Enjoy a decades worth of fantastic ATP broadcasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

Air date: 3/29/26

[00: 28:32]

With Professors Matt Mio, Heather Hill, Stephen Manning, Beth Oljar, Danielle Maxwell, Mara Livezey, Molly Barlow and special guest: Professor Madison Fitzgerald-Russell, Physics Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at University of Detroit Mercy.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date:  3/22/26

[00:28:44]

With Professors Matt Mio, Beth Oljar, Dan Maggio, Erin Bell, Danielle Maxwell, Dave Chow and Rob Dalka.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 3/15/26

[00:28:12]

Host Matt Mio is joined by Professors Danielle Maxwell, Dave Chow, Erin Bell, Dan Maggio, Beth Oljar, and special guest: Professor Rob Dalka from Detroit Mercy’s Department of Physics.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 3/8/26

[00:28:45]

With Professors Matt Mio, Danielle Maxwell, Dan Maggio, Dave Chow and Beth Oljar.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 3/1/26

[00:28:34]

Host Matt Mio is joined by Professors Heather Hill, Dan Maggio, Stephen Manning, Danielle Maxwell, Beth Oljar and Dave Chow.

ATP 2626 transcript

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The Detroit Mercy Commencement Planning Committee is seeking dependable student and employee volunteers to help make 2026 Commencement Day a special event for graduates and their families.

Two McNichols Campus Commencement ceremonies, as well as Baccalaureate Mass, will take place on Saturday, May 9 on the McNichols Campus.

Please see sign-up below for volunteer opportunities and available time slots. Whether you have availability for one shift or for multiple shifts, your help is greatly appreciated! Breakfast and lunch are provided to all volunteers.

Volunteer Meeting
All volunteers are required to attend a mandatory meeting on Tuesday, May 5 at 1 p.m. via Teams. For more information, please contact Alysa Jackson (ouelleal@udmercy.edu).

Dress Code
Employee volunteers are asked to dress in business casual and/or Detroit Mercy gear. A volunteer name badge will be provided at check-in, which is located in the Athletics Office in Calihan Hall.

Thank you for supporting graduating Titans on this special and exciting day!

Sign up here!

The McNichols Campus Library invites Titans interested in birdwatching or just learning more about the birds passing through out shared environment to check out one of the Libraries’ new birdwatching kits. Michigan is heading into peak spring bird migration season, with millions of birds and hundreds of species expected to fly through out skies in the coming months.

Each of the two kits can be checked out for one week at a time and contain a set of binoculars, laminated pocket-sized Sibley’s Backyard Birds of the Midwest trifold, and a copy of either National Geographic’s Backyard Guide to Birds of North America or North American Bird Watching for Beginners.

A QR code inside each kit links borrowers to the Libraries’ new Birding Research Guide, which includes links to free birding and bird education apps, podcasts, local birding groups, birding hotspots, and more. The Guide, which can also be accessed through the Libraries’ Research Guides webpage, may be of interest to bird photographers, too. Don’t miss the link to submit your photos of birds on campus and potentially see those photos posted in the Guide’s rotating online photo gallery.

“The birdwatching kits are just one way the University Libraries support cura personalis and the Sisters of Mercy’s critical concern for the environment. Birding has really exploded in popularity over the last several years,” said University Libraries Dean Kate Harger. “We hope these kits provide a way for students, faculty, and staff to connect with each other, spend time in the nature we have in our own neighborhoods, and just tune into the presence of these amazing creatures.”

For more information about the birdwatching kits or other library resources, visit the McNichols Campus Library online or in person.

Isaiah “Ike” McKinnon ’75, ’78, a retired Detroit Mercy professor, retired Detroit police chief and former deputy mayor of the City of Detroit has been recognized for his bravery and grace with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Awards of Character recipient.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame, in partnership with USA TODAY and Payton Productions, launched the national Pro Football Hall of Fame Awards of Character program to applaud “everyday Hall of Famers” who embody the Hall’s core values of commitment, integrity, courage, respect and honesty.

All are welcome to a Holy Thursday Mass 4 p.m., April 2 hosted by the Sisters of Mercy and University Ministry inside of the St. Ignatius Chapel in the Commerce & Finance Building on the McNichols Campus.

The presider for this Mass is Msgr. John Zens.

University Ministry invites students, faculty and staff to take part in the Walk to Stop the Violence on Good Friday, April 3.

Guns are the leading cause of death for youth, and gun violence has affected most, whether through crime, domestic violence or accidental shooting.

Grounded in the nonviolence of Jesus, this event is an opportunity for people of faith to advocate for gun safety laws and show up to stop the violence in our communities.

Event Schedule:

• 5:30 p.m.: Meet at St. Ignatius Chapel (Commerce & Finance Building)
• 6 p.m.: Prayer and reflection
• 6:20 p.m.: Short walk (signs provided or bring your own)
• 6:50 p.m.: Soup supper in Gesu School

All are welcome to participate in any part of the evening.

For any questions or to RSVP, please contact Anita Klueg at kluega@udmercy.edu.

Detroit Mercy’s Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) is growing, and they’re excited to invite community-minded individuals to join the team this summer.

If you’re an individual who is passionate about food justice, sustainability and making a local impact, TENN would love to work with you!

They’re currently hiring for the following part-time positions:

• Garden Assistant (5+ hours/week) — Support all aspects of garden care under the guidance of the Garden Manager, including watering, weeding, harvesting and documenting harvest tools.
• Delivery Coordinator (5+ hours/week) — Coordinate and lead Friday and biweekly Wednesday food deliveries. Responsibilities including picking up food from Gleaners using the TENN van, documenting food distribution and leading volunteers to deliver food throughout the community.
• Social Media & Marketing Coordinator (5+ hours/week) — Manage TENN’s online presence by creating and scheduling mission-aligned content for Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, engaging TENN’s community and supporting flyer creation and event promotion.

TENN’s summer roles offer flexible hours, meaningful work and the chance to directly support the UDM community.

Interested? Apply to the links above or contact Chelsea Manning at mannincp@udmercy.edu.

The 19th Annual Celebration of Scholarly Achievement & Community Engagement (CSACE) is set for Thursday, April 9, from 12-4:30 p.m., in the Whitty Student Fitness Center on the McNichols Campus.

UDM friends and family are invited to join the celebration.

CSACE is a university-wide event showcasing more than 200 research posters and presentations, including artistic displays, robotics, 3D models, lightning talks and more. CSACE highlights exemplary work from across all UDM campuses and serves as an opportunity to celebrate the academic, scholarly and creative accomplishments of our University community throughout the academic year.

Highlights of the event include:

• Research posters & presentations: 12-2 p.m. — Exhibits, models, robotics,  scholarly publications
• Lightning-talk presentations: 2:15-4:30 p.m. — Award-winning research & poetry

A complimentary box lunch from Subway will be provided.

Guest registration and parking pass are required.

This event is sponsored by Delta Dental, Alliance Catholic Credit Union and RIIS

Guests register here.

The Campus Activity Board presents Titans Got Talent, where UDM students will take the stage to showcase their creativity and talent. The show is set for Friday, April 10, with doors opening at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.

All are invited to come out and watch UDM student performers compete for a $500 grand prize!

Comedian Jake Russell will emcee the event, promising a night of great entertainment.

This year’s talent lineup features:

• Madisyn Wilcox
• Richard Wilks II
• Jahleel Hunley
• Gracelyn Peebles
• Evan Smith
• Fiona Louise Madarang
• Ashlee Jones
• Rylee Bourne
• Ally Don Jean-Francois

Detroit Mercy welcomes guest speaker Nada Fadul on Wednesday, April 1, who will present virtually on the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and give a general overview of Sudan’s history with an in-depth description of the current war, including the role of international actors.

The presentation will begin at 5 p.m. Please register below to receive a Zoom link to the presentation.

With the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan, there are staggering numbers of casualties and many wounded, displaced or facing food insecurity. As hospitals and medical facilities continue to be targeted in the conflict, Fadul will discuss how mobile clinics are trained to respond to medical crisis situations in these dangerous conditions. She will also introduce SuDRO, the organization she works with, which focuses on sustainable development and provides both primary care and trauma services during the ongoing war.

Fadul is assistant dean and professor of Medicine at the Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). She is a board member of the Sudanese American Public Affairs Association (SAPAA).

This event is co-sponsored by Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive (CLASA), the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program. For more information or any questions, please contact Gail Presbey at presbegm@udmercy.edu.

Register for Zoom presentation here.

Clear out your closet for a cause! Students, faculty, staff and the Detroit Mercy community are invited to support Titan Equity Nourish Network’s (TENN) Thrift Shop event by donating new or gently used clothing in good condition. Drop-off between March 16 and April 3 to Room 05 of the Commerce & Finance Building or by reaching out to Chelsea Manning at mannincp@udmercy.edu.

Donated clothing will be sold at TENN’s Thrift event during De-Stress Fest.

The student or faculty group that donates the most clothing will win a pizza party! To enter, mention your group name when dropping off donations.

Donate, declutter and make a difference!

Detroit Mercy’s Chemistry Club was recognized as an “outstanding” student chapter for its commitment to advancing chemical education, both on campus and in the Detroit community. Only 25% of student chapters worldwide received this recognition by the American Chemical Society.

The club was honored recently, when they traveled to Atlanta to attend the Spring National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Hear from two inspiring alumni who have used their education, resilience and vision to lead their industries and drive success at UDM’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) Leadership Slam.

The Leadership Slam is set for Tuesday, April 21. The first session is scheduled for 2-3:45 p.m., and the second slam 5:15-7 p.m., both taking place in Room 208 of the Commerce & Finance Building. Both alumni will be speaking in Slam 1 and Slam 2.

The slams offer a unique opportunity for students to gain valuable insights. This event counts as [+1 Leadership Development].

Angelo Vitale ’80, retired general counsel of Rocket Companies, and Michael Birney ’15, CMO of 1 Natural Way, will offer their experiences on their leadership journeys.

Vitale provided strategic business and legal guidance throughout his career, serving as the first CEO of Rocket Central and EVP/general counsel of Rocket Mortgage, where he specialized in leasing, litigation and regulatory compliance.

Birney drives business growth with advanced marketing tech, leveraging his experience as a former Google growth strategy manager and MLL champion to apply teamwork and strategy for success.

For more information, please contact Kathleen Zimmerman-Oster at zimmerka@udmercy.edu.

Antoine M. Garibaldi, president emeritus and distinguished university professor, was recently honored with the 2026 Distinguished Warriors award from the Urban League of Detroit & Southeastern Michigan.

During his leadership at Detroit Mercy, the University saw increases in enrollment, retention and graduation rates, along with a stronger financial position. Its national and regional academic profile concurrently soared in U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best Colleges” and was among the top 20% of the country’s 5,000 colleges and universities selected for ranking in the new Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education.

Garibaldi was UDM’s 25th and third longest-serving president from June 2011 through June 2022. In addition, he was the University’s first layperson and first African American president since 1877.

Learn more about Garibaldi’s distinguished honor.

Join Jesuit friends and alumni on Wednesday, May 13 for a wine and cheese reception at historic Gesu Catholic Church.

Program Details:

• 5:30 p.m.: Mass
• 6 p.m.: Welcome and Reception
• 6:25 p.m.: Program begins

The evening will explore the history, families, art and architecture of the parish, founded by Jesuits in 1922 and once home to four Detroit mayors, several congressmen and the renowned Fisher Brothers.

The event will feature rare architectural drawings and antique stained-glass window designs, some dating to the late 1800s, from two Detroit families who worked closely with the Jesuits and the Archdiocese of Detroit. These families, behind the firms Diehl & Diehl Architects and Detroit Stained Glass Works, helped shape the city’s sacred spaces.

Special guests include Paul G. Diehl, grandson of original architect George F. Diehl and a descendant of the founders of Detroit Stained Glass Works; Patricia Montemurri, an award-winning journalist; and Mary Clare McCormick, a Detroit sacred art archivist.

The evening will include Mass, a wine and cheese reception, and a tour of the historic worship site.

Register online by May 1.

For April Service Immersion Day, University Ministry is partnering with Alumni Relations to beautify the Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) gardens.

Planting day is set for Saturday, April 11. Check-in will begin at 9 a.m. at the TENN gardens, located behind the Health Professions Facility, with a light breakfast of coffee and donuts. We will finish around noon with free lunch to follow. All are invited to come out and lend a hand.

Participants will spend a day of service on the McNichols Campus and neighborhoods, earning three service hours, while learning about the importance of our TENN gardens for food access, sustainability and community building.

This event is hosted by Laudato Si’ Student Group, University Ministry, TENN, Alumni Relations and the School of Architecture & Community Development and the Detroit Collaborative Design Center.

Please contact University Minister Sammy Eckrich at seckric@udmercy.edu with any questions or for more information.

Sign up for April Service Immersion.

Detroit Mercy alumni Michael Vinarcik ’04 and Susan Wellman-Smith ’04 received honors from the Engineering Society of Detroit’s Affiliate Council at the 55th annual Gold Award Reception and Recognition on March 18.

Vinarcik is an adjunct professor in UDM’s Systems Engineering graduate program and received the 2026 Gold Award, the society’s second-highest honor. It is awarded to someone who has made outstanding contributions to the fields of science and engineering.

Wellman-Smith, an applications engineer at Ford, received two awards: the Past Affiliate Council Chair Award for her exceptional service as chair from 2024-25, and the Consistent Contributor Award from the Detroit section of the Society of Women Engineers.

Both earned a Master of Product Development from UDM. Vinarcik has 30 years of experience in automotive and defense engineering and is nationally recognized for his work, including publications on model-based engineering. Wellman-Smith has spent more than 30 years in the automotive industry.

The deadline is quickly approaching to submit your idea for the AI AgeWell Challenge.

The AI Challenge returns for its third year to UDM’s McNichols Campus this April, bringing together students, faculty, community organizations and professionals to tackle real-world challenges using artificial intelligence.

This is your opportunity to turn a creative concept into an AI-powered solution that helps older adults live healthier, safer and more independent lives.

Teams will explore AI solutions that help people thrive at every stage of life, in areas such as:

• Aging in place and independent living
• Mental health, social connection and loneliness
• Care coordination and caregiver support
• Chronic disease management and wellness
• Community access, equity and inclusion

Challenge participants can win cash prizes and sponsor-supported awards, including:

• Innovator Award: $1,000 plus Tejara Innovation Hub Membership — Sponsored by AACC/Tejara, this award honors the most creative and groundbreaking solution. The winning team will also receive mentorship, entrepreneurial support and a media spotlight on the AACC/Tejara platform.
• Impact Awards: Two $500 prizes — Sponsored by PACE Southeast Michigan, these awards recognize solutions with strong potential for real-world impact, equity, accessibility and measurable benefit for older adults.
• Feasibility/Market Readiness Award: $500 Prize — Awarded to the team with the clearest path to real-world deployment.

Participants will work in interdisciplinary teams, receive mentorship and finalists will be selected to present their ideas in the live pitch competition on Friday, April 10, from 5-9 p.m., in Room 114 of the Chemistry Building. The evening includes prizes, food and networking with campus and community partners. Students, faculty, mentors and sponsors are invited to participate.

PACE Southeast Michigan’s mission is to keep chronically ill aging adults in their homes by supporting their medical, social and overall wellbeing. They are a proud to sponsor of the AI AgeWell Challenge, which brings innovative solutions to help older adults live healthier, more independent lives.

Come for the innovation, stay for the fun, enjoy a guest speaker, great food, fun activities, games, prizes, gift cards, more than $1,000 in giveaways and networking with professionals throughout the event.

Submit your idea by March 30 and register now to attend.

Sign up here.

Detroit Mercy Theatre Company (DMTC) will close the inaugural season of the new Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre with I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire by Samantha Hurley.

Six performances will run in back-to-back weekends, Friday through Sunday, April 10-19, in the new Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre on University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus.

I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire is set in 2004 and follows 14-year-old Shelby Hinkley, who is obsessed with Hollywood star Tobey Maguire and creates a play to kidnap and marry him in her basement.

“This play is as hilarious as it is heartfelt,” said DMTC managing director Sarah Rusk. “Shelby truly believes Tobey Maguire is her destiny, and through her obsession we get a look into the complicated emotions of growing up during the Y2K era.”

“I absolutely love working with young actors,” said director Cassandra Svacha. “Watching them create and rise to the challenge is thrilling. I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire to college-aged kids is like a period piece; none of them were alive when this story takes place, so it’s extra fun to have them dive into this world in an anthropologic way. They aren’t reminiscing or remembering 2004, they have to study that world and build it for themselves.”

The DMTC Ticket Office is open Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with tickets being available for purchase anytime online. Individual tickets are $25 for adults; $18 for seniors and Detroit Mercy faculty, staff and alumni; and $10 for veterans and students (ages 4-college). Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. To schedule your group, contact Sarah Rusk at 313-993-3273.

Those looking to buy tickets should note that the play is rated R and contains adult language and situations, including drug use, suicidal ideation and sexual situations. See full list of subject matter.

 SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS

• April 10: Opening Night Celebration.  Join the cast and crew following the performance for a reception in the Lower Level of the Student Union.
• April 11: Community Night. All tickets $10.
• April 12: Detroit Theatre Discussion Project.  Join in the discussion following the first Sunday’s matinee performance as we welcome Professor Erin Henze from the Psychology Department at Detroit Mercy to expand upon themes and ideas from the performance in a talkback.
• April 17: College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) at the Theatre. Join CHASS in celebrating the arts on campus with $5 tickets for CHASS students and alumni with coupon code CHASS_5. Free tickets to faculty/staff of CHASS by calling 313-993-3270 or email theatre@udmercy.edu.
• April 19: Closing Night

Get tickets here.

All are invited to enjoy an evening of Salvadoran pupusas, cultural expression and fellowship at the 15th annual Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) Jesuit Martyrs fundraiser dinner on Monday, March 30, at 6:45 p.m., in the Student Union Ballroom on the McNichols Campus.

Learn about contemporary Central America and help raise funds for an important scholarship. This scholarship — named after the six Jesuits, their housekeeper and her daughter, who were killed at UCA in November 1989 — funds university scholarships for students from underprivileged families in El Salvador.

This year, the event will feature two keynote speakers:

• Fr. Steve Privett on “Dean Brackley, S.J., Being awakened by the poor of Jayaque and Las Palmas”
• Fr. Rick Cassidy on “St. Paul, Dean, Jesus and Downward Mobility”

Both speakers will share memories of Dean Brackley, S.J., and discuss the relevance of his message for today.

A traditional Salvadoran dinner featuring pupusas will be served. Music will be provided by classically trained pianist and vocalist Hans Barbe, who will perform Spanish justice movement songs by Victor Jara and Mercedes Sosa, along with other CLASA-themed selections and classical pieces during the meal.

Fr. Privett (who will join virtually) teaches theology at Loyola High School in Los Angeles. He is the previous president of Verbum Dei Christo Rey High School and served as president of University of San Francisco from 2000-14. His doctorate in Catechetics is from Catholic University of America and focused on the Hispanic Community of the Catholic Church.

Fr. Cassidy is professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Seminary. He is a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit and holds degrees from the Gregorian, University of Michigan and the Graduate Theological Union.

The event is free for Detroit Mercy students. For all others, a donation of $10 or more is requested. All funds raised will benefit the UCA Jesuit Martyrs Scholarship, which was founded by Dean Brackley, S.J.

The event is sponsored by The Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive (CLASA) and co-sponsored by the UDM Jesuit Community, the Office of Mission Integration, the Latinx Student Union and the Language and Cultural Training Program.

Advance registration and 6:30 p.m. arrival time is encouraged.

For more information or any questions, please contact Gail Presbey at presbegm@udmercy.edu.

Register for CLASA dinner here.

Broadside Lotus Press and the University of Detroit Mercy Press will host a virtual reading and conversation with Joanne Godley, author of How the Black Panthers Fell from the Sky and winner of the 2025 Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award.

The reading will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25. Please register below to obtain Zoom link.

Godley grew up in Detroit during the city’s industrial heyday and amidst the activism of the labor unions. Her memoir reflects on her teenage years, when, impatient with someday freedom songs and despairing at the horrors of the Vietnam war, she is swept up by the daring promise of those militant “cats” in black leather jackets. The poems remind readers of the hopefulness and exhilaration of Panther Party times as well as provide Godley’s mature reflections on the Party’s dismantlement.

How the Black Panthers Fell from the Sky is the fourth co-publication of Broadside Lotus Press and UDM Press. It can be purchased at the Detroit Mercy bookstore and online through Hatteras printing.

Register here.

University Ministry will hold an overnight Social Justice retreat from Friday, March 27, to Saturday, March 28, filled with speakers, reflection and rest. The theme of the retreat is Contemplatives in Action.

Participants will meet on Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus 4:30 p.m. March 27, and head out to Maxis Spirituality Center for community building, fun, food and learning about some of the social justice issues of our day. The Maxis Center is located in Monroe, Michigan, 45 minutes south of the University.

All Detroit Mercy undergraduate and graduate students are welcome. Transportation to and from the retreat is provided.

This retreat will focus especially on immigration, nonviolence, activism, community care and mindfulness, and more. Through the theme of Contemplatives in Action, alumni and community partners will speak about how they have been inspired to do the work of justice. There will be opportunities for reflection as a group and individually.

Those attending the El Paso, Texas-Mexico Border Immersion are required to attend this retreat as pre-trip formation. The El Paso group will also go over trip logistics while at the retreat.

Deadline to register is March 20 (or request an extension).

For questions or concerns, please contact University Ministry at ministry@udmercy.edu or 313-992-1560 or stop by the office, located in the Student Union Lower Level, to speak with Anna or Sammy.

Register for retreat here.

Learn more about Detroit Mercy’s Post-Graduate Certificate in Addiction Studies program by attending an upcoming virtual information session. During the session, you will meet the program director, watch a presentation and have the opportunity to ask questions.

The next session will be offered on Wednesday, March 25 at noon.

Register here.

SACD will host Patrick Morrissy ’67 and Wayne Meyer on Wednesday, March 25, for the next installment of its lecture series with a presentation, titled Urban Neighborhoods: Strategic Intervention, Stability, and the Power of Street-Level Practice. The talk is a street-level view of neighborhood change rarely captured in textbooks.

The lecture will be held in the Loranger Architecture Building Exhibition Space. A reception at 4:30 p.m. will precede the lecture, which begins at 5 p.m. All are invited to this event.

Led by Detroit Mercy alumnus Patrick Morrissy, a pioneer in high-impact urban neighborhood intervention, this lecture will explore how HANDS, Inc., a small, disciplined nonprofit, worked with neighborhoods around Newark, N.J. Morrissy and colleague Wayne Meyer will discuss how strategic property acquisition and resident-centered community engagement produced durable neighborhood stability. They will also outline how this work influenced property laws, funding programs and community development finance and became the model for neighborhood stabilization work during the foreclosure crisis and remains relevant in Detroit today.

Morrissy is the founder and former executive director of HANDS, Inc., where he pioneered a high-impact community development strategy that stabilized and revitalized declining urban neighborhoods in the two cities that border Newark, N.J. Morrissy is also a founder and former editor of Shelterforce, the online publication for affordable housing and community development practitioners, and is the author of the 2025 book, Staking Our Claim: The Fight for Better Housing in the 1970s.

Meyer is president of Brick By Brick Training & Development Corporation, a nonprofit focused on building generational wealth through affordable homeownership and community-centered real estate investment. He served as president of New Jersey Community Capital, where he led a transformative strategy benefiting more than 100,000 individuals and families nationwide. At HANDS, Inc., Meyer led a place-based revitalization effort that developed more than 400 affordable housing units and catalyzed neighborhood stability and reinvestment.

Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive (CLASA) and Detroit Mercy collaborate with three other Mercy Universities — Gwynedd Mercy University, Saint Joseph’s University and Georgian Court University — along with the Peace History Society, to offer an online Mercy Peace Forum event each semester.

The spring 2026 event is set for Thursday, April 9, at 7 p.m. All are invited to this free event.

This webinar features Steven Brady, associate professor of History at George Washington University, who will discuss his new book Less Than Victory: American Catholics and the Vietnam War, and how an earlier generation of Americans responded to the moral dilemmas posed by a troubling war.

This semester’s event is hosted by Michael Clinton, professor of History at Gwynedd Mercy University.

For more information contact Clinton at clinton.michael@gmercyu.edu or Director of CLASA Gail Presbey at presbegm@udmercy.edu.

Register for webinar here.

The Detroit Mercy Department of Religious Studies presents the 2026 Cushing Distinguished Lecture series, featuring Ruben L.F. Habito. The lecture is set for Wednesday, April 8 at 7 p.m., in the Fountain Lounge of the Student Union.

Habito‘s lecture is titled, “Contemplation in Action: Emerging from Helplessness to Being of Some Help amidst our Wounded and Troubling World.”

Living in the midst of our deeply divided, demoralizing and deteriorating world, one tends to ask: “How may I be of help in alleviating this situation?” This important talk will offer guidelines for contemplative practice that may inspire and empower one to active engagement toward healing our collective woundedness on many fronts. 

Habito is professor emeritus of World Religions and Spirituality at the Perkins School of Theology (Southern Methodist University) and founding teacher of Maria Kannon Zen Center in Dallas. He is the author of Healing Breath: Zen Spirituality for Christians and Buddhists in a Wounded World, and many other titles.

This event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided. Please contact Todd Hibbard for more information at 313-993-1088 or hibbarja@udmercy.edu.

The Cushing Distinguished Lecture Series is made possible by the generous endowment of Ralph and Barbara Cushing, alumni of the graduate program in Religious Studies at Detroit Mercy.

Register here.

Start your morning with a sweet treat and a conversation!

Join the Dean of Students Monica Williams for a casual drop-in opportunity to share ideas, ask questions or just stop by to say hello Monday, April 6, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the Zalke Lounge, lower level of the Student Union. All students are welcome.

Free donuts while they last are available for all.

University Ministry will hold a Public Witness event for migrants on Tuesday, March 24 at 12:45 p.m., by the Jesus Statue, located between the Chemistry Building and Commerce & Finance Building.

The gathering will include a short interfaith prayer service, a table offering free information and advocacy resources and free baked goods for all attendees.

All are welcome, and participants will have the opportunity to share their perspectives with government officials.

For questions or more information, please contact Director of University Ministry Anita Klueg at kluegag@udmercy.edu.

Over the next few months, the ITS department will transition existing UDM phones to the Microsoft Teams Telephony platform. Teams Telephony is a widely used communications solution that provides telephone services integrated with Office 365 contacts and calendars.

With this transition, calls will be made and received through an employee’s assigned computer. As long as the computer has internet access, phone service will be available, regardless of location. This ensures continuity of communication, including in situations where the University may need to shift to remote work.

All existing University phone numbers will remain unchanged. Employees who currently use only an extension will be assigned a full direct inward dialing (DID) number.

Departments will be migrated in phases, with all users within a department transitioning together. ITS will coordinate with departmental leadership to conduct a pre-assessment prior to each migration.

Common area and shared phones will be transitioned at a later phase. Existing phone trees and call center services will also be migrated to the new system.

If you would like to learn more about how Teams Telephony works, a YouTube short video series is available that provides an overview, including how to make and receive calls in Microsoft Teams.

Detroit Mercy’s School of Architecture & Community Development (SACD) will host Egest Gjinali and Colleen Lashuk from 4:30-6 p.m. Monday, March 30, for the next installment of its lecture series with a presentation titled PIVOT Coopérative d’Architecture.

It’ll be held in the Loranger Architecture Building Exhibition Space. All are invited to this event.

This lecture explores what it means to build an architectural practice grounded in collective responsibility, democratic governance and care for existing social and built environments.

Founded in Montreal in 2017 as Quebec’s first worker-owned architecture cooperative, Pivot operates through shared decision-making and collective stewardship of the practice. Authority and responsibility are distributed among its members, shaping both how projects are designed and how the office itself is run. This structure encourages long-term engagement with partners and a design process rooted in dialogue, negotiation and participation.

Using the work of Pivot Architecture Cooperative, the lecture frames architecture as a practice of repair—working with existing buildings, institutions and communities while exploring how to operate within and transform the processes shaping our social and built environments. By presenting projects such as social and cooperative housing, community facilities, shelters and cultural spaces, the lecture demonstrates how architectural work can respond to complex social conditions and underserved communities. The speakers will reflect on practicing architecture as a cooperative, and how shared governance influences the design process and promotes participatory design.

Gjinali is a co-founding architect of Pivot Architecture Cooperative. Trained at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, he began his career in Switzerland before relocating to Montreal, where he helped establish the cooperative model that structures the practice today. Gjinali has also represented Albania as co-commissioner of its national pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale. His work brings an international lens to questions of socially engaged architecture and the role design can play in supporting communities.

Also a co-founding architect at Pivot, Lashuk’s training bridges architecture and anthropology. With deep roots in community housing work, she has spent her career designing alongside people whose needs are often overlooked, including communities living with mental health and disability-related challenges. A skilled facilitator, Lashuk has developed methods for drawing non-architects meaningfully into the design process, treating community input not as consultation but as a core design tool.

Do you know a student who went above and beyond this year? Nominations for the 2025-26 Student Leadership and Service Awards are due by Thursday, March 26!

An unbiased committee will review all nominations, so please be detailed in your submissions!

The Student Leadership and Service Awards reception will be held on Thursday, April 16, at 5 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. More details will be provided to nominees/winners. In conjunction with the awards ceremony, our National Society of Leadership & Success inductees will be honored.

Awards categories for Student Leadership and Service Awards include:

• Rising Star Student Leader (First-Year Student or Sophomore): This award is given to a first-year student or sophomore-level student who demonstrates leadership qualities in multiple areas of campus. They consider their community in their everyday decisions and are working for positive change around them. This person may not have a title, but their actions and commitment to the process of leadership are noticeable to their peers and constituents.
• Student Leader of the Year (Junior or Senior): This award is given to a junior or senior-level student who demonstrates leadership qualities in multiple areas of campus. They consider their community in their everyday decisions and are working for positive change around them. This person may not have a title, but their actions and commitment to the process of leadership are noticeable to their peers and constituents.
• Titan Spirit Award: This award is given to a student who demonstrates Titan Spirit every day. They love their school, and they are not afraid to show it. Their pride for their school is demonstrated in their involvement, decisions, actions and even the color scheme of their clothes. This person never waivers when choosing to root for the home team!
• Student Employee of the Year: This award is given to a diligent student who is employed somewhere on campus. This student adds value to the office or department they work in and is dedicated to their role. Without dedicated student employees this campus would not be able to run efficiently. This student is a true model of what it looks like to help keep a workplace moving in a positive direction.
• Student Organization of the Year: This award is given to the registered student organization that has contributed positively to campus all year. They achieve their organization mission while contributing to the University’s overall mission. They are committed to their members and provide opportunities, initiatives and/or events for campus to see their efforts clearly. This group is driven, excited and displays their positive values.
• Program/Event of the Year: This award is given to a student or group of students who has hosted a phenomenal program on campus. This program has given students at Detroit Mercy an opportunity to enjoy each other, learn something new or come together for a common purpose. This event adds value to campus and is a positive addition to the campus culture.

Awards categories for Fraternity and Sorority Leadership and Service Awards include:

• Fraternity Member of the Year: This award is for a member of a fraternity who has demonstrated continued contribution to his chapter, the Greek community and the Detroit Mercy campus. This person understands and models their values daily and is a positive force. This person stands out from the community for how they demonstrate leadership, loyalty and commitment to making the world around them better for all.
• Sorority Member of the Year: This award is for a member of a sorority who has demonstrated continued contribution to her chapter, the Greek community and the Detroit Mercy campus. This person understands and models their values daily and is a positive force. This person stands out from the community for how they demonstrate leadership, loyalty and commitment to making the world around them better for all.
• Chapter President of the Year: This award is given to a person who upheld the values of their own organization and the University. They communicate throughout the community, promote a positive Greek Life experience and uplift their members. This person supports their executive board (if applicable) and completes all duties in a timely and accurate manner. They exemplify what it means to lead by example!
• Outstanding Philanthropic Event or Community Service Project: This award is given to the Greek chapter that conducted an outstanding philanthropic event and/or an outstanding community service project that served to benefit the local/national community. The program should have been in the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Chapter of Excellence Award: This award is given to the Greek Letter organization that has demonstrated excellence in multiple categories, including but not limited to academics, campus programming and highlighting their values. This chapter contributes positively to the Greek Life community, campus community and each other. Even if this group is not wearing their letters, they are consistently demonstrating their values.

Submit nominations here.

UDM Cybersecurity students took part in the VICEROY Chapter 3: Iron Vanguard Cybersecurity competition on March 5, maintaining four hours of intensely focused cyber problem-solving. Each chapter in the series grows progressively more challenging for students. Detroit Mercy student contenders were team organizer Aldo Tricoli, Noel Renu, Adam Jamaleddin and Jonah Dabesh.

The College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) will welcome Alfred Babo, professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Fairfield University, to speak about his experiences as a researcher and teacher living in exile.

The conversation will take place on Thursday, March 26 at 4 p.m., in the Bargman Room of the McNichols Campus Library.

The event will also feature an introduction to Babo’s recently published book, Exiled Scholars in Western Academia: Refugees or Intellectuals?, which presents experiences of scholars residing in exile and how they experience a paradox of inclusion and exclusion.

In his talk, Babo will highlight how academics and intellectuals are often among those who must flee their home countries and are rescued during times of crisis. He will explore how those who seek asylum or exile in the United States face challenges of acceptance in ways that shift their research and practice.

Currently serving on the board of Scholars-at-Risk (SAR), Babo also co-founded the initiative called Share the Platform, which advocates for refugees’ self-representation and expertise. He received the Fairfield University 2023 Martin Luther King Vision Award for his engagement with refugees and vulnerable individuals. Babo is also a member of several professional organizations.

This talk is sponsored by CHASS and African American Studies and is free and open to the public.

All Titans are invited to Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, March 25, for Detroit Mercy Night, where the Detroit Pistons will host the Atlanta Hawks. The game starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets start at just $35. All-you-can-eat seats in the North End Club are also available.

When purchased through the link below, tickets also include a co-branded Pistons and UDM sweater.

Purchase tickets here. 

Faculty are often asked to examine their teaching, to assess it, refine it, adapt it across modalities and strengthen it in response to evolving student needs. Self-improvement workshops and conferences are often attended where faculty ask themselves, “How can we do better?”

All faculty are invited to participate in a two-part workshop, hosted by the Office of Mission Integration, that invites a different, yet equally important, question: What brings us joy in teaching?

The two-part workshop will take place on:

• Wednesday, March 25, from 2-4 p.m., via Zoom
• Tuesday, March 31, from 2-4 p.m., in person, in Room 208 of the Student Union 

Please note, participation is required at both sessions.  A warm meal will be served on March 31.

Within a small, interdisciplinary group of colleagues, participants will:

• Reflect on the values, life experiences, disciplinary frameworks and commitments that influence their teaching at its best.
• Explore how personal understandings of excellent teaching intersect with and enrich the Mercy and Jesuit educational mission and how those traditions can deepen pedagogical practices.
• Rediscover experiences that bring meaning, purpose and fulfillment to the vocation of teaching.
• Participate in a mindfulness component to create space for reflection and presence throughout the dialogue.

The voice and perspectives of colleagues who are deeply committed to teaching will greatly enrich this conversation. This workshop is intended as a reflective and restorative experience.

Please RSVP by Monday, March 2, via email to Office of Mission Integration Faculty Fellow Ashlee Barnes at barnesav@udmercy.edu.

Looking to further your education? Make your graduate applications stand out by attending an upcoming Graduate Admission Workshop, hosted by the Center for Career & Professional Development and the Office of Admissions.

Sessions will focus on resume/interview skills, personal statements and letters of recommendation/etiquette. Join us in-person in the Admissions Office in Room 181 of the Student Union or virtually via Teams. Registration is encouraged but not required.

Session dates and topics are as follows:

• Thursday, March 19, at 1 p.m. — Resume/interview skills
• Tuesday, March 31, at 1 p.m. — Personal statements
• Tuesday, April 14, at 1 p.m. — Letters of recommendation/etiquette

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Associate Director for Graduate Admissions Jennifer Goethals at 313-993-3309 or goethajm@udmercy.edu.

Register here.

Mark your calendars! The annual end-of-the-year De-Stress Fest returns to the Whitty Student Fitness Center on Thursday, April 23, from 4:30-7 p.m.

As finals approach, take some time to relax, recharge and have fun with a variety of stress-relief activities. Stay tuned for event details coming soon.

The Detroit Mercy Pre-Law Society and Business Law Society will host its second annual Moot Court Competition on Thursday, April 2 at 2 p.m., where students of all majors can refine their legal reasoning, public speaking and advocacy skills in a simulated appellate court environment. Participants will present a hypothetical case before a distinguished panel of judges, including UDM faculty.

The competition will follow a traditional moot court format, where multiple teams will present arguments on both sides of a legal issue. This is an oral competition, and no writing is involved.

It only takes two to make a team for this competition, so find a friend and sign up now. Deadline to sign up is March 23.

For any questions, please contact saputocm@udmercy.edu or tomaeb@udmercy.edu.

Sign up here.

In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, University Ministry will hold an interfaith panel featuring women who will share their stories of faith and life.

The panel is set for Monday, March 23, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., in the Student Union Ballroom.

A peer wellness student leader will facilitate a self-care activity table during the event.

Lite bites and refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend.

Please contact Director of University Ministry Anita Klueg at kluegag@udmercy.edu for any questions or more information. This event is cohosted by the Hindu Community of Michigan, the Muslim Student Association and Peer Wellness.

Four teams of Detroit Mercy students competed in the 12th Annual Detroit Chapter ISACA Cybersecurity Case Competition in March and brought home some hardware.

During the competition, student teams work on a “real-world” Cybersecurity case study and present their conclusions to a panel of industry professionals who play the role of potential future employers. The competition consisted of 25 teams from five universities.

Winners of this year’s cyber competition were as follows:

• First place went to UDM’s Noel Renu and Adam Jamaleddin: $4,000 prize
• Second place (tie) went to UDM’s Harrison Haviland-Longo ’25 and UDM’s Ali Laho and Jarod Cunningham. Each team won $2,500.

UDM’s fourth team, made up of students Samwell Mchunga, Eyitooni Oladipo, Angel Plamoottii and Shifa Khanom, received an honorable mention. The feedback from the judges indicated the team took 25/30 points, which was an outstanding effort by the freshman-level team.

Total prizes awarded to Detroit Mercy students was $9,000.

All students who competed are currently enrolled in Detroit Mercy’s B.S. in Cybersecurity program, save for Haviland-Longo, who graduated from the program in 2025 and is now enrolled in the Cybersecurity Management program, and Oladipo, who is pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science.

The Women’s and Gender Studies Program is accepting submissions for the 2025–26 Undergraduate Writing Competition. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 23.

All current Detroit Mercy undergraduate students are encouraged to submit original work exploring issues related to gender, sexuality and/or feminist thought. Submissions that engage with questions of identity, power, equity and social justice are highly encouraged in the following genres:

• Poetry
• Personal essays
• Short stories
• Academic essays

Total prizes in the amount of $700 will be awarded.

For more information, please email Lee Eshelman at eshelmlr@udmercy.edu or visit the link below.

Submission guidelines and additional details.

University Ministry will lead a trip for students to attend Mass and tour the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit on Sunday, March 22.

After Mass, the group will tour the Cathedral and then go out for brunch together for fellowship and reflection. Transportation will be provided.

Participants taking University Ministry provided transportation will meet at the University Ministry Office at 10:15 a.m. Those driving themselves should meet at the Cathedral at 10:45 a.m. Mass begins at 11 a.m. 

For more information or any questions, please email Anna Bryson at lawleran@udmercy.edu.

Register here.

The Detroit Mercy community is invited to the annual Phenomenal Women’s Reception, set for Friday, March 20, at 5 p.m., in the Student Union Ballroom.

The recipient of the award this year is Samerah Saad, associate director of Residence Life.

The reception, hosted by the Student Life Office and the Campus Activity Board, celebrates the lives of women at Detroit Mercy.

The event is free and open to all students, faculty and staff.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Pamela Zarkowski will present in three programs at the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Annual Session in March, where she serves as councilor for ADEA’s Professional, Ethical and Legal Section.

She will contribute to the following sessions:

• ADEA Student Leadership Symposium and Conference: Cultivating Leaders, Creating Change, focusing on leadership, advocacy and addressing oral health challenges
• What’s Too Much? Navigating Professional Boundaries in Dental Education
• Faculty Members and Students with Disabilities: Legal, Ethical and Educational Considerations

All are invited to a conversation with Catholic thought leaders to reflect together on the “Church’s Mission in this time and place.” The discussion will take place on Saturday, April 25, at 2 p.m., in the Student Union Ballroom, on the McNichols Campus.

Panelists are as follows:

• Archbishop Edward Wiesenberger, metropolitan archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Detroit
• Helen Marie Burns, RSM, former president of Leadership Conference of Women Religious
• Bishop John Stowe, O.F.M. Conv. of Lexington, Ky., president of Pax Christi, USA
• Matt Mio, professor of Chemistry, University of Detroit Mercy, expert on Laudato Si

The session will be moderated by Bridget Deegan-Krause, author of Together Through Reflection: Themes for Those Who Lead and Serve in Catholic Organizations.

Register here.

All students are invited to attend a half-day mission retreat on Friday, April 10, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., focusing on the theme “Paths and Purpose: Discernment in Challenging Times.” This retreat will take place in the Lansing-Reilly Hall on the McNichols Campus and is designed to help students navigate important life and career decisions through reflection and guided spiritual conversation.

This FREE event for students has been organized by the Charles T. Fisher III Chair in Business Ethics & College of Business Administration. Lunch will be provided at 12:30 p.m. following the retreat.

To reserve your spot at the retreat, email Nisha Miah at miahiv@udmercy.edu. Deadline to RSVP is March 30. Please include your name, college and any food allergies.

Becoming a Better U returns to campus this spring as the Alumni Relations team invites all faculty, staff, alumni and students to a morning devoted to personal and professional development.

The free half-day event is set for Saturday, March 28, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the Student Union on the McNichols Campus. Registration opens 8:30 a.m. the morning of the event.

Enjoy a morning of inspiring speakers, hands-on sessions and a complimentary professional headshot. Workshops cover a wide variety of topics and are sure to have something for everyone. Click the registration link below for a full list of workshops.

Free breakfast is also provided. Please register by March 23. For more information or any questions, please call 313-993-1540.

Register for Becoming A Better U.

The College of Business Administration‘s Charlton Center for Responsible Investing will host The Honorable Philip Jefferson, vice chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as guest speaker at its fourth annual Speaker Series.

The presentation will take place on Tuesday, April 7, at 5:30 p.m., in the Student Union Ballroom.

As the second highest ranking official in the U.S. central banking system and a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), Jefferson plays an important role in the Federal Reserve’s progress toward its dual mandate of maximum employment and stable prices. He has held prominent academic leadership roles, including serving as the dean of faculty and the Paul B. Freeland professor of economics at Davidson College. Jefferson also served as chair of the Department of Economics at Swarthmore College, where he was the centennial professor of economics.

All are welcome to attend this free event, and advance registration is required.

Register here.

The 43rd annual Pax Christi Michigan State Conference will be held at Detroit Mercy, Saturday, April 18, in the Student Union Ballroom on the McNichols Campus. The theme of this year’s event is “Be Not Afraid: Living in Hope and Resistance,” and features keynote speaker Charlene Howard, national director for Pax Christi USA.

Registration opens at 8:30 a.m., and the event will run until approximately 4 p.m. 

Through humor, storytelling, music and innate wisdom, Howard will advise conference participants in the courage and resiliency needed to confront racism, violence and greed with Gospel-based nonviolence and effective activism.

A discussion will follow Howard’s call to action in which a panel of experts will offer insights and specific ways to effectively resist today’s culture of violence.

Panel experts include:

• Elly Jordan: Advocacy for immigrants
• Andrea Pierce: Advocacy for the environment and Indigenous cultures
• Saeed Khan: Advocacy for Gaza, the West Bank and Middle Eastern cultures.

Howard received her master’s in Religious Education and Catechesis from the Catholic University of America and has been a teacher, school principal and a religious department chair. In July 2024, she became the executive director of Pax Christi USA.

Pax Christi Michigan promotes peace locally, nationally and globally through prayer, study and action. Rooted in spirituality, the organization is dedicated to examining issues of justice from the perspectives of all involved and promotes peace with justice through nonviolent conflict resolution.

A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Cost for attendance:

• Early registration: $65 (includes breakfast and lunch). Registration after April 10 is $70.
• Student rate: $25
• Conference scholarships are available.

More information and register online here.

Detroit Mercy’s English Department welcomes poets Ilya Kaminsky and Katie Farris, who will read their work for the 2026 Triptych series on Thursday, March 19 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.

Triptych is a virtual reading series featuring award-winning authors in conversation with Detroit Mercy’s Poet-in-Residence Stacy Gnall. Triptych events are free and open to the community.

Ilya Kaminsky was born in Odesa, Ukraine, in 1977, and arrived to the United States in 1993, when his family was granted asylum by the American government. He is the author of the poetry collections Deaf Republic and Dancing in Odessa, and is co-editor and co-translator of many other books.

His work, which has been translated into more than 20 languages, has been a finalist for a National Book Award and a National Book Critics Circle Award, and is the winner of many awards. Kaminsky, who currently teaches at Princeton, was selected by the BBC as “one of the 12 artists that changed the world” in 2019.

Katie Farris is the author of the memoir-in-poems, Standing in the Forest of Being Alive, which was listed as a Publisher’s Weekly’s Top 10 Poetry Books for 2023, as well as shortlisted for the 2023 T.S. Eliot Prize. She is also the author of the hybrid-form text boysgirls, and the chapbooks A Net to Catch My Body in its Weaving, winner of the 2021 Chad Walsh Poetry Award, Thirteen Intimacies and Mother Superior in Hell. Most recently she is winner of the Pushcart Prize.

Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Granta, The Atlantic Monthly, The Nation and Poetry, and has been commissioned by MoMA. She is the co-translator of several books of poetry from the Ukrainian, French, Chinese and Russian. She also teaches at Princeton.

Triptych events are held via Zoom on third Thursdays in January, February and March, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Register here!

Celebration of Scholarly Achievement & Community Engagement (CSACE) is a University-wide event featuring research posters, artistic displays, performances, lightning talks and much more. This year’s CSACE symposium is set for Thursday, April 9.

CSACE is an opportunity to recognize the exemplary work across all campuses throughout the academic year and to learn about and support the research achievements of fellow colleagues and students.

All students, staff and faculty from all disciplines are encouraged to register for an opportunity to display or present their academic achievements, scholarly research and publications, community service, artistic creations and talents.

Presenter registration is required to secure a position at the event.

The deadline to register to be a presenter is Tuesday, March 17, at 5 p.m.

Learn more and register here.