Xavier to Celebrate 2,100-plus Graduates at Spring Commencement on Saturday

May 11, 2023

Xavier University’s 185th Commencement Ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 13 at the Cintas Center.

For this year’s spring commencement, Xavier will confer 1,465 undergraduate degrees and 640 graduate degrees to a group representing 20 countries and nations. These figures also include graduates from August 2022 and December 2022 in addition to the spring graduates.

These 2,100-plus students will be recognized at two separate ceremonies on Saturday — the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony will begin at 9:00 a.m., with the Graduate Commencement Ceremony to follow at 2:30 p.m.

A livestream of each ceremony will be available on the Xavier Commencement homepage.

Retired General Michael X. Garrett (‘84) will give the undergraduate commencement address. Holding a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Xavier, Garrett retired as a four-star general after nearly 40 years of service in the United States Army. He ultimately served as Commanding General of U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), the Army’s largest command. Garrett sits on the board of directors for both First Command Financial Services Inc. and the Semper Fi & America’s Fund. He also serves as a Distinguished Senior Fellow on National Security with the Middle East Institute and as a senior mentor for the Army War College.

The graduate commencement speaker is Neil Tilow (’74, ‘80 M.S.). Tilow is the president and CEO of Talbert House, a position he has held since 1982. Talbert House provides a broad range of programs in four key areas: substance abuse, mental health, community corrections, and welfare-to-work/homelessness with a continuum of care that includes prevention, assessment, treatment and reintegration services. These services are directed to a broad-based population including children, adults and families.

Graduates will join the network of more than 80,000 Xavier alumni from across the globe.

Additionally, several members of the Xavier family will be honored with awards for outstanding achievements in their work:

• Roy Nayar Barrón (’15), is the winner of this year’s Magis Award, which recognizes Xavier alumni who, within 15 years of graduation, have achieved a high degree of excellence and embody Jesuit morals and ethical values. After graduating with a degree in political science, Barrón moved to Oregon, where he worked for Umatilla County as a bilingual victim service advocate and drug court counselor. He served as a mental health provider for the RISE Program within the Hermiston School District, which fosters resilience, inspiration and success within students at the K-12 level.
• The late Capt. Phil Bucklew (’36), one of the most decorated military servicemen in Xavier history, is the recipient of the Charles P. Gallagher Leadership Medallion, which recognizes exceptional individuals for leadership accomplishments of the highest distinction in their field or professional career such as medicine, law, education, science, business, government and public service.
• Kandi Stinson, PhD, who has distinguished herself for teaching, research and service at Xavier for the past 35 years, is the winner of the Paul L. O’Connor, S.J., Award, which goes to individuals who have served Xavier in extraordinary ways, and whose life and work exemplify the spirituality of Ignatius of Loyola, a spiritual style that embodies a blend of humanism, pragmatism and service.
• Sister Rose Ann Fleming, who has made a lasting, positive impact on Xavier students through her work with Xavier Athletics for more than 40 years, is the recipient of the St. Francis Xavier Medal, which recognizes outstanding individuals who, through their lives and endeavors, exemplify the qualities that made Francis Xavier a saint of action, courage, daring and imagination; and who have manifested high moral principles in their professional lives.
• Kevin Crawford, MD (’98), a current member of Xavier’s Board of Trustees, is the winner of the Distinguished Alumni Award, having established himself among the most successful and well-respected dermatologists in the country. The award recognizes Xavier alumni who have given outstanding service to the University and/or society and whose life reflects Jesuit morals and ethical values.

Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-longest-running Catholic university in the nation. U.S. News & World Report ranks Xavier as one of the best universities in the country, while The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 388 Colleges in America." Follow Xavier on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok.