SXU's Commitment to Student Belonging

Grounded in Catholic identity, mission, and heritage, Saint Xavier University is committed to serving a diverse learning community in conjunction with our core values. The University belongs to all in its community, regardless of race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, gender, gender identity, abilities, age, sexual orientations, nationality, or immigration status. Faculty, staff, and students are engaged in creating a climate of purposeful inclusion by cultivating equity and providing opportunities for meaningful connections and service among diverse people, ideas, and perspectives, in search of truth and the common good.

The Sisters of Mercy, immigrants themselves, founded the school in 1846 to educate young women, and today's student body reflects the University's growing commitment to a tradition of diversity and multiculturalism. In 2014, the University became a federally-designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of Saint Xavier's heritage and enrich and strengthen our academic programs and learning environment, which prepare students to work as responsible global citizens and live by Mercy values.

SXU is proud to honor the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy, and we work to help you leverage your bilingualism and cultural traditions in your academic studies and professional journey. At SXU:

• Latinxs excel in all 61 of our undergraduate degree programs and 25 graduate degree programs, earning an average GPA of 3.19.
• Business Administration, Psychology, and Nursing are some of the most popular degree programs among our Latinx students
• Majors, minors, and endorsements in programs focused on Latinx and Latin American languages and culture are offered, including African American, Arab American Studies, International Studies, Spanish Secondary Education, Spanish in the Professions, Bilingual Education, and Latino/Latin American Studies
• We partner with Grow Your Own Teachers Illinois, whose mission is to increase the number of teachers of color in elementary, middle, and high schools.

STEM Careers

Careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are in high demand, but currently, Latinxs only constitute six percent of the country's STEM workforce. At SXU, we are committed to increasing diversity in dynamic STEM majors and careers:

• In 2018, our science programs were awarded the EXPLORE STEM grant, a $1.46 million grant, from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote diversity in STEM majors at HSIs (Grant number 1832511)
• The grant provides funding for academic support of STEM majors regardless of ethnic background and helps create opportunities for students to engage in research with STEM faculty and supplements experiential programs such as the Yellowstone Project.
• The grant funded the creation of a STEM Studio that creates a space for academic support through peer and faculty mentorship.

Student Leadership

At SXU, you can participate in building our HSI identity and history of the school through dynamic student leadership opportunities in a variety of academic, cultural, and professional organizations. Being involved in student governance and extracurricular activities will enhance your educational experience and prepare you to be a leader in your communities and career. At SXU, you will find:

• Unidos, our Latinx Student Organization
• ALPFA, our chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals of America
• Organization-sponsored events during Hispanic Heritage Month
• Cultural programming and professional networking events throughout the year
• Organization-hosted Estrellas de SXU Latinx Student Achievement Awards, honoring students who excel in academics, service, sports, and art
• Multiple student groups that represent a variety of perspectives and identities, building our inclusive and collaborative community

SXU is an inaugural member of the Illinois Equity in Attainment Initiative (ILEA), which is committed to eliminating racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps and graduation rates. As a member, we seek to inspire students to build a more inclusive and equitable world by exercising our core values, especially respect, hospitality and diversity, which are represented by our many racial, ethnic, national, religious and linguistic backgrounds.

ILEA is the primary initiative of the Partnership for College Completion, a non-profit organization focused on closing retention and graduation gaps for African American, Latinx and Pell Grant recipients in Illinois by 2025.