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

Air date: 12/22/24

[00:28:46]

Ask The Professor memories from Christmas 2008.  Host Kathy Bush is joined by Professors Beth Oljar, Dan Maggio, Roy Finkenbine and Dave Chow.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 12/15/24

[00:28:37]

Pour yourself a hot beverage and enjoy the Ask The Professor 2024 Christmas Holiday show.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 12/8/24

[00:28:39]

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 12/1/24

[00:28:33]

With Professors Matt Mio, Beth Oljar, Jim Tubbs, Mara Livezey, Dan Maggio, Erin Bell and Dave Chow.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 11/24/24

[00:28:43]

With Professors Matt Mio, Heather Hill, Jim Tubbs, Stephen Manning, Dan Maggio and Dave Chow.

ATP 2512 transcript

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Detroit Mercy wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season!

The University’s McNichols Campus, Novi Campus and School of Law (Riverfront Campus) will close at the end of normal business hours on Friday, Dec. 20 in observance of Christmas and the holiday season.

Normal operations and University bookstore hours resume on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. McNichols Campus and School of Law classes resume on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.

The fall 2024 edition of Spiritus, the magazine of Detroit Mercy, is now available online!

This edition features stories on the new campus branding at McNichols, the work of one alumna to brighten the Detroit community with original artwork, an update on Titan Innovation Fund projects and news about UDM’s record-setting fundraising year. In addition, a wrap-up of Homecoming 2024.

Check out the full edition online!

In Sept. 2024, a crack commando unit was formed consisting of University students to address the growing concern of people calling the University and seeking an operator only to go unanswered and sent to phone mail jail or to randomly press keys to reach anyone who might answer. The unit is known as the O team. O as in telecom operator.

Since September, this small team of students has been leveraging their communication skills and performing standard operator services for incoming calls to the University that route through our phone trees to an operator.

Should you see a phone call coming your way with the caller ID name of “UDM Operator” please pick up your University phone to receive a call from someone coming through our operator service. Not only will you make our O team staff happy to have assisted the caller, but the caller will be more than appreciative to reach you.

For those tracking unusual University history, prior operator services were retired back on Aug. 31, 2008, and new operator services officially started on Sept. 27, 2024.

All students are invited to join University Ministry and Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) on Monday, Jan. 20 for Intersectional Immersion Day, our first monthly Immersion Day of 2025! The event will take place from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, starting at the Mercy Gathering Place in Shiple Hall.

From there we will travel to Zaman International in nearby Inkster, Mich. This organization is committed to facilitating change and advancing the lives of marginalized women and children by providing a variety of housing, food and employment needs for many women, particularly female immigrants, in the metro Detroit area.

There will be educational, reflective and service-based portions of the day. Lunch, snacks and transportation will be provided to all participants. Please note, this event coincides with Martin Luther King Day, and there are no classes that day.

Be sure to register by Jan. 15 to secure your spot or be added to the waitlist.

For any questions, please contact Associate University Minister Becky Vires at rvires@udmercy.edu or visit the University Ministry office in the Lower Level of the Student Union across from the Bookstore. We look forward to seeing you there!

SIGN UP HERE!

Professor and Department Co-chair of History Roy Finkenbine and co-author Carol E. Mull published the article “The Underground Railroad in Michigan Territory: Reverend Alfred Brunson’s 1822 Visit to Monroe” in the Fall 2024 issue of the Michigan Historical Review. The article provides a window on the Underground Railroad when it was a collection of isolated individuals aiding freedom seekers rather than the organized network it would later become.

Calling all Titans! Start 2025 strong with this exciting, brand-new event offered by University Recreation.

Join University Recreation in setting some goals at its New Year’s Rec-Solutions event, held Tuesday, Jan. 7 from 4-7 p.m. in the Student Fitness Center!

Get ready for entry giveaways and raffle prizes, vision boards and goal setting and wellness, nutrition and fitness tips designed for bringing in the new year in a healthy way! This is your chance to participate in some sports and fitness challenges that will help you determine your goals or challenge your favorite staff member in a student versus staff basketball game! FREE food provided and much MORE!

Stay tuned for more details and follow University Recreation on Instagram at @DetroitMercyRec for updates.

Over the past year or more, Detroit Mercy’s Marketing and Communications (MarCom), in partnership with various organizations and associations, has participated in a number of marketing research efforts to better understand Generation Z (Gen Z) as they contemplate their college of choice. This work included a deep dive into the values, mindsets and decision-making processes of Gen Z students and their families, along with exploration of how the values, benefits and approach of Jesuit higher education are described across AJCU member institutions.

But this is only one piece of the marketing research puzzle.

MarCom invites all UDM family members to check out other research studies noted under the section titled Three-Phase Research Process located HERE. Read more about studies undertaken with Elevate Marketing Research (Elevate) to understand why students who received acceptance to UDM decided to go elsewhere. In addition, the 2024 study with Elevate studied additional student perceptions about UDM as well as parent perceptions toward the University.

There are also several other case studies and research materials you may peruse to learn more about how Gen Z students view higher education.

As always, please feel free to send questions to MarCom at marcom@udmercy.edu.

Learn more!

Come and join University Ministry in Montgomery, Ala. during spring break!

When: March 1-8 (spring break)

What: Service Immersion Trips are an opportunity to encounter a community outside of your own, offer your gifts and friendship in service and solidarity, and immerse yourself in education on the critical issues of our day — in this case, the Civil Rights movement! This trip is designed to learn from the rich history of the area, visiting renowned museums and historical sites. It also includes engaging in current-day civil rights issues around racism, voting access and even joining a historical rally crossing the Selma bridge.

Where: Montgomery, Ala. We are hosted by an organization called Resurrection Catholic Missions of the South, Inc. Their center is located in a building that was previously a convent, consisting of private bedrooms with two beds each, shared split bathrooms, a kitchen and a reflection room where we have our nightly reflections.

Who: For current UDM students only. All faiths or non-faiths are invited to join. There are 8 student spots available on this trip.

Transportation: Provided! We will meet at UDM and drive down together in a van, leaving early Saturday, March 1 and returning Saturday, March 8.

Registration Cost: $400 (covers 3 meals/day, lodging, transportation, museum tickets and all programming). The total cost per person is higher, but Ministry pays the remainder. We do not want this expense to be an obstacle to your participation–scholarships are available! Reach out to Sammy at seckric@udmercy.edu to request a scholarship application.

Application Deadline: Jan. 15 with an initial deposit of $100. The remaining cost is due a week before the start of the trip. An application can be requested below.

SIGN UP HERE!

University Ministry is conducting a survey to receive feedback on the What’s the Tea with Ministry podcast, which focuses on bringing the University community mission-centered conversation through storytelling, reflection and community engagement.

As we head into our fourth season, we would love to learn from the listeners of the podcast about what topics, groups or people you would like to hear about/from in future seasons and to provide feedback on past episodes. 

Complete and submit the survey linked below and receive an entry into a raffle to win a $25 Visa gift card!

Please help us gather this crucial input so we can make What’s the Tea with Ministry even better!

SUBMIT FEEDBACK HERE!

Professor and Director of Graduate Architecture Claudia Bernasconi was invited to give a guest lecture for the 2024 Lecture Series of the Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience (FIBER) at the College of Design, Construction, and Planning at University of Florida.

The lecture, entitled “Transformative Pedagogies: the Value of Transformative and Community Engaged Learning,” included research findings, theory and practical examples that support transformative and community engaged learning.

University of Detroit Mercy’s Vehicle Cyber Engineering (VCE) Program announces the availability of scholarships of up to $12,500 for students who enroll in the program for winter 2025.

Information sessions for the VCE program and other College of Engineering & Science graduate programs take place on the following dates and times. Seats are limited and prospective students are encouraged to register as soon as possible.

• Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 12 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 9:30 a.m. or 12:00 p.m.

Register for these sessions online today by clicking the calendar.

In 2020, the College of Engineering & Science received a $1.12-million award from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) that supported the establishment of the Metro Detroit Regional Virtual Vehicle Cybersecurity Institute. This ground-breaking Institute formed through partnerships between academia, the vehicle manufacturing industry, and the DoD to address the shortfall of trained vehicle cybersecurity engineers and computer scientists to meet the needs of the military ground vehicle and transportation industries. In early 2024, the Institute received an additional $497,080 award from the DoD to expand its work and impact.

“The success of our Vehicle Cyber Engineering program is built upon the strength of our industry and government relationships and high-quality curriculum focused on applied career development in engineering,” Dean of UDM’s College of Engineering & Science Katherine Snyder said. “We are also leveraging the strength of UDM’s NSA Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense which addresses cyber workforce needs in the Information Technology and Information Systems domains. With our Vehicle Cyber and Cyber Crime programs, UDM will be a leader in meeting the variety of cybersecurity workforce needs in the region and the nation.”

U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, toured the Vehicle Cyber Engineering program facility in the spring of 2024 and was briefed by leadership on the Metro Detroit Regional Vehicle Cyber Security Institute’s objectives.

“Michigan is a leader in the development of emerging autonomous vehicle technologies, and Detroit Mercy is helping to meet the growing demand for a skilled cybersecurity workforce across our automotive and defense sectors,” he noted during his visit. “This investment will allow Detroit Mercy, along with its regional consortium members, to continue building a talent pipeline that will support our state’s workforce needs while strengthening our national defense.”

Detroit Mercy offers graduate programs relevant to workforce needs in the following areas:

• vehicle cybersecurity
• cybersecurity management
• cybercrime
• electrical engineering
• software engineering
• systems engineering
• data science
• data analytics
• electric vehicle
• autonomous vehicle
• technical management
• product development

The goal is to provide students a variety of undergraduate, graduate and certificate options in these fields through UDM’s College of Engineering & Science and College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS).

The success of UDM’s Master of Science in Product Development (MPD) and graduate certificate in Systems Engineering continue to raise the national profile of all engineering programs. At the Second Annual World Championships of System Architecture and Modeling conducted during the Integrate24 Symposium held in Cleveland, Ohio, Jeremy Ross, a graduate of the MPD program and engineer at Ford Motor Co. in Detroit, won in the individual competition. This prestigious digital engineering symposium, hosted by Zuken Vitech, brings together leading minds in the field each year to tackle complex engineering challenges in real time.

Additionally, College of Engineering & Science programs have achieved industry honors. For example, the International Council on System Engineering (INCOSE) recognizes UDM’s System’s Engineering Certificate as an equivalent to the INCOSE knowledge exam. This means that UDM students seeking INCOSE certification are able to bypass the knowledge exam requirement.

UDM’s commitment to helping veterans and military personnel achieve success has also been recognized both locally and nationally, earning high marks from Military Friendly Schools and the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. The University has also been designated a Center of Academic Excellence by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency.

Classes for the VCE and other graduate programs are available in several modalities, including online (asynchronous and synchronous), in person and via hybrid formats.

For more about Detroit Mercy’s College of Engineering & Science graduate degrees in Engineering, please visit https://eng-sci.udmercy.edu/academics/engineering/graduate.php.

Radical Hospitality is the intentional welcoming of those we know and those we don’t yet know into a community of belonging. In the Mercy and Jesuit traditions, we are asked to embrace the stranger as our neighbor, in the spirit of love, mercy, and justice.

In the latest feature in the series A Year in Radical Hospitality, Assistant Professor Ashlee Barnes explores these traditions and writes about hosting two students, Aadarsh and Jamuna, for Thanksgiving dinner with her family. It was a meaningful celebration of food, music, tradition and community.

Read the feature and find out more HERE!

If you would like to write or propose a feature for A Year in Radical Hospitality, please email MET co-chairs Assistant Professor Ashlee Barnes at barnesav@udmercy.edu or Associate Professor Mary-Catherine Harrison at mc.harrison@udmercy.edu.

Service immersion trips offer a unique opportunity to step outside your own community and engage with a different culture, offering your gifts and presence in the spirit of service and solidarity, while immersing yourself in education on the critical issues of our day.

This trip to Joppa Mountain, Tenn., takes place during spring break, March 1-7, 2025, and is an immersive experience that not only focuses on personal growth and reflection but also involves direct service to those in need. The community around Joppa Mountain is deeply affected by the decline of the coal industry, challenges related to refugee and migrant resettlement and a lack of access to essential resources such as food and housing.

As part of this trip, participants will engage in hands-on service, including building homes, working in food pantries and learning about the systemic issues that contribute to poverty and displacement. This journey fosters relationships of mutuality and solidarity, encouraging participants to live simply and connect authentically with those they serve.

The fee for this trip (organized in partnership with Glenmary Missions) is $400, which includes transportation from UDM, lodging and program costs. Participants will stay in Glenmary Missions’ volunteer house on the mountain, which consists of multiple rooms, bunk beds, a kitchen and reflection room, located on a small farm surrounded by gorgeous Appalachian views.

This trip is for current UDM students only. All faiths or non-faiths are invited to apply. There are eight student spots available on this trip.

The application deadline is Jan. 15 with an initial deposit of $100.

Please reach out to Sammy Eckrich at seckric@udmercy.edu with questions.

Fill out interest form here!

All Titans are invited to Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, Dec. 19 for Detroit Mercy Night, where the Detroit Pistons will host the Utah Jazz! The game starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the event start at $30 and include a Pistons/UDM co-branded hoodie. There are also all-you-can-eat seats available in the North End Club (Sec. 201 – 205).

The proceeds of each ticket sold are donated back to the University.

Purchase tickets here!

Tuition insurance will be offered for Detroit Mercy students through GradGuard beginning during the Winter 2025 semester.

GradGuard’s tuition insurance can reimburse tuition, room, board and other eligible fees if a student withdraws at any time during the covered term for a covered reason such as:

• Serious injury or illness
• Chronic illness
• Mental health conditions
• Loss of employment

Visit https://gradguard.com/tuition/udmercy to enroll or for more information!

Click here for giving opportunities!

There’s still a few spots for faculty, students and others interested in traveling to India with Detroit Mercy in May 2025.

The final deadline to register for this wonderful immersion experience is Dec. 15.

For further information, please contact Lara Wasner at wasnerle@udmercy.edu or Diane Robinson-Dunn at robinsod@udmercy.edu.

This giving season, more than $1,300 has been raised in support of Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN). Thank you to everyone who donated to our Giving Tuesday crowdfunding page, SeeDMoney campaign and through our Buddy’s fundraiser. Your donations help us buy protein for produce deliveries, maintain the TENN Garden and hire incredible student leaders. Thank you for making our work possible!

The UDM rebranding effort continues, as reported in the Nov. 15 edition of Campus Connection. Marketing and Communications (MarCom) and GreenHouse::Innovation (Greenhouse) are currently developing plans for UDM stakeholder strategy sessions, scheduled for announcement in early 2025. Faculty, staff, students, trustees, community members, corporate partners, foundations and others can attend these sessions to provide invaluable input about their perception of UDM and its position in the local, state and national higher education environments.

The benefits of these sessions include:

• Creation of a new north star for UDM — not just a university, but a hub of social innovation that is convening the most important conversations and doing the most important work related to understanding the present and future of universities — why we build them, for whom do we build them and how do we build them — and where every graduate is considered a social innovator armed with an education that will provide a life of “money AND meaning.”
• New levels of confidence and clarity for marketing/communications, for advertising, for publicity.
• Creation of new paths to engagement/impact among donors, potential faculty, prospective students, alumni, local and national businesses, new actors altogether.

GreenHouse and MarCom will also unveil a documentary regarding the community sessions that took place in Aug. 2024 to help launch the new strategy sessions for 2025. Look for details on this unveiling in future editions of Campus Connection.

Today, we’re asking our entire UDM family to take some time and review information about the rebranding work and to please keep an eye out for future invitations to strategy sessions. Seating is limited to the first 25 to sign up.

For more information, please feel free to email MarCom at marcom@udmercy.edu.

Do you want to advocate for diversity and inclusive excellence in the search process? Become an ally for search advocacy and creating a culturally rich, more diverse University setting and get trained to be a search advocate on Dec. 17 and 19 on the McNichols Campus.

Detroit Mercy is offering search advocate training with four sessions over the course of two days following the end of the 2024 fall semester. Learn strategies to mitigate implicit bias and understand the importance of search advocacy. Be the person on the search committee who ensures that all voices are heard and encourages communication between the committee, candidates and other stakeholders. Learn tips to be better prepared to actively participate in all phases of the search process at Detroit Mercy.

If interested, please register by Friday, December 13.

The full schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 9 a.m. to noon AND 1-4 p.m. (Modules 1 and 2)
• Thursday, Dec. 19 at 9 a.m. to noon AND 1-4 p.m.  (Modules 3 and 4)

NOTE: To complete the training, attendance is required at all four sessions/modules. There are also two pre-assignments for the workshop.

The search advocate trainers for Detroit Mercy are Jahzara Mayes, Mara Livezey and Yvonne King.

For questions or more information, please contact Jahzara Mayes by email at mayesjm@udmercy.edu.

REGISTER HERE!

Diane Praet was recently awarded the status of Registrar Emeritus at the University in November. This honorary title is awarded to Praet as she retired from her incredible tenure of 45 years at Detroit Mercy where she provided distinguished citizenship to the University community through leadership and service.

She received an honorary memberships for the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Office earlier in 2024.

Need a place to study for finals? The McNichols Campus Library has extended its hours to support students in their finals week studies!

Tuesday, Dec. 10 — 8 a.m. to midnight
Wednesday, Dec. 11 — 8 a.m. to midnight
Thursday, Dec. 12 — 8 a.m. to midnight
Friday, Dec. 13 — 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 14 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The McNichols Campus Spirit Store (Bookstore) will have additional hours for your convenience from Dec. 7-14!

• Saturday, Dec. 7 —  9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 9 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 10 —  9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 11 — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 12 — 9 a.m to 4 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 13 — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 14 — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. RENTALS DUE!

For more information on the bookstore, please visit www.bkstr.com/udmercystore or call (313) 993-1030.

Do you have left-over meal swipes? With your help, the community will be invited to dine for free on campus using donated swipes. Fill out the form below to donate unused swipes.

For any questions or comments, email Chelsea Manning at mannincp@udmercy.edu.

DONATE HERE!

Please consider supporting the Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) garden by donating to our SeedMoney campaign! The campaign is open until Dec. 15 and will help raise money for tools, soil and transplants.

The TENN garden provides locally grown produce to supplement TENN’s weekly produce deliveries to 140 families, many of whom are senior citizens with limited access to food. More than 450 pounds of fresh produce from the garden were delivered this harvest season! Your support will help TENN continue to grow the garden and provide health food for the community.

DONATE HERE!

Are you passionate about helping others, understanding the human mind and making a meaningful impact? Put that passion into practice and join us for a virtual open house on Friday, Dec. 6 from 12-1 p.m. to learn about Detroit Mercy’s Clinical Psychology Master of Arts program!

A Zoom link will be provided upon registration for the event.

In this interactive session you will meet Program Director Lee Eshelman and get your questions answered directly. You will also learn about the program’s focus on training mental healthcare providers in psychotherapy and psychological assessment.

If you’re considering a career in mental health, this is a great opportunity to learn more about how our program can help you achieve your goals as well as discover career opportunities including roles in hospitals, mental health clinics and outpatient care centers

Learn more about the Clinical Psychology M.A. program.

For questions or more information, please contact Eshelman at eshelmlr@udmercy.edu.

REGISTER HERE!

An excerpt from Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications Gary J. Erwin‘s novel-in-progress, Cut River Redemption, published by Trace Fossils Review in early 2024 was included in the journal’s best of the year anthology.

Read the excerpt.

Department Chair and Professor of Psychology Kristen Abraham was interviewed for an American Psychological Association (APA) Editor Spotlight, which features newly-appointed editors of APA Journals. Abraham is the incoming editor of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, which publishes original, peer-reviewed scholarly work that advances the evidence for and understanding of interdisciplinary, psychosocial treatment and recovery of people with psychiatric disabilities.

University Ministry is hosting this retreat where you bring your school work with you! The retreat will be held on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Maxis Spirituality Center, located at 17380 Grange Road in Riverview, Mich.

This retreat is a chance to get off campus, study in a quiet and relaxing space and have built-in optional study breaks that provide self-care and spiritual care! Students will have time to share home-cooked meals together and enter into finals prepared and equipped with the tools to take care of their whole persons as our mission calls us to through “cura personalis” (the care for the whole person, body mind and soul).

There is limited space for this retreat in order to create an ideal study environment for participants. All transportation and food are provided.

The last day to register is Friday, Dec. 6, at noon.

For questions or concerns, please contact Anna Lawler, University minister for Faith Formation, at lawleran@udmercy.edu or 313-993-1925.

SIGN UP HERE!

The Mission Micro Grant Evaluation Committee and Office of Mission Integration are pleased to announce the 2024-25 Mission Micro-Grant Awards.

The program makes annual grants of up to $200 to any full- or part-time UDM faculty or staff member in support of activities that promote Detroit Mercy’s mission of being a Catholic, Mercy, Jesuit, urban and student-centered university.

Since its start in 2008, the program has supported 370 mission-based projects and events. Congratulations to this year’s recipients:

• Jennifer Ahlquist, Mary Serowoky, Andrea Kwasky (CHP/MSON): Support for a mindful self-compassion workshop for College of Health Professions faculty and staff
• Diego Arias (CBA): Support for students’ exploration of business ethics through the lens of cinema
• Anna Lawler Bryson (University Ministry): Support for student visits to and discussions of diverse places of worship in Detroit
• Joshua Budiongan, Ceara O’Leary (SACD): Support for refreshments and community leaders’ participation in architecture students’ Public Interest Design Capstone Studio
• Angela Davis (CHASS): Support to stock a Student Pantry housed in Briggs
• Emily Dowgwillo (CHASS): Support for developing teaching videos of psychotherapy techniques that feature diverse representations of therapists and patients
• Lee Eshelman (CHASS/Psychology Clinic): Support for a therapy group supporting students impacted by global conflict
• Lee Eshelman, Angela Nasr, Max Frank, Briana McLeod (CHASS): Support to revitalize graduate student space in Reno Hall
• Sr. Sarah Foster RSM, Felicia Hartinger (University Academic Services/Student Success Center): Support to provide menstrual supplies in McNichols Library public bathrooms
• Courtney Griffin (SOL): Support to bring Detroit Public School students to Detroit Mercy
• Mary-Catherine Harrison (CHASS/Rx for Reading Detroit): Support to purchase books for incarcerated parents and their children, in partnership with Staying in Closer Touch
• Andrea Kwasky, Mary Serowoky (CHP/MSON): Support for a campus presentation by speakers from the National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Camesha Little (SOL): Support for fostering law students’ well-being and academic success through mindful learning
• Taylor Long, Sonya Kowalski, Elaine Webber, Julie Stocker-Schneider, and Renee Courtney (CHP/MSON): Support for nursing students’ art projects exploring their personal spirituality and community advocacy in relation to Mercy and Jesuit traditions
• Mina Maleki (CES): Support for student team registration for International Collegiate Programming Contest
• Chelsea Manning (Institute for Leadership and Service/Titan Equity Nourish Network): Support for produce deliveries in collaboration with Princeton Street Block Club (PSBC) and Theresa Maxis Senior Apartments
• Molly McClelland, Megan Conrad (CHP/CES): Gift cards for community clients working with nursing and engineering student teams in Prototype Design & Assistive Technology courses
• Claire Nicholson, Nour Lyon (CHP/ Physician Assistant Program): Support for PA students to assemble and distribute care packages to unsheltered individuals throughout metro Detroit
• Thomas Provost (SACD): Support for architecture students’ exhibit on design of several community collectives located in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood
• Jennifer Shivnen, Sara Gifford, Phillip Olla, Niko Kanagawa (CHP/MSON): Support for a Futures Study research workshop focused on scenario planning for the future of education
• Valerie Williams (CHASS): Support to establish a dual purpose mindfulness/mothers’ room in Reno Hall

Learn more information about the Mission Micro-Grants on its webpage or contact Rosemary Weatherston, director of the Mission Micro-Grant Program, at weatherr@udmercy.edu.

Are you an undergraduate or graduate student ready to be a change-maker, contribute to your community and boost your resume with valuable project experience? Here’s your chance! Submit your innovative project idea to the Michigan Campus Community Challenge (M-C3) and shine as a leader.

The M-C3 is a student entrepreneurial scholarship pitch competition that integrates real-world, project-based learning into the campus experience. The program includes the potential to earn cash stipends and scholarship dollars.

Highlights:

• Individuals or teams may work with a partner (an organization or business) and/or faculty member
• Project ideas also will be solicited from major employers and community organizations
• Business mentoring and faculty guidance may be requested
• Scholarships of up to $7,500 will be awarded to winning students/teams
• In addition to the opportunity for scholarship awards, projects selected for the final pitch competition will share a $200 cash stipend

Application deadline is Friday, Dec. 6.

For questions or more information, please contact Derrin Leppek at leppekdj@udmercy.edu.

REGISTER HERE!

Detroit Mercy School of Law unveiled portraits of the Jesuit and Mercy religious founders — St. Ignatius of Loyola (founder of the Society of Jesus) and Venerable Catherine McAuley (founder of the Sisters of Mercy) — on Nov. 7, 2024.

The Most Reverend Robert J. Fisher ’83, auxiliary bishop of Detroit, blessed the portraits. Several members of the Sisters of Mercy and Society of Jesus attended the blessing ceremony organized by Deacon Kurt Godfryd ’84, ’87, ’90, associate dean for Finance and Operations.

The portraits are on display in the east hallway outside the prayer and reflection room. Daniel McAfee, local artist and retired director of worship for the Archdiocese of Detroit, painted the portraits.

Day of Giving is Tuesday, Dec. 3!

Help support Detroit Mercy programs, organizations and students for years to come through Day of Giving.

This 24-hour fundraising campaign is an opportunity for Titans around the world—alumni, community members, parents, friends, faculty, staff and students—to join together and show support for Detroit Mercy. More information is at the link below.

Full info/donate.

Are you feeling the burnout of the semester and ready for the holidays to begin, but not quite ready to cram for exams?

“Dead Week Comes Alive” at Detroit Mercy the week of Dec. 2-9, bringing some relaxing, de-stress events to campus before the crunch of finals.

Clear your mind for a couple hours and glide on the ice under a moonlit, starry sky with your friends and family at Campus Martius Park, or open those books for an all-day study retreat including meal making and community with University Ministry.

Whether you choose to blow off some steam at Glow Night on one of UDM’s athletic courts or just need a coloring break, several departments across campus have collaborated to provide students with ways to de-stress and have some fun before finals week. Many involve free food and snacks!

Check out the attached flyer for more information!

Join the Institute for Leadership and Service for a dynamic student panel and keynote by Angelo Vitale ’80, retired general counsel of Rocket Companies, on how to “Make Yourself the Obvious Choice.”

On Tuesday, Dec. 3, Vitale will lead a pair of leadership slams on Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus. The first slam is from 2:15-3:15 p.m. and the second from 4:45-5:45 p.m. inside the Commerce & Finance Building, Room 139. Refreshments will be provided.

Vitale will share how strategic leadership has helped him “make himself the obvious choice” throughout his career. With decades of experience in legal strategy and corporate governance, he offers insights on driving innovation and standing out as a leader.

Prior to his retirement in 2023, Vitale served as the general counsel and secretary of Rocket Companies. He also was the first chief executive officer of Rocket Central, a captive professional services company. Vitale’s wealth of experience helped shape the company’s mission to meet the diverse needs of its clients by delivering innovative solutions to complex financial transactions. Vitale also served on Detroit Mercy’s Board of Trustees for eight years.

You don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn how to stand out as a leader and innovator!

Help Titans Equity Nourish Network (TENN) make gifts for our neighbors and supporters while earning service hours! Volunteers will help TENN sign holiday cards, make a holiday craft and put together gift bags for our community. This service hours opportunity will take place on Thursday, Dec. 5 from 12:45-2 p.m. Location to be determined.

SIGN UP HERE!

Got a hankering for some tasty Detroit-style pizza? Why not eat pizza and support the Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) at the same time!

Place an order at the Buddy’s Pizza located at 17125 Conant in Detroit on Thursday, Dec. 5 and 20% will go to TENN. You can participate in this fundraiser by dining in, take out or delivery. Just mention to the staff you are ordering in support of the TENN fundraiser or use the promo code GIVEBACK for online orders.

Click HERE to RSVP!

Explore Detroit Mercy’s Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology program through an engaging alumni roundtable discussion on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 6:40 p.m., in the Commerce & Finance Building, Room 139, on the McNichols Campus.

Whether you’re interested in leadership development, workplace well-being or data-driven decision-making, this event offers insights into how psychology drives organizational success.

This discussion will feature Angelo Vitale ’80, who will share strategic business expertise from his career at Rocket Companies, where he served as the general counsel and secretary prior to his retirement in 2023. He also was the first chief executive officer of Rocket Central, a captive professional services company. Vitale’s wealth of experience helped shape the company’s mission to meet the diverse needs of its clients by delivering innovative solutions to complex financial transactions. Vitale also served on Detroit Mercy’s Board of Trustees for eight years.

Vitale will be joined by other notable Detroit Mercy alumni at the roundtable discussion.

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

REGISTER HERE!

All are welcome to embrace the spirit of the holiday season and join the President’s Office and University Ministry to Light up the Mall on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. The University community is invited to the south side outdoor area of the Student Union for the lighting of Kassab Mall, a Christmas and holiday blessing and singing with the University Chorus.

Hot chocolate and cookies to follow the festivities in the Zalke Lounge in the lower level for the Student Union.

Mark your calendars — The Holiday Pop-up Shop is back!

Handmade items, treats, cards and all sorts of curious and unique items will be on sale from Wednesday, Dec. 4 to Friday, Dec. 6 in the McNichols Campus Library lobby. Shop hours will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Proceeds of the sale go to Rx for Reading, a nonprofit children’s literacy initiative — sponsored by Detroit Mercy’s Department of English — whose mission is to expand access to high-quality children’s books and support families in reading with their children. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Rx for Reading has distributed more than 2,000 children’s books a month since 2014 with the help of its community partners, and is committed to raising the next generation of readers and leaders in our community. 

So please stop by the shop and work on that gift checklist while supporting a good cause!

In honor of this year’s mission theme of Radical Hospitality, Detroit Mercy’s Mission Effectiveness Team (MET) is working to highlight the rich ways that a culture of inclusion, welcome and belonging is fostered by members of our University community.

In the second feature of the series, “A Night of Food and Community,” Chelsea Manning highlights the second annual Community Meal hosted by the Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN). The evening epitomized radical hospitality, inviting members of our community to campus to enjoy good food, build trust, foster collaboration and celebrate connection.

Read the feature and find out more HERE!

In addition, if you would like to write or propose a feature for “A Year in Radical Hospitality,” please email MET co-chairs Assistant Professor Ashlee Barnes at barnesav@udmercy.edu or Associate Professor Mary-Catherine Harrison at mc.harrison@udmercy.edu.

Calling all faculty and staff! Please consider volunteering at De-Stress Fest, scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 5 from 4-7 p.m. in the Fitness Center.

This event provides students with an opportunity to take a break from studying for finals and have some fun. It is a great way to engage with students outside of the classroom as we all prepare for the end of the semester and the holiday season. Your participation is greatly appreciated!

If you are interested, please contact Stephanie Wheeler at wheelesm@udmercy.edu for more information.

The launching of the new School of Optometry was featured Monday morning on WJR Radio. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Pamela Zarkowski discussed the University’s recent announcement of the new School of Optometry, becoming the second institution in the state to have a school.

Listen to the full audio.

Five Titans — Isabelle Francis, D.K. Mohammad, Kelsie Shammami, Kaleb Smith and Juan Willis — comprised the Detroit Mercy ethics bowl team that placed seventh out of 20 squads Nov. 16 at a Upper Midwest Regional Ethics Bowl tournament, held at the University of Chicago.

The squad, called “Aristotle Loves Tomato Sandwiches,” only had one loss on the day. The cases under discussion touched on a wide range of topics, including artificial intelligence, technology, privacy, end-of-life medical interventions, animal rights and child welfare. All five students are Political Science majors.

The University held its annual Ethics Bowl earlier in the 2024 fall semester, which attracts students of all majors. It’s an undergraduate competition inspired by TV’s College Bowl, but modified rules adapt the game to the subject of ethics.

Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering Nihad Dukhan was an invited plenary speaker at the International Conference on Heat and Mass Transfer inside Porous Media: Fundamentals and Applications held in Xi’an, China, on Nov. 7-10. In his talk, “An Engineering Model for Heat Transfer in Metal-Foam Heat Sinks,” Dukhan described a new engineering model for heat transfer in metal foams that he developed from first principles using the concept of thermal resistance network.

University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus will close for the Thanksgiving holiday Wednesday, Nov. 27, and open for regular business on Monday, Dec. 2. Have a safe and joy-filled Thanksgiving!

University of Detroit Mercy announces that it has recently received pre-accreditation approval from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) for the institution’s new School of Optometry.

This new school will be located at 41555 W. 12 Mile Road in Novi, Michigan, and is the 25th School of Optometry in the United States and the second in Michigan. The first class will begin in the fall of 2025 and prospective students can submit applications starting in December. Earlier this year, the University opened the Detroit Mercy Eye Institute on the Novi campus to statewide and national fanfare and began accepting patients in April.

“This is an exciting day for the University, our Michigan community and for the thousands of prospective students around the country who dream of becoming an optometrist,” said University President Donald B. Taylor. “More than three years of hard work by many talented and dedicated people has contributed to today’s announcement.”

Discussion about a School of Optometry began almost four years ago when Mert Aksu, dean of the School of Dentistry, approached leadership about the national need for schools of optometry and potential for UDM to create one in southeast Michigan.

UDM developed the school to meet a growing need for optometrists in Michigan and the United States. Currently, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment for this field will grow 9% from 2023 to 2033. This rate of growth is faster than average for all occupations and is based on several factors, such as

• An aging population that requires more vision care services
• Increasing awareness of eye health
• The need to replace optometrists who retire or leave the workforce

Faculty, staff and University leadership have worked together to identify programs and services for the new school to meet community needs.

According to Optometry Dean Maryke Neiberg, the new school will provide students “an innovative and science-based educational experience to help them become highly skilled, ethical and culturally sensitive eye care practitioners prepared for practice and licensure upon graduation. We have an exceptional team of faculty and staff experts with years of experience ready to train the next generation of vision care leaders. We will have a unique and very strong program. I am very proud of what we will be offering.”

Neiberg said the vision of UDM’s School of Optometry is to garner recognition as an international leader for innovations in curriculum, clinical education, patient care, and community collaboration.

The School of Optometry and Eye Institute also represent examples of UDM’s Jesuit and Mercy mission in action. The development of both has provided UDM a significant opportunity to expand the University’s healthcare footprint in southeast Michigan and serve individuals in need.

For Pamela Zarkowski, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, this new school represents an important historical step to extend UDM’s reach and provide much-needed vision care for the entire Michigan community.

“Loss of vision is such a huge public health issue and impacts millions of people in the United States,” she said. “UDM’s legacy of developing initiatives to meet these needs is essential and helps us fulfill our mission as a Catholic university.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median salary in 2023 for optometrists was nearly $132,000 a year. In addition, the BLS projects that there will be approximately 2,200 openings for optometrists each year for the next decade or more.

For inquiries, please contact Steven Chang, executive director of Admissions, at
changst@udmercy.edu, or Juliette Daniels, associate dean, Student Services & Enrollment Management, at danieljc@udmercy.edu

Learn more about the Detroit Mercy School of Optometry.

Learn moreabout the Detroit Mercy Eye Institute.

Director of the Writing Center Erin Bell recently published an essay, titled “‘Us weirdos have to stick together’: Wild magic, queer time and queer spaces in Dana Terrace’s The Owl House,” in the latest issue of Animation Practice, Process & Production, a peer-reviewed journal.

Join University Recreation for a night of ice skating at Detroit’s famous Campus Martius Park! Open to students, staff and guests, this event on Monday, Dec. 2 from 7-9 p.m. is the perfect way to celebrate the season together.

Skate under the stars surrounded by the festive glow of downtown Detroit’s winter wonderland. This is the perfect opportunity to unwind, have fun with friends and make lasting memories.

Tickets are just $5 per person. Transportation is available and included in the ticket cost, but seats are limited and will go fast. Secure your ticket today before they’re gone!

Sign up here!

For students who are undocumented, DACA Recipients, TPS holders, legal permanent residents or part of a mixed-status family, the Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) and its affiliated Undocu Network are excited to announce the in-person 2025 Undocu Network Summit in Chicago on Jan. 17-20!

In order to attend the summit, students are required to submit an application to the Ignatian Solidarity Network (see below). Application deadline is Sunday, Nov. 24.

This gathering will allow members of the Undocu Network to meet one another, network and grow in community throughout the 4-day and 3-night weekend event. This summit is intended for students and recent alumni of Catholic colleges and universities who are undocumented, DACAmented or come from mixed-status families. Participants will arrive Friday afternoon/evening, and departures will be Monday morning/mid-afternoon.

The Undocu Network and the Undocu Network Summit are safe spaces for members of our undocumented community in Jesuit and Catholic higher education. Our members represent a wide variety of people from various races, ethnicities, religious groups and social and class groups. Undocumentedness is not a monolith, and no single story, face, language or name encapsulates the entirety of the undocumented experience. For that reason, we invite everyone who applies to attend the summit to consider their own story and to be open to the stories of others.

ISN is asking institutions sending students to help contribute to cover the costs of this retreat. The cost of the summit—including lodging, food and transportation between O’Hare International Airport and the retreat center—is $50/student for UDM students. The actual cost is higher, but ISN provides funding to allow this low registration cost.

What will be provided by ISN for participants:

• Housing for the summit (each participant will have their own room)
• Meals beginning with dinner on Friday through breakfast on Monday
• Transportation from airport (follow-up information will be provided)
• Community and activities

Support NEEDED from your campus:

• Transportation to and from Chicago (plane/train ticket, etc.)
• Reach out to UDM Minister Sammy Eckrich about receiving a transportation scholarship to attend. University Ministry will cover transportation costs. Just email seckric@udmercy.edu!

Remember, the application deadline is Sunday, Nov. 24.

APPLY HERE!