadline for applying to the Executive MBA program

• Xavier MBA is on Twitter. Follow our updates!

Giving Circle Grant Recipient Profiles

The Women of Excellence Giving Circle distributed its first grant awards in April. To keep you informed about the grant recipients and their projects, we will provide updates and profiles through our quarterly newsletter and our web site.

Proponents for Parents

A student club at Xavier, Proponents for Parents strives to accommodate, advocate and provide resources to parenting students, as well as faculty and staff. This club was created in 2007-08 as a result of an earlier investigation into pregnancy resources which was completed by the Students for Life club. Proponents for Parents works to promote a family-friendly atmosphere on campus that will serve to increase retention rates for students at Xavier who are juggling the pressures of academics as well as the demands of parenting. The 2008-09 academic year was a pivotal year for Proponents for Parents as they assisted in making the Women's Center officially designated as a lactation-friendly space on campus, obtained a grant from Women of Excellence to install changing stations in the Gallagher Student Center restrooms, and compiled a list of babysitters which will be available beginning with the fall semester of the 2009-2010 school year. Proponents for Parents will continue their work on campus under the advisement of Jennifer Wies, PhD, Director of Xavier's Women's Center.

Reaching out to Young Alumnae

This summer WOX is reaching out to our young alumnae in a new, fun way. Happy hour! In an attempt to grow awareness about Women of Excellence and the Giving Circle, we have asked young alumnae in the area to host their own personal events at popular local restaurants and night spots. Each host invites a small group of friends to the locale of her choice. She introduces them to the Women of Excellence and the Giving Circle and invites them to join. Young alumnae (graduates from 2000-2009) can join the Giving Circle at a special rate of $100 x the number of years since graduation. If you or a friend are interested in hosting a young alumnae Giving Circle event, please contact Erin Swietlik, director for young alumni at swietlike@xavier.edu or 513-745-2081.

Mentoring Update

A total of 57 students participated in the first year of the Xavier University mentoring program. The program now boasts 39 students with a little over half of the mentors associated with the Women of Excellence. Women of Excellence is committed to bringing a diverse and talented group of mentors to the Career Services program, directed by Bethany Kilgore, Assistant Director, Experiential Education and Mentoring.

The mentoring program had over 76 percent of females participating with the largest group of students majoring in communication arts. We're currently working to bring mentors to the juniors and seniors of the Department of Criminal Justice, as well as the Sophomore Discovery program, which is a focused effort involving multiple campus offices and departments.

Mentoring will be a key focus and all sophomore students will be encouraged to have a mentor.  As mentoring takes off this upcoming fall, please consider serving as a mentor by signing up on the Women of Excellence mentor web site.

Ensuring Lasting Memories

Marcia Poggione and Michelle Early, members of the Xavier University Library's Content Management team, are making sure we remember the past 40 years of women at Xavier. They are working with the Women's Center to archive the materials related to the coeducational history of the University. Throughout the past two years, the Women's Center has collected photographs, reports, pamphlets, and audio remembrances from women and men in the Xavier community. These materials will be digitally stored on Xavier's content management web site.

Upcoming 40th Anniversary Events

Upcoming Campus Events

Peace and Justice - Just Off Victory Summer Garden Programs

All programs at Peace and Justice Programs Dorothy Day House - 745-3560

Women's Health at Twelve Series (bring a lunch)

All programs at the Women's Center - 1415 Dana Avenue

Xavier Music Series

All performances at Gallagher Student Center Theatre - 745-3161