What is the Exponential Honors Program?
Xavier’s Exponential Honors Program is the university’s centralized honors program. Students pursue a scholarly academic curriculum that is rooted in the mission of Xavier University of Louisiana as an Historically Black University and Catholic institution. The academic and scholarly life of Exponential Honors Program students is rooted in and inspired by Black Intellectual Thought and Traditions, ensuring that Exponential students emerge as leaders in the university’s mission to promote a more just and humane society. Exponential honors students receive specialized academic and professional advising which allows students to create their unique map to undergraduate success, regardless of major, where each student customizes their own experiential program. Xavier Exponential students also are offered exclusive opportunities to engage with distinguished guests through speaker series and seminars. Exponential students also receive support for undergraduate scholarly work abroad and local research/creative works to support their career preparation and global engagement.Our Four Pillars
The Exponential pillars embody the foundational values and guiding principles of the honors program. Each pillar reflects a key aspect of the program’s approach to shaping the next generation of leaders and innovators:
Enhanced Leadership
Honors students are poised to emerge as influential thought leaders and scholars within their respective fields and on a global scale. They will embody excellence in academic pursuits while actively contributing to the advancement of society.
Powered Up: Through various conferences emphasizing professional and leadership development, honors students are equipped with the skills and insights necessary to navigate and lead in complex environments.
Why? Cultivating leaders across diverse sectors - science, health, arts, government, education, business, and grassroots initiatives - is essential for fostering a more just and humane society.
Scholarly Innovation
Honors students benefit from early access to exclusive research and scholarly activities, internships, and mentorships facilitated by strategic academic partnerships and alumni networks, starting from their freshman year.
Powered Up: Honors students curate comprehensive portfolios showcasing their academic achievements, leadership experiences, and co-curricular involvements. These portfolios enhance their competitiveness for employment and admission into graduate and prestigious fellowship programs.
Why? In today’s competitive job market, supplementing coursework with hands-on, innovative experiences is crucial for personal and professional growth.
Global Engagement
Honors students are adept at navigating global complexities through coursework in international studies and immersive study-abroad experiences.
Powered Up: Opportunities for funding support enable honors students to participate in international study programs and engage in activities with a global focus, fostering a deep understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives.
Why? In an era of rapid technological advancement, global issues have profound local implications. Exposure to international perspectives cultivates culturally responsive leadership and enriches global awareness
Community Engagement
Honors students actively contribute to their local and global communities through meaningful service initiatives and partnerships.
Powered Up: Honors students participate in community service projects and partnerships that address societal needs, demonstrating their commitment to social responsibility and civic engagement.
Why? Building strong communities requires active participation and empathy. Honors students contribute their skills and knowledge to make a positive impact locally and globally, fostering collaborative solutions to pressing social challenges.
Eligibility
Admission to the Exponential Honors program is highly competitive. Selection for incoming first-year students is based on high school GPA, ACT or SAT scores, class rank, community service, honors and recognitions and the strength of a student’s application to the program. Students will be invited to apply based on a holistic assessment of their admissions application.
Priority Deadline: December 15th
Applications received after the priority deadline will be reviewed and admissions decisions made on a rolling basis. This means that as applications are submitted, they will be evaluated by the admissions committee in the order they are received.
Why? Rolling admissions allows flexibility for both applicants and the admissions office. It enables applicants to apply later in the admissions cycle while still having a fair chance of being considered for admission to the honors program, provided that space in the program remains available.
Benefits of Xavier Exponential
- Access to highly selective research, internships, and abroad experiences
- Specialized advising for national fellowships and awards
- Special access to speakers and distinguished guests
- Funding for research
- Funding for study abroad
- Annual Honors Retreat
Exponential Curriculum
Thanks to the support of a multi-year Mellon Foundation grant, the Exponential honors program will expand its academic curriculum offerings in a centralized university honors program curriculum for students in the Exponential honors program and for students’ university-wide interested in taking honors designated courses. These courses aim to support the scholarly preparation of Xavier students and honors program students, by rooting their scholarly tradition in the Black Intellectual Tradition.
Below is an overview of the Exponential Honors curriculum:
Overview:
o 4 Honors XCORs: Taught by Honors Director/Associate Director/Faculty and Scholars in Residence [XCOR 1000; XCOR 1011; XCOR 3010; XCOR 3020 –Exponential sections]
o 2 University-Wide Honors courses | Approved Black Intellectual Tradition courses
o 1 Honors Undergraduate Thesis/ or Senior Disciplinary Capstone Project
First Year
1. XCOR 1000 EXH: College Experience Honors
2. XCOR 1011/1012 EXH: The Black Intellectual Tradition
Second Year
EXH 2000
EXH 3000
3. University-wide honors course
4. Black Intellectual Thought course selected through the approved list of B-I-T courses. Students will take 2 Honors courses from humanities honors courses in select disciplines. Or students can take 2 courses from approved lists of courses that meet the Black Intellectual Tradition objectives.
Third Year
5. XCOR 3010 EXH: Engaging the Mission: Advancing Racial and Social Justice
6. XCOR 3020 EXH: Global Engagement: Comparative Global Blackness
Fourth Year
7. EXH Capstone: The Undergraduate Honors Thesis or Senior Disciplinary Capstone Project
Xavier students can be accepted into the honors program either as an entering first-year student or as an invited scholar as a rising sophomore or as a Riversville Scholar. Rising sophomores entering the honors program must take four B-I-T/university honors courses to be eligible to graduate with the Exponential university honors.
Riversville Scholar
Rising sophomores can be admitted into the program as a Riversville Scholar. As a Riversville Foundation Scholar, you will receive an academic merit scholarship for $15,000 for up to three years.
- The scholarship will be reviewed annually by the Foundation to ensure all its requirements are met and that you remain in good academic standing.
- As part of meeting the requirements for the Foundation, Riversville Scholars are officially accepted to Xavier’s Exponential Honors program, a designation they will graduate with as a university recognition of their academic achievements.
- As an Exponential Honors student, the program’s office will provide Riversville Scholars with access to a wide range of academic and career support that will align with this designation in the honors program.
Eligibility
The Riversville Scholarship application is by invite only.
- 3.8 and above GPA
- Pell Eligible
Exponential Honors FAQ
Xavier Exponential students are expected to maintain high academic performance in their coursework throughout their undergraduate journey. Honors program students typically lead campus and community initiatives and apply for and successfully earn competitive national and global opportunities that align with the four pillars of the program. Exponential students go on to prestigious fellowships, graduate school programs, corporate and governmental positions and entrepreneurial endeavors, upon graduation. Exponential students must therefore possess a strong work ethic, a sense of purpose and mission, and a commitment to excellence across many areas.
The Exponential Honors Program works with the Office of Residential Life to provide housing allocation, on campus for first-year students. Each year this housing placement for first-year honors students is reviewed given housing allocations for each academic year. As part of the housing preference, honors program first-year students wishing to be housed together with honors students must meet the Office Residential Life’s deadlines for housing deposits, as well as program deadlines for confirming acceptance to the honors program to be eligible for Exponential housing. Exponential students are responsible for covering the cost of housing assignments through university and external scholarships and other funding sources, should they choose to be assigned first-year honors program housing allocations. If you have any questions regarding housing assignments for Exponential students, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Residential Education at reslife@xula.edu or 504-520-7321 with any questions.
No. The honors program does not require any fees.
Acceptance into the Exponential Honors Program does not change your scholarship status, nor does it offer any additional direct tuition scholarship funds. All funding support from the program is used to directly support honors student program activities. If you have any questions in regard to your scholarship, please contact the financial aid office at 504-520-7835 or finaid@xula.edu.
Program Staff
Dr. Shearon Roberts
Associate Dean, Xavier University Exponential Honors Program
Erin King
Program Coordinator, Xavier University Exponential Honors Program
Aviwe DuBois
Program Assistant, Xavier University Exponential Honors Program
Dr. Stephaine Boggs
Mellon Visiting Faculty, Exponential Honors Program in Black Intellectual Thought