Saint Xavier University
Higher EducationIllinois, United States1001-5000 Employees
Saint Xavier University is a comprehensive, coeducational Catholic university located in Chicago, with a second campus in Orland Park. It is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas through the Conference for Mercy Higher Education. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1846 and chartered in 1847, the institution is recognized as Chicago's oldest college and one of Illinois' earliest higher education institutions. Its early history includes origins as Saint Francis Xavier Academy for Females, with college classes starting in 1915, followed by a transition to a coeducational model in 1969 and university status in 1992. The university now serves about 4,000 students and offers more than 40 undergraduate programs alongside nearly 30 graduate programs. The Orland Park campus opened in 2004, and in 2025 the university appointed Alison Chandler as assistant provost of student success.