ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ to Host 2025 Cougar Trax
Date:08/13/2025
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ (ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½) will host Cougar Trax, its annual kickoff to students' academic careers, on Thursday, August 21.
First-year students will be welcomed to Saint Xavier with New Student Induction, a
ceremony that symbolizes their membership in the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ community. The University president,
Keith Elder, Ph.D., will lead the campus pledge along with faculty and staff who will
commit to supporting students along their journeys. Students will walk through ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½'s
historic 49th Street Gateway Arch, symbolic of both the institution's longstanding
history and its future success.
Before the ceremony, students will have a series of educational sessions critical
to success in their first year. They'll also meet peers and learn about the resources
at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ that provide support and knowledge to new students and assist them with their
passage from high school to college.
Students will also participate in First-Year Fest, take a class photo, learn about
the University's mission and heritage, and receive a Class of 2029 ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ T-shirt.
"The Cougar Trax experience is designed to help students feel a sense of belonging,
purpose, and excitement as they begin their academic journeys and become an important
part of our University community. This event marks the beginning of a transformative
chapter, featuring sessions critical to first-year success, opportunities for fun and social
connection, and the New Student Induction. During the New Student Induction ceremony,
students are presented with a Saint Xavier Medallion to symbolize their membership
in the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ community and the official start of their academic careers," said Blanca Correa, director of Student Activities.