500 graduates were awarded their degrees during Xavier鈥檚 91st annual commencement May 12 at the University Convocation Center.
Award-winning New York Times investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones delivered the keynote address and was awarded an honorary degree, as was President Emeritus Dr. Norman C. Francis 鈥�52.
Five students with perfect 4.0 grade points averages headed this year鈥檚 group of 44 summa cum laude graduates, including: Hannah Mbony, a biology/premed major from Brookeville, Md.; and four pharmacy students 鈥� Sarah Bilbe of Kenner, La.; Rania El-Desoky of Muscat, Oman; Thao Pham of New Orleans, La.; and Amanda Stevens of Kenner, La.
Bryan Redmond (St. Katharine Drexel Award) and Kylar Wiltz (Mother Agatha Ryan Award) earned the University鈥檚 top honors for service.