“I didn’t go to an HBCU, but I got here as fast as I could.” - SVP Brade provides his vision for elevating Xavier’s administration. 

Those are the words of Xavier University’s newest member of the administration, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ron Brade. SVP Brade has been on the job since the summer of 2023. He is a serious and thoughtful man on a mission to make good on Katharine Drexel’s words “Do they, too, not deserve the best?” for the entire Xavier family.

For SVP Brade, Katharine Drexel’s question is more than just a series of words, they are his north star guiding Xavier in the direction of the bright, shining future that he envisions. A future where Xavier University of Louisiana will be considered one of the best institutions of higher education in the country, not just the best HBCU in the country. SVP Brade brings to Xavier University of Louisiana a wealth of experience and knows exactly what legacy he wants to leave behind when his time here at Xavier University of Louisiana is done. 

In a conversation with Xavier’s Marketing and Communications Department, SVP Brade shared his vision for the future of Xavier, how he views his role in the campus community and a bit about his life beyond the university.

Read the Q&A below to learn more about SVP/COO Ron Brade in his own words.

Q: What role are you going to play in advancing Xavier?

A: I see my role as finding ways to ensure that we as an institution make good on St. Katharine Drexel’s words. And, so, what I also find myself doing is asking questions like “How effective are we?” and, “How effective are our functions?” I want to make sure that we’re also looking beyond the Xavier perimeter, the Xavier culture, the Xavier institution to say, how do we know that we’re delivering the best? How do we know that we’re being true to St. Katharine Drexel’s words if we don’t see how other institutions are addressing challenges and improving? When I interpret St. Katharine’s question, I view that as a comparison to what some PWI experiences have been.

I see a lot of functions at Xavier that work very independently of each other, but a collaborative system is needed. It’s like your house; if the electricity doesn’t work in the winter, the house is still there, but you can’t live in it because there’s no heat. Or, if the plumbing system doesn’t work, you don’t have water, and you can’t cook, use the bathroom, or bathe. So, I see myself seeking opportunities to collaborate and deliver a more integrated service to our students, faculty, and staff.

 

Q: What are the best things about Xavier University of Louisiana? About New Orleans?

A: The enthusiasm and energy that I find at this institution, the level of engagement from the students, and the faculty-student relationship and collaboration are something that I have not observed at other institutions where I have worked. And there exists here a close-knit relationship between faculty and students - such that the students feel that the faculty has their backs.

But, for me, more than the food, the music, and the unique culture of the city, the best is the “small-town” feeling New Orleans has. I grew up in a small, rural part of Virginia. I remember one of my first days in the city, and the mailman asked me what my name was. That doesn’t happen in most urban areas that I have lived in. 

 

Q: What are some immediate/ long-term plans, hit the ground running ideas that you have to bring Xavier University of Louisiana into alignment with your vision for its future?

A: Automation. There are opportunities to automate a lot more of our processes than we have. We are having conversations with the vice presidents and the cabinet about different ways to further automation.

One of the short-term goals is getting the facilities investments that we have- whether it’s the parking garage, the new dorm, or the repairs and renovations to DePorres and LLC- there are opportunities for strategic investments from both a facilities and technology standpoint that we can use to make the campus experience better. The goal is to provide a very healthy and safe environment where students can thrive. And, again, I go back to St. Katharine Drexel’s words, “do they too not deserve the best?” That’s my mantra, a big part of the reason why I’m here, to try and make good on those words.

I don’t want the facilities to be a distraction from students’ ability to get a great education and have a great college experience. Those are just a few of the investments and commitments that the administration and the board have already committed to on the facilities side that will make a difference.

 

Q: Throw yourself in the future, what legacy have you left behind at Xavier University of Louisiana?

A: I would want my legacy to be that the students feel that they have had the best experience at this institution because experience matters, it is important. If I have done my job effectively, I will know that through the words of the students and the alumni who will come back and say, “Wow, how different things are today than when I was here 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago.” That they can see and feel that the experience from an administration side is on par with the experiences of people that they know who have had PWI experiences.

I go back to St. Katharine Drexel’s words, “Do they, too not deserve the best?” I want to make sure that they have that, and they can say that on the administrative side. As they were applying for financial aid, was it a seamless process? If they applied for a work-study or internship opportunity on campus, was that an easy process? Did they live in the dorms and feel that their dorms were better than any other institution that they could have possibly gone to or attended? Did they feel safe? Did they feel they could thrive here? If when I leave, Xavier graduates have that kind of pride in their experiences when dealing with things administratively as they do with their educational experience, I will feel like I’ve done my job.