Dr. Xavier Cole is the first person of color, and the second layperson, to serve as president since Loyola’s founding in 1912. He is committed to strengthening the university by seeking mission-aligned partnerships, improving the school’s financial health and stability, and investing in those who work and learn here. Prior to Loyola, Dr. Cole was the Vice President of the Division of Student Affairs at Marquette University, beginning in 2016. He brought particular passion to access and engagement initiatives for first-generation students and students of color, including enhancing support for African American and Hispanic students, as well as expanding services for LGBTQ+ students. He also won praise for chairing Marquette’s COVID-19 Response Team, starting in the demanding days of March 2020.
A product of Biloxi, Mississippi, he holds a bachelor’s in history from the University of Mississippi, and a master’s degree in history from Miami University (Ohio). He discovered his passion for student affairs as a Resident Advisor at Ole Miss and then as a graduate hall director at Miami.
In 2013, Dr. Cole earned a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. His dissertation explored the outcomes of mission and identity programs at U.S. Jesuit universities