Approaching its historic centennial, Xavier University of Louisiana has a long legacy of having dedicated, caring faculty. Every year, select faculty are recognized during the university’s commencement for their commitment to furthering Xavier’s ultimate purpose of promoting a more just and humane society by educating future change-makers and leaders. During the 2023 ceremony, professors Dr. KiTani Lemieux, Dr. Jason Todd, and Dr. Elizabeth Hammer will be named faculty award recipients.

Dr. KiTani Lemieux, an associate professor in Xavier’s College of Pharmacy’s (COP) Division of Basic and Pharmaceutical Sciences (DBPS), will receive the 2023 Norman C. Francis Faculty Excellence Award in Service. Dr. Lemieux joined Xavier in 2007 and, beyond her professorship in Xavier’s COP, is also a scientist and principal investigator for Xavier’s All of Us Research Program. She has studied breast and prostate cancer for nearly 20 years, and her publications have received federal and state funding to best understand cancer metastasis affecting Black and brown communities. Dr. Lemieux serves on regional and national advisory boards and is certified in pharmacogenomics, providing education credits to healthcare providers.

Listed on Cell Mentor’s “Most Inspiring Black Scientists in America,” Dr. Lemieux was also selected by Xavier’s COP students as a pharmacy leader and was inducted into the Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society for her contributions to advancing student success by securing residency and fellowship opportunities. She diligently continues her work towards eliminating health inequities through diversifying the workforce and improving health outcomes. She has trained and mentored over 100 Xavier pharmacy students, staunchly supporting their pursuit of residency, fellowship, and graduate programs.

“Being recognized for giving of one’s time, talent, and treasure is humbling. This award represents the reaping of a harvest for pouring into our students and the Xavier community. With humility, I accept the fragrant bouquet that this award represents,” said Dr. Lemieux.

Dr. Jason Todd of Xavier’s English department will be recognized with the 2023 Norman C. Francis Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching. Dr. Todd also joined Xavier in 2007, and serves as director for the Digital Humanities program, faculty director of the Core Curriculum, and an associate professor of English. He also serves as contributing editor for Xavier’s literary journal, “The Xavier Review,” as assessment co-coordinator for the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and as Scouting BSA troop leader and merit badge counselor.

Dr. Todd teaches courses on American literature, comics and graphic novels, genre fiction, and the popular transdisciplinary course, “Dystopias, Real & Imagined.” Dr. Todd’s short stories and articles have appeared in numerous journal publications, such as the Southern Literary Journal, Southern California Review, Chicago Quarterly Review, Fiction Weekly, and “The Xavier Review.”

“Whether in a physical classroom or a virtual space, I learn from the students at Xavier every day,” Dr. Todd shared. “Every class is an opportunity to learn to be a better teacher. I admire Xavier for being the kind of school that lets us try new ways of teaching, take risks, and grow as educators.”

The 2023 Norman C. Francis Faculty Scholarship Award will be bestowed on Dr. Elizabeth Yost Hammer. Dr. Hammer has been part of Xavier’s faculty for over 15 years, currently serving as director of Xavier University of Louisiana’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Faculty Development (CAT+FD). A social psychologist by trade, she is a co-author of the 4th edition of “Myers’ Psychology for the Advanced Placement (AP®)” course text, its teacher’s edition, and the 13^th edition of “Psychology Applied to Modern Life.”

Dr. Hammer has contributed chapters to several books intended to enhance teaching preparation. She’s served as president of the International Honor Society in Psychology (Psi Chi), treasurer of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, and chief reader for the AP® Psychology exam. She is an active member of the POD network and serves on committees for POD’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the American Psychological Association.

“It is such an honor to receive this award from my own institution. One of the things I am proud of in my scholarship is that it allows me to represent Xavier and our important mission within psychology, as well as faculty development circles,” said Dr. Hammer. “I am grateful for my Xavier colleagues who have supported me in my scholarly endeavors.”

The dedicated and outstanding contributions of Xavier’s faculty are shown through their commitment to education and student excellence. As driving forces in academia, their collective efforts push forward Xavier’s mission of contributing to a just and humane society.