Immersion Trip Overview

Immersion Trip Overview: Mission Team Visit
June 20-24, 2011

Xavier at a Glance

Founded in 1831, Xavier is the nation's sixth-oldest Catholic university and one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. Xavier is located on 190 acres in Cincinnati, Ohio, has 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and has been ranked among the top 10 schools in the Midwest for 16 consecutive years.

The Society of Jesus (commonly called the Jesuits) is a religious order of Catholic men founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius Loyola. The Jesuits are well known for their educational leadership and promotion of social justice. Xavier is deeply rooted in this heritage and committed to maintaining the vitality of its Jesuit tradition and Catholic identity. This commitment is challenged by the decline in the number of Jesuit priests available to serve in leadership and academic roles.

Background and Charge

Xavier President Michael J. Graham, S.J., has appointed a team of nine administrators representing a variety of perspectives and roles and provided the following charge: Broaden and deepen the understanding of our Jesuit mission and identity across campus and determine how best to more intentionally embed the mission into departmental plans and activities throughout Xavier. This team, called Discernment Group II, is at the midway point in its two-year task. During the week of June 20-24, 2011, the team will visit three colleges and two health care organizations. Each of these organizations has demonstrated a strong and enduring commitment to mission and identity.

Visit Objectives

Learn how, and how deeply, each of these organizations has integrated their mission into the leadership and fabric of the organization.
Identify institutional commitments and values that are believed to be most critical to the current and future fidelity of the mission and heritage in each of these organizations.
Learn how these organizations have developed a culture of mission-based leadership, including key principles, policies, processes, methods of accountability and traditions.
Identify best practices and lessons learned from each of these organizations as it relates to mission, including internal communications, infrastructure, incentives, recognition etc.
Learn how each of these organizations seeks to better serve humanity; what are their hopes, dreams and challenges in this regard?

Key Questions

How have you integrated your mission into the fabric of your college or organization, thus holding leaders accountable?
What has enabled your college or organization to successfully cultivate and develop a culture of mission-based leadership, and what can we learn from you in this regard?
How well have you accomplished what you set out to do? Where are you on your journey?
How does your mission-based culture impact and affect the professional behavior and activities of your employees?

Primary Contacts

Joe Shadle
513-745-3570 (office)
shadlej@xavier.edu

Bob Hill
513-745-3178 (office)
hill@xavier.edu