Published on March 17, 2017
In 1925, St. Katharine Drexel founded Xavier University as a place to train students to become servant leaders in society, government and church. Katharine believed serving the needs of others, sharing God’s love and quality education were the keys to racial justice and empowerment. This vision is found in Xavier’s mission statement: “The ultimate purpose of the University is to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service.”
Today, Xavier’s Catholic identity is seen across campus and beyond. This identity is nourished through an active Campus Ministry staff that provides daily liturgies and pastoral care. The campus is also home to a variety of activities and programs that encourage and nurture personal faith and promote commitment to Christian values and Catholic teaching.
This love of service and empowering others is reflected in Xavier’s P4 pharmacy students, who recently held a campus fundraiser benefitting Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans. The P4 students receive education and training off-campus through rotations in pharmacies, hospitals and clinics, which leaves them only certain days to all be together on Xavier’s campus. On February 14, the students took advantage of one of their few days together to hold a fundraiser, selling Valentine’s Day sweets to their classmates and peers.
Class officers Kim Hoang and Xexilia Do, who were instrumental in organizing the event, commented that some students, upon learning what the fundraiser was for, stopped by simply to donate without taking anything in return. “Overall, we were very thankful for everyone’s generosity,” the pair shared.
As students of a Catholic university, Hoang and Do wanted to dedicate a community service project to a Catholic-based charity and quickly connected with CCANO’s mission to serve those in need regardless of race, religion, age, ethnicity or economic status. “The culture and teachings of Xavier’s College of Pharmacy embodies this exact message. As Xavier pharmacy students, we have been dedicated to serving all communities, especially the underserved communities of New Orleans,” Hoang and Do commented.
Thank you, Xavier College of Pharmacy students, for your immense generosity and your partnership in our mission to serve the most vulnerable and needy in our community!
Interested in creating your own fundraiser benefitting CCANO? You can use the everydayhero platform, which gives you flexibility to raise funds for a specific life event such as a birthday or graduation or as part of a fitness activity.