New Orleans, La. – U.S. Representative and Xavier University of Louisiana Alum Troy Carter (LA-02) secured $2.5 million for Xavier University of Louisiana for the development of a pre-health advising and STEM education center.

As part of a $17.5 million government funding package advocated by Congressman Troy Carter, Xavier’s funding is one of seven projects included in the Community Funding Project. The Community Funding Project will provide mental health services, student services, public health research, local parks upgrades, and contribute to building a new public athletic venue. The community project will directly benefit the people of Louisiana’s Second Congressional District, including funding student services at Xavier University.

“This gift means so much for Xavier University, our current students, and our graduates,” said Xavier University of Louisiana President, Reynold Verret. “This year, we were recognized as the highest performing Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in terms of return on investment for graduates and we ranked number three in the state. Last year, Xavier was recognized for ranking highly in terms of graduates’ social mobility. We have been quietly working and pushing forward but this is Xavier’s time. We are changing lives, and this is the kind of support we need to continue providing quality education to our students and assisting them in securing opportunities for their futures.”

The funding will be used to renovate St. Michael’s, an on-campus residence hall for first-year students. The historic hall, having been a place of refuge for the Freedom Riders in 1963, will become a center for pre-health advising and STEM education for Xavier students.

“This is a historic day for southeast Louisiana,” said Congressman Carter, a Xavier University graduate (1986). “These seven projects have the potential to do an enormous amount of good in Louisiana’s Second Congressional District, and I am so proud to have fought for their inclusion and funding in this Congressional appropriations package. This $17.5 million in funding announced today will go directly to our community, funding critical projects that will help boost our local economy as well as improve the health, well-being, environment, and public safety for the people of southeast Louisiana.”

The full twelve-bill government funding package was approved on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. The funding will help middle-class families with the cost of living, create jobs, support the vulnerable, and aid small businesses and restaurants that are key to the nation’s economic future. In his speech to the House of Representatives, Congressman Carter stated, “HBCUs are built to educate and celebrate the Black community when very few would. At Xavier University in New Orleans, my mother was able to bring six children to class while she finished her college degree. Little did she know that her children and grandchildren would later attend and graduate from the very same university."

For more details on the full twelve-bill government funding package, follow this link.

About Xavier University of Louisiana Xavier University of Louisiana,

America’s only historically Black and Catholic University is ranked among the top three HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities) in the nation. Recognized as a national leader in STEM and health sciences, Xavier produces more African American students who graduate from medical schools each year than any other university in the United States. Additionally, Xavier’s College of Pharmacy is also among the top producers of African American pharmacists in the country.

Established in 1925, by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament as a place for African Americans and Native Americans to receive a quality education, Xavier has since expanded its programs in art, business, education, biological sciences, chemistry, pharmacy, and political science. More recent additions in robotics, bioinformatics, engineering, data science, neuroscience, and genetics, in addition to new STEM-based master’s programs, have provided Xavier students (2815 undergraduates and 787 graduates) an unbeatable combination of traditional classroom study, hands-on research, service-learning opportunities, and life experiences. Xavier students collaborate with world-renowned faculty, who are experts in their fields, to produce award-winning research and notable work. The winning Xavier formula is to provide students with a well-balanced curriculum and an environment that nurtures their intellect and feeds their souls, thereby facilitating a more just and humane society for all. For more information about Xavier University of Louisiana, visit us online at www.xula.edu or contact Chelsea Cunningham at (504) 520-5425 or ccunnin@xula.edu.