NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana Athletics is proud to announce the 10 members of its first Association of Student-Athletes (ASA).
     The group meets regularly to advocate on behalf of XULA student-athletes — with a focus on the NAIA Champions of Character values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership — and is planning events to assist with student-athlete development, community service and leadership within athletics and to prepare for life after graduation.
     "Our student athletes are some of our campus's best and brightest leaders," said Curtis Wright, XULA's vice president of student affairs. "The Association of Student-Athletes will allow them a greater platform to demonstrate their leadership skills and impact positive change within our community."
     Members of the inaugural group and the sports they represent are:
     •  Jaida Dowd and Adili Rikondja of volleyball.
     •  Kira Mercado and Da'Jha Virgil of women's basketball.
     •  Ed Carter and Cameron Dumas of men's basketball.
     •  Angela Charles-Alfred of tennis.
     •  Evan Simmons of men's track and field/cross country.
     •  Hajjia Mohammed of women's track and field/cross country.
     •  Kiara Hawkins of competitive cheer.
     This campus group will work in tandem with NAIA and Gulf Coast Athletic Conference initiatives.
     "We have been discussing this group in conjunction with the athletics advisory committee and the president's office as a continuation of our overall campus commitment to student-athlete welfare," said Jason Horn, XULA assistant vice president for student affairs / director of athletics & recreation. "Our campus and ASA leaders are excited, and we look forward to their work and ideas."
     Associate Athletics Director Kimberly K. Gallow serves as ASA's adviser.
     ASA highlights thus far:
     •  First meeting was Sept. 24 to plan a student-athlete mixer which centered around engagement and interactions among other sports. The mixer included icebreaker activities, board games and other related activities.
     •  Additional meetings to discuss initiatives to increase awareness and assist with the growth and sustainability of XULA's new food pantry. Student-athletes have collected items during road games to donate to the food pantry and local shelters.
     •  Serving as panelists during general admissions events open house to provide insight to prospective students and parents about what it's like to be a XULA student-athlete.

About Xavier University of Louisiana
     As America's only historically Black and Catholic University, Xavier University of Louisiana has set itself apart for nearly a century. Despite its small size (3,300 students), Xavier is a nationally recognized leader in the STEM and the health sciences fields, producing more African American students who graduate from medical schools each year than any other university in the United States. Its liberal arts-based programs in such areas as art, business, education, psychology, and political science — as well as such recent additions as bioinformatics, data science, neuroscience, crime and social justice, and jazz studies — offer students an unbeatable combination of traditional classroom study, hands-on research, service-learning opportunities, and life experiences. For more information about Xavier University of Louisiana visit us online at www.xula.edu or follow us on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter @XULA1925.