EDITOR’S CORNER: A legacy of excellence, 100 years and counting

November 5, 2024

By: Trinity Johnson, Editor-in-Chief

Welcome readers, to the Countdown to Centennial edition of the Xavier Herald. Here, just off Exit 232, at the illustrious Xavier University of Louisiana, students are preparing for something special – the celebration of an institution that has stood tall for almost 100 years, uplifting Black scholars and Black excellence, and creating leaders worldwide. This is not just another edition of The Xavier Herald; this is the celebration of a legacy that we have inherited and the future we are building together. 

Xavier’s history is one of resilience, vision, and excellence. Founded by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1925, Xavier is the only Catholic Historically Black College or University in the country. For nearly a century, Xavier has been that guiding light to Black students, offering opportunities that many of our ancestors could only dream of. 

Think about that for a second! For 100 years, Xavier has been the place where Black excellence thrives. We are a leading producer of African American undergraduates who complete medical school, and our science and health programs have garnered a reputation across this nation. But it is not just about academics; it is about churning out leaders. From fostering political figures to pioneering doctors, artists, and entrepreneurs, Xavier graduates leave their indelible marks on the world. 

In this edition, we will emphasize the achievements of our alumni who paved the way for us, but we will also reflect upon how Xavier has never moved away from its commitments to service, justice, and academic excellence. In this issue, we pay tribute to the influential people who once graced our halls and the change makers who are emerging today. 

Within that rich heritage, we look forward. The next 100 years of legacy are ours to write – as current students, future alumni, and supporters of this great university. What shall that legacy be? It is up to us who must keep the torch burning and strive for excellence by taking the knowledge we gain here to lift our communities higher. 

Xavier is not only a place where one gets a degree, but it is also a place where we break down barriers, challenge the status quo, and create change. As students, we are part of a living, breathing legacy that will continue to be written for generations to come. Our work today – whether through innovative research, activism, or community service – will lay the foundation for the course for the next 100 years. 

During this final countdown, be proud we are part of such a precedential university. Remember, we are not celebrating the past; we are writing the future. 

Here’s to 100 years of Black excellence, and to the next hundred years of greatness we, as Xavierites, will lead. 

Signed, 

Trinity Johnson  

Herald Editor-in-Chief