Xavier University of Louisiana Xavier University of Louisiana ( XULA ) , located in the Gert Town section of New Orleans , Louisiana , in the United States , is a private , coeducational , liberal arts college with the distinction of being the only historically black Roman Catholic institution of higher education . History . Located in New Orleans , Xavier University of Louisiana was established in 1925 when St . Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament founded the coeducational secondary school from which it evolved . Drexel , supported by the interest of a substantial inheritance from her father , banker - financier Francis Drexel , founded and staffed many institutions throughout the United States in an effort to help educate Native Americans and Blacks . Aware of the serious lack of Catholic - oriented education available to young Blacks in the South , St . Katharine came to New Orleans and established a high school on the site previously occupied by Southern University . The High School continues on today as Xavier University Preparatory School , known as Xavier Prep . A Normal School , offering one of the few career fields ( teaching ) open to Blacks at the time , was added two years later . In 1925 Xavier University became a reality when the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences was established . The first degrees were awarded three years later . In 1927 , a College of Pharmacy was opened . Recognizing the university ' s need for a separate identity and room to expand , St . Katharine bought a tract of undeveloped land for a campus on the corner of Palmetto and Pine Streets in 1929 . Construction of the U - shaped , gothic administration building ( now a city landmark ) was completed in 1933 . Through the years , as needs dictated , the campus gradually filled out , with the addition of a library — which now houses music — in 1937 , the gymnasium ( 1937 ) , St . Michael ' s men ' s dormitory ( 1955 ) , the Student Center ( 1962 ) , women ' s dormitories : St . Joseph ' s ( 1965 ) and Katharine Drexel ( 1969 ) , the House of Studies ( 1967 ) ; the College of Pharmacy ( 1970 ) , the Norman C . Francis Academic / Science Complex ( 1988 ) , the new Library / Resource Center and College of Pharmacy addition ( 1993 ) , and Peter Claver women ' s dormitory ( 1994 ) . Xavier South , a multi - story office building , was purchased in 1990 . The Living Learning Center , a co - ed residence hall for upperclassmen and the Norman C . Francis science complex addition were completed in 1998 . A new student center called the University Center was opened in 2003 . It replaces the previous Student Center built in 1962 , and now houses the bookstore ( previously housed at Xavier South ) & the post office ( previously housed in the Administration building ) . An additional dormitory for upperclassmen , the Saint Martin Deporres hall was also opened in 2003 . The previous Student Center was recently knocked down to make way for the new Qatar Pharmacy Pavilion , which opened in the Fall of 2010 . Construction has begun on the St . Katharine Drexel Chapel . The Chapel will replace the current chapel , now housed in the Administration Building , and will fulfill St . Katharine ' s vision for a freestanding house of worship and meditation on the campus . The campus of Xavier University of Louisiana is often referred to as " Emerald City " due to the various buildings on campus that have green roofs . These include the Library / Resource center , the Norman C . Francis science addition , the University Center , the Living Learning Center , the Saint Martin Deporres hall and the Katherine Drexel hall . The Sisters remain a vital presence on campus today , providing much - needed staffing and some financial assistance , but today Xavier is governed by a multicultural Board of Trustees . In 1987 , Pope John Paul II addressed the presidents of all U . S . Catholic colleges from the courtyard at the administration building at Xavier . Xavier ' s president , Dr . Norman C . Francis , himself a Xavier graduate , is a nationally - recognized leader in higher education . Demographics . Since its founding by Katharine Drexel , Xavier ' s mission has been to serve the African American Catholic community ; however its doors have always been open to qualified students of every race and creed . Today 25 . 1 percent of its enrollment is not African American and 74 . 3 percent are not Catholic . More than one - half of Xavier students are from Louisiana ( 58 . 2 % ) , primarily from the New Orleans area . Non - local enrollment continues to increase with students coming from 40 other states – most notably Texas ( 7 . 5 % ) and Georgia ( 4 . 9 % ) . Five foreign countries are represented on campus . Student life is enriched by the social and cultural setting of New Orleans , and by campus activities designed to enhance personal growth , interpersonal skills , and leadership in such areas as community service , the environment , cultural concerns , and social justice . Notability for pre - med graduates . A premier university for educating African - American students in the sciences , Xavier is consistently a national leader in placing African American students into medical school as well as first in awarding African Americans baccalaureate degrees in the physical sciences , the biological / life sciences , and physics . The College of Pharmacy is one of just two pharmacy schools in Louisiana . XULA ranks among the top three colleges in the nation in graduating African Americans with Pharm . D . degrees . Hurricane Katrina . Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005 , striking the New Orleans area with devastating , long - lasting damage . Xavier , being a landlocked property located in the lower - lying Gert Town section and adjacent to the Washington - Palmetto Canal , suffered wind or water damage up to six feet to almost every structure on campus . Many buildings sat partially submerged for weeks following the deluge brought on by canal breaches during the hurricane . President of the university , Dr . Norman C . Francis , organized boats and buses to caravan stranded faculty , staff and students from the campus to safe areas . He then organized the immediate rehabilitation of damaged structures and committed to returning the campus back to operation by the beginning of the coming spring semester . The administrative staff was set up in temporary offices around the country . Francis and his immediate staff worked from an office in Grand Coteau , Louisiana , Grambling State University donated office space to assist the fiscal affairs administrative staff , the staff of the registrar ' s office operated out of the University of Dallas in Irving , Texas , and the student financial aid and the resource development ( fund - raising ) staff operated from an office in Baton Rouge . As scheduled , students began returning to the university in January 2006 . In spite of damaged incurred due to Hurricane Katrina , the university participated in and led community efforts in disaster recovery . Xavier offered housing for over 500 volunteers working with groups assisting in the disaster relief efforts . Public relations students led a campaign which resulted in 1 , 500 student volunteers working to gut houses , clean streets and replace street signs . Other student - led efforts planted trees , painted schools , delivering food , volunteering with the New Orleans Health Department . Pre - med students at the university worked with local agencies to conduct health screenings and communications students recorded and documented stories of residents . For the combined efforts of the students , Xavier University received the " Katrina Compassion Award " from the United States Corporation for National and Community Service in 2006 . In April 2006 , the Middle Eastern country of Qatar donated $ 17 . 5 million to assist the university in hurricane recovery and expanding the school ' s College of Pharmacy . The groundbreaking ceremony in 2008 was attended by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al - Thani , leader of Qatar and on 15 October 2010 , the school ' s Qatar Pharmacy Pavilion opened , adding an additional 60 , 000 square feet adjacent to the existing College of Pharmacy building . President Barack Obama visited New Orleans in August 2010 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina . He gave his address from Xavier , complementing the work of the leaders of the community and affirming the commitment to continue to aid in the re - building of the area . In 2006 , the university bestowed an Honorary Degree on then - Senator Obama . Athletics . Xavier ( XULA ) athletics are nicknamed as the Gold Rush for men ' s teams and Gold Nuggets for women ' s teams . The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics ( NAIA ) , competing in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference ( GCAC ) . Men ' s sports include basketball , cross country , tennis and track & field ; while women ' s sports include basketball , cross country , tennis , track & field and volleyball . As of Fall 2012 , Xavier ' s basketball and volleyball teams have moved into their new facility , the Xavier University Convocation Academic Center . The Convocation Center is a $ 25 million facility with a seating capacity of 4 , 500 . Notable alumni . In addition to current university president , Dr . Norman C . Francis , Xavier University distinguished alumni includes :