Xavier University Preparatory School
Home of the Yellow Jackets
New Orleans • Established 1915
About the School
Founded in 1915 by St. Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Xavier University Prep was tied to the founding of Xavier University of Louisiana — the nation’s first Black Catholic institution. It became a school for young women in 1971.
Long a symbol of achievement for Black Catholic families in New Orleans, the school closed in 2013 and reopened as St. Katharine Drexel Preparatory School. The Yellow Jackets legacy endures.
Long a symbol of achievement for Black Catholic families in New Orleans, the school closed in 2013 and reopened as St. Katharine Drexel Preparatory School. The Yellow Jackets legacy endures.
Quick Facts
Founded: 1915
Mascot: Yellow Jackets
Founded by: St. Katharine Drexel & the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
Type: Catholic school for young women (from 1971)
Status: Closed 2013 — now St. Katharine Drexel Prep
Mascot: Yellow Jackets
Founded by: St. Katharine Drexel & the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
Type: Catholic school for young women (from 1971)
Status: Closed 2013 — now St. Katharine Drexel Prep
Reunion News & Alumnae
Yellow Jackets stay connected. The school’s legacy continues at St. Katharine Drexel Prep — visit below for history and alumnae connections, and check back here for reunion updates.
