Xavier Names New Admissions Director A familiar face took the helm of Xavier’s Admissions Office when Steven Noga, a 14-year veteran of the faculty, began his tenure as Director of Admissions on July 1. Noga, who most recently served as religion department chair, is thrilled about his new role. “I’m really excited about this new opportunity, especially at a time when the opening of Fernandez-Duminuco Hall is presenting us an opportunity to renew and re-envision how and why we teach,” he said. Noga is a graduate of St. Ignatius High School and Xavier University. He earned graduate degrees in theology at Boston College and private school leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University. He brings a thorough knowledge of Jesuit and independent schools— Steven Noga not to mention Xavier—to his new role. In recent years, Noga has served on several accreditation and sponsorship review committees for other schools, led Xavier’s own accreditation self-study, completed the Jesuit Schools Network’s Seminars in Ignatian Leadership, and immersed himself in Xavier student life, serving as a coach, retreat leader, and service trip chaperone. “When I told my students that I was taking this opportunity, I let them know that the job thrilled me because I’m trading the physical classroom space in the Lynch building for classrooms across the metro NYC region,” Noga said. “I’m passionate about sharing the good news of what is happening on 16th Street and making sure that prospective students and families can be part of that good news.”
Celebrating 20 Years of Service boys can experience Christ in their studies and in their conversation Xavier’s Bene Merenti Medal honors members of the faculty and with one another.” staff who have reached a major milestone—20 years of service on For Reinhart, the husband of Maureen Reinhart (a 2015 Bene 16th Street. Merenti medalist) and father of Robert Reinhart ’94 and Kevin At this year’s Commencement at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Reinhart ’99, returning to Xavier had community paused to honor two long been on his mind. “I had a vague members of the religion department, notion of someday giving back ever since Chris Napolitano and Robert I graduated,” he said. Reinhart ’69 P’94 ’99, as they Since he left his banking career concluded their second decade of to teach at Xavier in 1996, Reinhart teaching. Both were drawn to Xavier has certainly done that, serving as by a desire to share their faith with religion department chair, member young people, and according to their and chair of the Faculty Development colleagues, both have made God’s love Committee, chair of the Middle States manifest to a generation of Sons of Accreditation Steering Committee, Xavier. chair of the Province Sponsorship “I see God most clearly in young Review Committee, and coordinator people,” said Napolitano, who came to of the Magis retreat program. As Xavier shortly after graduating from Headmaster Michael LiVigni said at college. “Their joy, sense of humor, Commencement, “Bob Reinhart has generosity, and even messiness allows already given his alma mater a lifetime me to continually believe that God of service, and he continues to serve exists—and that he loves them, so I Robert Reinhart '69 P'94 '99 and Chris Napolitano his students, his colleagues, and this must as well.” community with his whole heart every day.” “For Chris, teaching religion at Xavier is not simply a job. It is “My work as a bureaucrat was giving me no life, but working with a vocation of service and love for his students,” said Fordham Prep teenagers has helped keep me young,” Reinhart said. “It’s awesome principal Dr. Joseph Petriello, Napolitano’s former colleague. “He work, and I thank God for it daily.” treats the classroom as a place where grace is encountered and the 4 XAVIER MAGAZINE