When you speak to Dr. Laurie Joyner, president of Saint Xavier University, one thing is obvious: She loves her work. In particular, she is passionate about the university she leads, the Sisters of Mercy, founders and sponsors of Saint Xavier University and hundreds of other educational and service ministries worldwide, and Joyner is passionate about Catholic higher education.

“Saint Xavier is an extraordinary place,” she says. “We have amazing and talented faculty and staff, and incredibly hard-working students. I think we’re blessed to do this work. I can’t imagine doing anything else. This is my calling.”

Now in her third year as Saint Xavier president, Joyner previously served in vice presidential and decanal positions at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida, and as president of Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio, a university affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. At Wittenberg, Joyner says she learned a lot, but in her heart, she wanted to serve again at a Catholic institution.