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Norman Francis | |
|---|---|
 Francis receives Presidential Medal of Freedom, 2006, from George W. Bush | |
| Born | Norman Christopher Francis March 20, 1931 Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Xavier University of Louisiana (BS) Loyola University New Orleans (JD) |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Employer | Xavier University of Louisiana |
| Known for | First Black student at Loyola University New Orleans; first lay president of Xavier. |
| Board member of | UNCF, ETS |
| Awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom |
Norman Christopher Francis (born March 20, 1931) is an American academic who served as president of Xavier University of Louisiana from 1968 to 2015. He was the first Black and first lay president of the school, and the second African American to ever serve as president of a Catholic university in the United States.[1][2]
Francis also served as the chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the state agency in charge of planning the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.[3] For his various avenues of service, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush in 2006, and the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame in 2019. He has received 35 honorary degrees from colleges and universities around the country.
- ^ "Xavier University of Louisiana". Archived from the original on 2015-04-18. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
- ^ "America's Longest-Presiding University President: An Interview with Dr. Norman C. Francis of Xavier University of Louisiana". The Black Collegian. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ Katherine Mangan "America's Longest-Serving College President Has More to Do" The Chronicle of Higher Education January 14, 2013 paid content