Xavier University
Graduate Commencement
Xavier's Heritage
Xavier University was the first Catholic institution of higher learning in the Northwest Territory. It is the fourth oldest Jesuit university and sixth oldest Catholic university in the United States.
The school was founded in 1831 as a men’s college, the Athenaeum, in downtown Cincinnati, adjacent to St. Xavier Church. Bishop Edward Fenwick dedicated the school to the patronage of Francis Xavier. Then in 1840, Fenwick’s successor, John Baptist Purcell, asked the Society of Jesus to take control of the school, and the Jesuits changed the name to St. Xavier College. In September 1911, St. Xavier College purchased 26 acres from the Avondale Athletic Club. The College and St. Xavier High School split in 1919 when the College moved to its present site in Avondale. In 1930, the College was renamed Xavier University reflecting its growth and complexity.
While women had been attending Xavier’s evening college since its early years, Xavier’s undergraduate “day” college became coeducational in 1969. In 1980, Xavier acquired the Edgecliff College programs and integrated them with those at Xavier, and by 1987 Edgecliff faculty, staff and students were moved onto the Xavier campus.
Xavier’s growth in the nearly two centuries since its founding reflects its origins as a teaching institution which soundly prepares students for careers or graduate study or both. A Xavier education, particularly at the undergraduate level, is marked by the emphasis on liberal arts learning contained in Xavier’s core curriculum. Equally important in the Xavier tradition is the synthesis of human, cultural and ethical values; concern and respect for people; and an appreciation of the worth and dignity of the self and others as core values of a Jesuit Catholic education.
Vision Statement
Through individual attention, education of the whole person, and academic excellence grounded in the Jesuit Catholic tradition, Xavier will mark its 200th anniversary as one of the nation’s premier doctoral/professional universities.
Purpose Statement
Founded in 1831 as the sixth Catholic university and fourth Jesuit university in the United States, Xavier University forms students who change the world for the better.
Mission Statement
Xavier is a Jesuit Catholic university rooted in the liberal arts tradition. Our mission is to educate each student intellectually, morally, and spiritually. We create learning opportunities through rigorous academic and professional programs integrated with co‑curricular engagement. In an inclusive environment of open and free inquiry, we prepare students for a world that is increasingly diverse, complex and interdependent. Driven by our commitment to educating the whole person, promoting the common good, and serving others, the Xavier community challenges and supports all our members as we cultivate lives of reflection, compassion and informed action.
The University Mace
A mace is a custom‑made piece of art, and sometimes crafted from relics of the university. It can be decorated with gems and precious metals, sometimes in the official university colors. The mace of Xavier University was designed and crafted by Bernard Schmidt, Professor Emeritus, of the department of art. The mace symbolizes the legal and chartered authority of Xavier University. It is brought into the gathering immediately before the President. Historically, the mace was a war club. In the Middle Ages it was carried by a bodyguard to defend a person of authority. Today, its purpose is strictly ceremonial, and it is carried by the Grand Marshal. During the ceremony the mace rests at the front of the stage in its holder.
Academic Apparel History and Significance
The history of academic dress and its significance has its beginnings from the earliest days of the old universities. As early as the 14th century, some colleges required scholars to wear long gowns. Specifications of academic apparel became greatly diversified in Europe. In May 1895, representatives from colleges and universities in the United States met at Columbia University to adopt a national standardized intercollegiate academic apparel code. The “Intercollegiate Bureau of Academic Costume” was formed in 1902 to serve as the information source in matters pertaining to academic dress. In 1932 the American Council on Education appointed a committee to revise the apparel codes established in 1895. Review and revisions to the 1895 academic apparel codes occurred in 1932 and 1959.
Gowns
The gown for the bachelor’s degree has pointed sleeves and is worn closed. The master’s degree gown has oblong sleeves which open at the wrist and is designed with fasteners so that it may be worn open or closed. Both the bachelor’s and master’s degree gowns are blue with no trim. The robes worn by Xavier’s doctoral candidates are blue. The sleeves of the doctoral robes are longer than the master’s and have three velvet bands around each sleeve above the elbow. Doctoral gowns from other universities are most often black, but some universities have adopted colors. In an effort to support more sustainable consumption, all Xavier gowns are made from 100% post‑consumer recycled materials.
Hoods
Hoods are worn for the master’s degree. The material of the hood is black and is made of the same material as the gown. The master’s hood should be three and one‑half feet in length and lined with the official color or colors of the college or university conferring the degree. The edging is to be three inches of velvet or velveteen with the color being distinctive of the subject to which the degree pertains. The colors that pertain to Xavier’s degrees are as follows:
- ArtsWhite
- BusinessDrab
- CounselingLight Blue
- Criminal JusticeNavy Blue
- EducationLight Blue
- ScienceGold
- Health Services AdministrationKelly Green
- NursingApricot
- Occupational TherapySage Green
- PsychologyGold Sports
- Studies/Sports ManagementLight Blue
- Urban SustainabilityLilac
The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
The hooding ceremony is the traditional ceremony for conferring the doctorate. Graduates are greeted and escorted by the chair of the student’s dissertation committee. The hooding itself is carried out by the Dean of the college and the chair of the student’s dissertation committee.