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

Air date: 10/5/25

[00:28:15]

This week’s episode features the first half of our show recorded at Detroit Mercy Homecoming 2025 at the McNichols Campus Library.  Host Matt Mio is joined by Professors Heather Hill, Stephen Manning, Jim Tubbs, Danielle Maxwell, Brian Curtis, Erin Bell and Dave Chow.

ATP Ep. 2605 – transcript

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Air date: 9/28/25

[00:28:20]

The professors are welcoming Fall to the Detroit Mercy campus and gathering in the studio for another episode of Ask The Professor.  This week, host Matt Mio is joined by Professors Beth Oljar, Dan Maggio, Heather Hill, Jim Tubbs, Stephen Manning and Dave Chow.

ATP 2604 transcript

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 9/21/25

[00:28:42]

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

ATP 2603 transcript

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 9/14/25

[00:28:27]

With Professors Matt Mio, Beth Oljar, Dave Chow, Mara Livezey, Jim Tubbs, Danielle Maxwell,  Heather Hill, and Stephen Manning.

ATP 2602 transcript

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 9/7/25

[00:28:20]

It’s the beginning of a brand new season of Ask The Professor.  On this week’s episode, host Matt Mio is joined by Professors Heather Hill, Stephen Manning, Danielle Maxwell, Jim Tubbs, Mara Livezey, Beth Oljar and Dave Chow.

ATP 2601 transcript

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

As UDM moves forward with branding work, please note that the previous brand—Build a Boundless Future—will no longer be used by the University. Until a new brand is created, the University will employ a bridge brand. These include the following:

• The World Needs Titans
• Titans are Boundless
• We Learn. We Serve. We Grow. We Lead. Titan Pride.

UDM’s new expression of a brand will be constructed upon Titan Faith, a unifying principal that touches upon what it means to be a Titan. Please note that Titan Faith is not a new brand. It is a concept that serves as an organizing principle to help frame the work that goes into defining a brand with the emotional resonance UDM and its stakeholders seek. This unifying principal gives the core elements and underpinnings of a brand its emotional power and builds connection with all stakeholders.

In some respects, Titan Faith comprises an array of underpinnings listed below:

• Titan bravery
• Titan innovation
• Titan boldness
• Titan pride
• Titan hope
• Titan joy
• Titan grit
• Titan truth
• Titan believe
• Titan compassion
• Titan love

These core underpinnings can help demonstrate that a new movement is taking shape and help people with all varieties of experiences and impressions of Detroit Mercy find their way into this rebranding effort in honest ways.

As UDM approaches its 150th anniversary in 2027, there is every hope that the University will unveil a new and more connective brand that everyone can take pride in while celebrating the institutional birthday at the same time.

More about bridge brands and UDM’s unifying principal Titan Faith here. 

The International Services Office (ISO) will host Detroit Mercy’s annual International Night on Thursday, Nov. 20, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

All UDM students, faculty and staff are welcome to the night, which is being hosted in the Student Union Ballroom. Come and celebrate our cultural diversity through food, entertainment and community.

Help make this event a success by volunteering for any of the following:

• A performance (a dance, song, poem, etc.)
• Setting up the flag for your country
• Help with setup or cleanup

Sign up here.

The Emerging Leaders Program empowers students to discover and develop their leadership potential through involvement in events, activities and programs centered around learning, leadership, spirituality and service — both on campus and in the community.

Students can stop by Room 118 in the Commerce & Finance Building on Thursday, Oct. 16 and/or Thursday, Oct. 30 from 12:45-1:45 p.m. to learn more about the Emerging Leaders Program requirements directly from the program coordinators.

All Detroit Mercy students have the opportunity to experience and live the University Mission and to exhibit leadership on campus in both formal and informal ways for the common good.

For any questions, please email elp@udmercy.edu.

Join Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) in celebrating our community at the third annual community meal on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 5-7 p.m. in the Fountain Lounge inside the Student Union. All are welcome to come together to share a meal, connect and celebrate what makes our community so special.

Volunteer Chef Bob from RóBear Culinary will be preparing a delicious meal for all to share.

This event is free, but please help us plan and ensure there’s plenty of food, by registering using the link below.

For any questions, please email tenn@udmercy.edu.

Register here.

The Wellness Center and CVS have partnered to bring a vaccine clinic to the McNichols Campus on Thursday, Oct. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Lower Level of the Student Union. All are welcome.

The pre-registration is full, but walk-in appointments are available.

Vaccines available include:

• COVID
• Flu
• High-dose Influenza
• Meningitis
• Pneumonia
• Shingles
• Tdap/Whooping Cough

If you have any questions, please contact the Wellness Center at 313-993-1185.

MarCom fellow Alizé Tripp, with the help of Let’s Roll’s Brian Rolling and MarCom’s Adam Bouton, produced a short video that celebrates and honors the 60th anniversary of the Detroit Mercy Law Clinic Program.

This video helps highlight UDM’s commitment to our community and the institution’s Jesuit and Mercy values. More importantly, this is the kind of commitment that speaks to the UDM brand.

Undergraduate and graduate students who would like to see their writing, photographs or visual art published should consider submitting their work to Detroit Mercy’s student art journal [sic], which is looking for poems, short stories, personal essays, photographs and other visual artwork for the 2025-26 issue.

[sic] offers $100 prizes for the best visual, poetry and fiction/prose submissions. The deadline for submissions is Friday, Oct. 10.

Please contact Associate Professor of English Rosemary Weatherston with any questions at weatherr@udmercy.edu.

Online submission and instructions.

Now in its 18th year, the Mission Micro-Grant Program awards annual grants of up to $200 to any full or part-time Detroit Mercy faculty or staff member in support of a wide range of activities that promote Detroit Mercy’s mission of being a Catholic, Mercy, Jesuit, urban and student-centered university.

There are only four criteria a project or activity must meet to be considered for a Mission Micro Grant:

• The project or activity must promote one or more elements of Detroit Mercy’s mission.
• You must personally be involved in the project or activity.
• You must be employed by the University during the time the project or activity takes place.
• The grant monies must be spent in the same fiscal year in which they are received.

Please visit the Mission Micro-Grant website to learn more about what type of projects are eligible for funding and project deadlines. You can also browse previously funded projects and activities.

The application process is very simple. One-page online applications are due Friday, Oct. 10. PLEASE NOTE: Only one grant application may be submitted per project. For more information or questions, please email Rosemary Weatherston at weatherr@udmercy.edu.

Submit application here.

A fresh adaptation of a Shakespearean classic, Twelfth Night, opens Detroit Mercy Theatre Company’s 55th season and celebrates the company’s return to University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus with the opening of the new Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre.

Six performances will run in back-to-back weekends, Friday through Sunday, Nov. 7-16.

Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare and adapted by Marc Palmieri, follows twins Viola and Sebastian, separated by a shipwreck and stranded on the peculiar land of Illyria. Disguising herself as a young man, Viola finds employment in the service of the noble Duke Orsino, only to fall hopelessly in love with him. But Orsino has his sights set on the enigmatic Countess Olivia and enlists Viola—unaware of her identity—to carry his amorous pleas. In an unexpected twist, Olivia finds herself smitten with the disguised Viola instead.

“Shakespeare is always relevant to today’s world, which is why his plays have remained with us for so long,” said Andrew Papa, chair of the Department of Performing Arts. “Not only that, Twelfth Night is one of his best comedies, and it’s in times like these that comedies are just the reprieve the world needs.”

This production marks the debut of the new Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre on UDM’s McNichols Campus. This modern performance space will give students the opportunity to develop their craft and share their work with audiences, while also providing a welcoming place for cultural and artistic events that will benefit both the campus and the wider community.

“After more than a decade away, Detroit Mercy Theatre Company is thrilled to be returning home to McNichols Campus,” said Sarah Hawkins Rusk, managing director of DMTC and director of Twelfth Night. “Our new theatre will be a dynamic hub for creativity on campus, offering students a professional-caliber space to learn and grow.”

Joining the students on stage for this celebratory production are chair Andrew Papa and UDM alumni Peter Prouty ’00 and Kaelyn Johnson ’22. “As an actor in the show, it’s refreshing to perform alongside our eager students and our stellar alumni,” Papa said. “Getting the opportunity to perform with our students and some of our top alumni has been an incomparable experience, and I look forward to bringing this text to life in our brand-new, permanent home for the arts at University of Detroit Mercy.”

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.

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS

• Nov. 7: Friends and Family Night. Sponsored by Thomas E. Page ’71, ’76. This performance is invitation only.
• Nov. 8: Celebration of the Grand Opening of the Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre. This performance is invitation only.
• Nov. 9: College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) & University of Detroit Mercy at the Theatre. Free tickets for students, faculty and staff of University of Detroit Mercy with valid I.D. A talkback following the performance led by a CHASS faculty member is presented as a part of the Detroit Theatre Discussion Project.
• Nov. 14: High School Night. Free tickets and talkback with student cast and crew following the performance for high school students and their families. Call 313-993-3270 or email theatre@udmercy.edu for details and reservations.
• Nov. 15: Community Night. $10 ticket for all patrons.
• Nov. 16: Closing Night

Get tickets here.

University Ministry is hosting a service immersion trip for all UDM students during Detroit Mercy’s spring break from March 7-13 to the Appalachian Mountains in Washburn, Tenn. There are eight student spots available, and students of all faiths or none are welcome to apply.

The trip gives students the opportunity to encounter a community beyond Detroit, share gifts of service and solidarity and explore pressing social issues—in this case, sustainability in Appalachia!

This trip combines service learning (sustainable gardening, trail and forest restoration, and more) with education on the challenges and solutions to sustainable living in our day. We will stay with Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center, an organization dedicated to serving the local community, teaching sustainable practices and offering retreat space to cultivate an ethic and spirituality around the natural world.

The cost for the trip is $500, which covers lodging, food, transportation, museum tickets and all programming. The total cost per person is higher, but University Ministry covers the balance.

Scholarships are also available. We do not want cost to stand in the way of your participation. Please reach out to Samantha Eckrich at seckric@udmercy.edu to request a scholarship application.

The application deadline is Jan. 21 with an initial deposit of $100. The remaining balance is due one week before the trip begins. Students must also attend five required meetings to participate in the trip.

Fill out an interest form for the trip!

University Ministry is hosting a service immersion trip for all UDM students during Detroit Mercy’s spring break from March 7-13, 2026 in Montgomery, Ala. There are eight student spots available, and students of all faiths or none are welcome to apply.

The trip gives students the opportunity to encounter a community beyond Detroit, share gifts of service and solidarity and explore pressing social issues—in this case, the Civil Rights movement!

This trip is designed to provide an educational experience through visits to renowned museums and historical sites, highlighting the area’s rich history. Students will engage in current-day civil rights issues around racism, voting access and even join a historical rally crossing the Selma bridge.

The cost for the trip is $500, which covers lodging, food, transportation, museum tickets and all programming. The total cost per person is higher, but University Ministry covers the balance.

Scholarships are also available. We do not want cost to stand in the way of your participation. Please reach out to Samantha Eckrich at seckric@udmercy.edu to request a scholarship application.

The application deadline is Jan. 21 with an initial deposit of $100. The remaining balance is due one week before the trip begins. Students must also attend five required meetings to participate in the trip.

Fill out an interest form for the trip!

The Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) has been selected to participate in The Office Coffee Shop’s charity checkout program. When you stop by for your favorite coffee or sweet treat, you can choose to donate to TENN at checkout and help support our work toward a more food-sovereign Detroit.

Every cup of coffee helps provide fresh produce, proteins and dairy to families in need — so next time you’re in downtown Royal Oak, grab a brew and choose TENN!

The Office Coffee Shop is located at 402 S. Lafayette Ave, Royal Oak.

Writing Center Director and Adjunct Instructor Erin Bell presented a session titled “Posts, Profiles, and Partnerships: Growing the Writing Center’s Presence” at the Michigan Writing Center Association conference at Northern Michigan University.

Detroit Mercy’s Center for Career & Professional Development and College of Engineering & Science will host the 2025 Fall Career and Co-op Fair Thursday, Oct. 9, from 3-6 p.m.

The fair will be held inside the Student Union Ballroom and is open to all current students as well as recent UDM graduates.

Sponsored by Alliance Catholic Credit Union, the fair features more than 60 organizations and is a great opportunity for students to meet with a variety of employers as well as graduate schools to discuss full-time employment, graduate school options, co-op and internship positions as well as volunteering opportunities.

For more information or with any questions, please visit the Center for Career & Professional Development at 313-993-1017 or careerlink@udmercy.edu.

Students can pre-register through Handshake.

Throughout October, University Ministry will host a coat rack outside their office on the ground floor of the Student Union, across from the bookstore.

The Detroit Mercy community is invited to donate or take a coat—jackets, coats and vests only. At the end of the month, all leftover items will be donated to the Pope Francis Center to support the homeless community.

Did you snap some great photos this summer or over the past year? As we head into the fall term, consider capturing those special moments for your submission to the 3rd annual Detroit Mercy Photography Contest!

The UDM Photography Contest is sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs and the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning. The contest is open to all students enrolled in fall 2025, as well as all UDM employees across every campus.

Photography offers a mode of creative communication and a lens into the communities we inhabit and visit. Photographs can capture various moments and expressions, people, places and events. As such, the Office of Academic Affairs and Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning would like to invite all Detroit Mercy community members to submit digital photographs for consideration as part of a special 2025 photography contest.

You can submit one photograph per category. First-place winners in each category will receive cash prizes and an enlarged, mounted copy of their winning photograph!

Be sure to visit the UDM photo contest page for some inspiration, contest rules, submission and release forms and to view the previous winners. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 2.

Current categories for submissions:

• Abstract/conceptual/manipulation – Images of unusual patterns, lighting or objects recognized for their design element (i.e., streaking light photos, mechanical structures, reflections in glass or metal, view from a strange angle). Images can be digitally enhanced or altered beyond the minor adjustments to create an entirely different photograph. Be creative. All images must be produced by the photographer (photos taken by someone else may not be used), and the finished entry must still appear to be a photograph – not an artistic impression, drawing or design.
• People – Photos of people, alone or in a group. Such pictures may be candid, humorous, journalistic or interpretative portraits where an emphasis placed on the person, not the environment. The main focus should be people. *
• Nature/scenic – Images or scenes of plant life, landscapes, seascapes, underwater, architectural and industrial scenes. Seasonal scenes that display a fundamental design or mood are also acceptable. The main focus should be nature/scenic.
• Dusk to dawn – Details the photographic imagery captured after the sun goes down. This includes but is not limited to starry skies, life under neon lights, streaking traffic lights, mother nature at night, scenic landscapes and cityscapes, film noir portraits, creative use of light and shadows. *
• Creatures (new category for 2025) – Images or scenes of animal life, wild creatures, insects, etc. (i.e., action shots of your pet, giraffes at the zoo, cows on a countryside, banana slugs in the forest). It may be a scenic environment, but the main focus should be the creature(s) or animal(s). *

*Appropriate and accepted image enhancement in these categories must be limited to minor adjustments such as contrast, exposure, cropping, HDR, dodge and burn.

CALL FOR JUDGES: If you are interested in serving as a judge for the 2025 photo contest, please send an email expressing your interest to photocontest@udmercy.edu for consideration. With any direct questions, also contact photocontest@udmercy.edu.

The photos of last year’s winners will be displayed in the Office of Academic Affairs for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please stop by in the President’s Suite if you would like to view them.

Submit your photos today.

Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) is hosting a festive evening filled with cider, donuts, games, crafts and goodie bags.

All are welcome to join in the Halloween fun with Detroit Mercy’s neighbors from the Princeton Street Block Club and Theresa Maxis on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 5:30 p.m. in the Briggs Building, Room 101.

Transportation is available for community members.

Please email Chelsea Manning at mannincp@udmercy.edu with any questions.

The Writing Center would appreciate your feedback regarding the Writing Center, the future of writing and the role of AI.

Use the link below to complete our survey and be entered to win one of four $25 Amazon gift cards. Your answers are anonymous and will help us plan for the future of the Writing Center.

The survey is open to all students, at all levels, at all Detroit Mercy campuses.

Complete the survey here.

Detroit Mercy is undertaking a new branding effort, and we want you at the center of it. As the University prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2027, we are reflecting on how we present ourselves to the world.

Our current brand, “Build a Boundless Future,” was created in 2016. While it served us for a time, many from our internal and external communities told us it does not capture UDM’s emotional core and identity, nor does it reflect our history, faith traditions, Detroit roots, the pride we feel as Titans and what UDM aspires to be in the future.

That’s why we are launching a consultative process with national partners and with you—alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents and neighbors. We want a living brand that resonates at every level, one that feels authentic, sparks pride and inspires belief in our mission of service and faith.

Over the past year and a half, UDM has completed research and held several stakeholder strategy sessions focused on brand discussions; more sessions are planned during the 2025-26 academic year. We also need your help via the following means:

• Share your perceptions—both the strengths and the challenges of Detroit Mercy.
• Participate in listening sessions and focus groups. Spaces will be limited so please shout out when the calls are published.
• Most important: Complete the feedback form to ensure your voice shapes the brand.

Your insights will help us author a more authentic UDM identity that honors our past, energizes our present and secures a vibrant future. Please take some time to review the new brand information and share your thoughts by going to “Info On Branding” at the bottom of the page and clicking on feedback form.

Review brand information.

Writing Center Director and Adjunct Instructor Erin Bell recently published an article titled “Petit Récits of Belonging: Reading Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s The Undocumented Americans as Counter-Narratives to Dominant Discourse about Citizenship in the United States” in the Journal of Latino/Latin American Studies (JOLLAS).

Read abstract here.

Beginning the week of Oct. 5 and concluding around the Feast of Christ the King on Nov. 24, Meeting Christ in Prayer is an eight-week retreat that invites participants to engage in spiritual exercises as a lived experience within daily life—no retreat houses required, just an open and generous spirit.

Each week, small groups will meet with a prayer leader who will guide participants through spiritual exercises and offer daily prayer suggestions to support their retreat journey. Additionally, a spiritual director will be available to participants twice within the retreat journey for individual spiritual conversation.

This program is free and open to all members of the Detroit Mercy community. Weekly gatherings will include time for prayer, discussion and shared fellowship over food.

For more information, please contact Anna Bryson at lawleran@udmercy.edu.

Retreat signup.

College of Health Professions Associate Professor Zigmond Kozicki and Stephanie Baiyasi-Kozicki ’15 have published two chapters: “Health care in France” and “Health care in Poland.” Their scholarly contribution can be found in the 2026 edition of Johnson & Stoskopf’s Comparative Health Systems, Third Edition. The book was released in September 2025.

University of Detroit Mercy will host a fall graduate program open house on Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 5-7 p.m. in the Fountain Lounge on the McNichols Campus.

Prospective students looking to earn their graduate degrees will receive an opportunity to learn more about UDM graduate programs currently available, including online and hybrid programs. Faculty and admissions staff will be on hand to provide information and answer all questions.

Prospective students can drop in to the open house at any time between 5-7 p.m. Light refreshments will also be available. Register in advance online.

For additional information on UDM graduate programs, please contact Jennifer Goethals, associate director of Graduate Admissions, at goethajm@udmercy.edu or at 313-993-3309.

View a listing of all UDM graduate programs.

University of Detroit Mercy has improved its national ranking in the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 survey of best universities in the country.

This year, UDM ranked No. 36, seven places higher than last year.

“There is so much great work being done every single day, year in and year out at Detroit Mercy and this ranking reflects that,” said UDM President Donald B. Taylor. “UDM is making a difference in the lives of our students, our neighborhood, our hometown of Detroit and our nation. It’s gratifying to be recognized for that.”

The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings — first released three years ago — focus on student outcomes rather than inputs, highlighting the tangible value a school delivers to its students.

In addition to the overall ranking, the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse study evaluates colleges on several key measures. Social mobility recognizes universities that enroll a high proportion of students from lower-income families, while maintaining strong graduation rates and positive salary outcomes. Salary impact measures how graduates’ earnings compare to expectations, relative to the cost of attending.

The Best Value ranking considers how quickly graduates’ salary advantages pay back the average net price of a degree — measured as “years to pay off net price.” An additional ranking is based on a large-scale student survey, which captures the quality of the learning environment and overall student experience. This year, the survey reflected feedback from more than 110,000 students nationwide. Earlier this month, the University also ranked No. 22 nationally in the Best Value Schools category in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 ‘Best Colleges’ edition.

UDM’s 2026 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings are as follows:

• No. 27 out of 584 schools for social mobility, up from 39 in the 2025 ranking
• 309 in student experience, up from 411 last year
• 52 in best salaries
• 103 in best value

The 2026 ranking also means that UDM is:

• The No. 1 ranked private university in Michigan
• The second-highest ranked university in Michigan
• The No. 2 ranked Catholic university in the Midwest
• The No. 3 ranked Catholic university in the United States
• The No. 2 ranked university among all Association of Jesuit Colleges & Universities in the country

Additionally, UDM ranks in the top 9% of 4,476 colleges and universities nationwide for salary earned by graduates over a period of 15 to 40 years during their career according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) research report Ranking 4,476 Colleges by ROI (2025). This means that Detroit Mercy graduates can expect to earn more than $2.1 million in salary over their 40-year career compared with those who forgo a college education.

Impressive national rankings over the last three years have led, in part, to record enrollment at UDM for freshmen. This year’s first-year enrollment is 672, which is higher than last year’s record first-year count of 651. In addition, transfer student enrollment is also up to 181, a significant jump from the previous year’s count of 158.

Since the fall of 2024, UDM’s total enrollment is up 191 students. This fall, the University welcomed 5,778 full and part-time students. Most importantly, UDM’s second-year retention rate has increased to 84.2%, higher than the previous three-year average of 83.8%,

For Debbie Stieffel, vice president for Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, these results are far more than a number in a ranking.

“They are a powerful affirmation of the university’s commitment to each student’s wellbeing and success—both in their careers and in their lives. This recognition reflects the tireless dedication of faculty and staff who believe deeply in our students’ potential, and it celebrates the determination, resilience, and accomplishments of the students themselves.” Stieffel said.

Current students are elated at the new WSJ ranking and understand why UDM continues to move up in rankings each year.

“Seeing Detroit Mercy ranked 36th in the nation makes me really proud to be a student here,” said Alexandria Jarbo, a senior Biology major in the College of Engineering & Science’s Pre-Physician Assistant program. “It reflects how much the professors and community truly care about our success, and it reminds me that I made the right choice coming to UDM. It’s exciting to know that the hard work happening here is being recognized.”

A Commitment to Expanded Offerings

UDM’s focus on student achievement and success is reflected by a commitment to offer new schools and programs.

This fall, the University welcomed the first class of the newly established School of Optometry. In addition, UDM launched a new accelerated seven-year Doctor of Optometry Program. This new school and the Detroit Mercy Eye Institute represent a significant step toward addressing the growing demand for eye care professionals in the state and region.

Also this fall, the College of Health Professions (CHP) created the School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, through which two new bachelor’s degree programs are now available.  Students pursuing careers in healthcare can now choose from degrees in Health Science and Sports & Exercise Sciences, both designed to prepare graduates for impactful roles across the evolving health sector.

The School of Law recently announced the launch of the state of Michigan’s first online J.D. program, which continues Detroit Mercy Law’s mission to increase accessibility to legal education. The four-year program will be mostly asynchronous, with some upper-level courses such as the award-winning clinic portion taught synchronously.

Lastly, the University’s School of Dentistry welcomed the first cohort of students who will pursue their Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University’s new campus in Vermont.

For President Taylor, this is only a beginning. With UDM preparing to celebrate its 150th anniversary and commitment to Detroit in 2027, there are more great things to come for the institution and its home community.

“I don’t think there has ever been a more exciting time to be part of University of Detroit Mercy and our great city,” said Taylor. “You can feel the energy on campus, in our neighborhood, downtown and throughout SE Michigan. Achieving a No. 36 rank in the U.S. is not only great for UDM, it’s great for our city and indeed the entire state.”

Thank A Donor Day takes place Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 12:30-2 p.m. in the Fountain Lounge of the Student Union on the McNichols Campus.

Several activities are planned to educate students about how alumni and friends of Detroit Mercy enrich all aspects of the University. Students can:

• Write a thank-you note to a donor and receive a free lunch.
• Create a photo or video message to thank donors and be entered into a drawing for a $25 Visa gift card!
• Participate in fun games to test skill and UDM philanthropic knowledge and earn Detroit Mercy swag!
• Hunt for one of four plushies wearing Titans swag belonging to Tommy Titan on the McNichols Campus and choose which Detroit Mercy fund will receive a gift from an anonymous donor — and keep the plushie!
• Wear Detroit Mercy or Titan apparel for an extra chance to win prizes!

More information here.

Learn more and register here.

University of Detroit Mercy opened a theatre on its McNichols Campus Monday, Sept. 29, that it hopes will become a venue not just for the school’s Department of Performing Arts, but for artists and community members across Detroit who need a place to come together.

“We’re thrilled to bring live theatre back to campus,” said Detroit Mercy President Donald B. Taylor. “This will enhance our student engagement on campus and provide community engagement opportunities for our neighborhood in ways we are only beginning to imagine.”

The state-of-the-art Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre is designed to be a flexible, professional-quality space that allows students and faculty to explore innovative forms of storytelling. Located on the Lower Level of the Student Union, the venue will also be made available to Detroit’s varied community organizations and businesses for meetings, performances and presentations.

Though there have been performances at various spaces on the McNichols Campus for decades, this is the first dedicated theatre space there.

“The new Black Box Theatre will be a catalyst for creativity,” said Greg Grobis, associate dean of the College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) and associate professor of Theatre. “Its flexible design ensures that no two productions will ever feel the same, empowering students and faculty to dream bigger, take risks and explore new forms of storytelling.”

Most important, it will be the new home to the award-winning Detroit Mercy Theatre Company, which will open its 55th season on Nov. 7 with a new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s comedy “Twelfth Night” adapted by Marc Palmieri. Most recently, the company produced its works at the Marlene Boll Theatre at the Detroit YMCA.

“The Department of Performing Arts and Detroit Mercy Theatre Company cannot wait to return home to UDM’s McNichols Campus after more than 10 years away,” said Sarah Hawkins Rusk, managing director of DMTC. “This new theatre space will be a vibrant home for creativity on campus — giving our students a professional-quality space to learn and grow, whether they’re performing on stage or working behind the scenes.”

The 13,000-square-foot space cost just under $3 million and funded through investments by many donors, including several alumni who work in the entertainment industry across the country. It will seat up to 109 people, depending on the configuration of the stage, which can be adapted to each production. Lighting and sound technology is of a caliber being used in professional theaters across the country, allowing students to develop skills they can take directly to the workforce. The theater also includes a costume shop with laundry, individual changing rooms and a greenroom where performers can prepare and relax before and after a show.

The Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre will also strengthen arts and culture connections beyond campus said Jocelyn Boryczka, CHASS dean, noting its wider impact on both the University and surrounding neighborhoods.

“The Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre will energize arts and culture on UDM’s McNichols Campus, in our Northwest Detroit neighborhoods and across metro Detroit,” she said of the Livernois and Six Mile corridor of Detroit. “This space will host student productions, lectures, spoken word and musical performances, and other events that will drive community engagement. Our new theater exhibits how UDM lives its mission by creating a space where we can all reach for the magis, the more.”

The theatre also represents a significant step forward for Detroit Mercy’s Department of Performing Arts. Andrew Papa, chair of the Department of Performing Arts, emphasized the impact it will have.

“The Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre is set to become a game-changer for not just the Department of Performing Arts, but for the entire Detroit Mercy community,” he said. “Having a permanently designated space for our theatre productions is an invaluable learning experience for our students. It will give them more opportunities to experiment, to work with technology that mirrors the real world, and even to develop their own student-produced work.

He continued: “Detroit Mercy is a ‘learn by doing’ institution, and laboratories are a key method for teaching our students. We have Chemistry lab spaces and Architecture lab spaces and even lab spaces for our Nursing students. And now, the student artists at Detroit Mercy have a laboratory space, too.”

Following a ribbon-cutting scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29, the University will hold an invitation-only gala during the run of Twelfth Night. Discounted tickets are available at special high school students and community members during the run of the show. Visit the Detroit Mercy Arts website for tickets.

“We look forward to seeing what our students can do with this incredible resource, and how the commitment to arts on campus will echo through the community,” said Grobis.

Learn more about Detroit Mercy Theatre Company.

Detroit Mercy’s Department of English welcomes poet Joanna Fuhrman for a special reading, hosted by UDM’s Poet-in-Residence Stacy Gnall. All are invited to attend this free event, which takes place virtually on Wednesday, Oct. 1, from 6:30-7:45 p.m.

Fuhrman is the author of seven poetry collections, most recently including Data Mind and To a New Era. Her poems have appeared in The Believer, The Baffler, Fence, The Georgia Review and more, as well as on the Poetry Foundation and Academy of American Poets websites. Her work has also been featured in Best American Poetry, The Pushcart Prize anthology and The Slowdown podcast. A graduate of the University of Washington’s MFA program, Fuhrman lives in New Jersey where she serves as an assistant teaching professor of creative writing at Rutgers University.

Register here.

President Emeritus and Distinguished University Professor Antoine M. Garibaldi and Live6 Alliance Director Caitlin Murphy ’17 appeared on the first half of WXYZ Channel 7’s Spotlight on the News on Sept. 14. They discussed Live6 Alliance’s evolution and neighborhood initiatives over its first 10 years.

Check out the full discussion with WXYZ’s Chuck Stokes.

As UDM approaches its 150th anniversary in 2027, we have a chance to define a new future for the University and our entire community. One of the most critical elements of this future is a new brand, one that captures and encompasses the spirit, grit, faith, strength and pride that define Detroit Mercy.

Today, UDM invites our alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, neighbors and partners to help co-author this new brand. Working together, UDM is confident that we can develop a new brand that is authentic, inspiring and worthy of our Jesuit and Mercy mission.

Why A New Brand Now?

In 2016, Detroit Mercy launched the “Build a Boundless Future” brand. While this message captured the ambition and possibility that UDM offers, many felt it lacked the emotional resonance this University and our Northwest Detroit community deserved. Over time, feedback confirmed that this brand did not fully express what makes Detroit Mercy distinctive.

For some, it was too abstract; for others, it didn’t reflect our history, mission or Detroit roots.

As we look ahead to 2027 and our 150th anniversary, we see the need for a brand that not only promotes Detroit Mercy but embodies its essence: a Jesuit and Mercy institution shaped by grit, compassion, innovation, love of all people and faith.

The Brand Process

To ensure that this effort is rooted in authenticity, Detroit Mercy launched a three-phase process involving research, strategy and brand development.

Phase 1: Research and Insights
Working with partners such as Elevate Marketing Research, we studied how prospective students, parents, alumni and community members perceived Detroit Mercy through several research studies over the past two years. We examined peer institutions, explored what drives prospective student and parent choices when looking at which school to attend, and identified the words and values that resonate most with those who encounter UDM.

Phase 2: Strategy and Engagement
Through sessions with students, faculty, staff, administration, alumni, community leaders and board members, we asked hard questions: How do we see ourselves? What values define us? Which parts of our identity have been overlooked? These conversations challenged assumptions and revealed opportunities to more fully embrace our story. These conversations and sessions will soon continue during this academic year.

Phase 3: Brand Development and Testing
Next, UDM will collaborate with branding experts to translate these insights into creative concepts. These concepts will then be tested and refined with stakeholders’ feedback to ensure that the final brand is both emotionally resonant and forward-looking. And while this may help create a brand that everyone can get behind, we understand that not everyone may warm up to it from the start. It takes time for a brand to gain traction through action.

A Guiding Idea: Titan Faith

While the new brand is still being developed, one concept has already emerged as a helpful guide: “Titan Faith.”

“Titan Faith” is not a tagline but a way of describing the courage, pride and hope that runs through our community. It reminds us of the faith we place in God, in one another and in the transcendent Jesuit and Mercy values of UDM. It speaks to our grit, compassion, truth, love, joy and boldness—qualities that Detroit Mercy AND our city live out every day. This guiding principle will help point us toward a brand that is more than marketing. It is a shared identity we can feel, believe in and carry with pride.

With the ongoing strategy sessions lead by GreenHouse::Innovation and the extensive outputs from these sessions, UDM now has a treasure trove of insights that will help inform and shape UDM’s new brand.

What This Requires: Your Voice

The strongest and most enduring brands are co-authored by the people who live the ideals and values of an organization. In short, a new UDM brand requires your heartfelt voice.

Your perspective—as an alumnus, a student, a faculty or staff member, a parent, a neighbor or a supporter—matters deeply. Whether you have been part of the University for one year or 50, your experiences and reflections help define what Detroit Mercy truly is.

Here are ways you can participate:

• Be honest. Share what inspires pride in Detroit Mercy and where you see opportunities for growth.
• Join the conversation. Participate in listening sessions, focus groups and other engagement opportunities.
• Complete the feedback form. This simple but powerful tool allows you to record your insights and ensures that your voice shapes the brand directly. Visit the rebrand webpage, scroll down the page to “Info On Branding” and click on the feedback form.
• Follow updates through Campus Connection, alumni newsletters and other Detroit Mercy channels as we move through this exciting process.

A Shared Call to Action

Branding for UDM is more than merely creating a new slogan or logo. It is about capturing the faith, mission and resilience of our University and neighborhood—and projecting it to the world in a way that inspires.

As we prepare for our 150th anniversary, we need a brand that honors our past, reflects our present and propels us into the future. That brand must be created by all of us. Please help shape the next chapter of Detroit Mercy. Take a few minutes today to share your perspective. Your insights will help us craft a brand that resonates deeply, sparks pride and stands as a foundation of faith and hope for generations to come.

Together, we will write a brand story that only Detroit Mercy can tell.

The Kresge Foundation recently published a story on the Foundation website about Live6 Alliance and the organization’s impact over the past 10 years.

Caitlin Murphy ’15, executive director of the organization and a graduate of UDM’s Master of Community Development program, notes that if not for the University at the beginning, “we would not be the healthy organization we are today.”

Some of the most impactful efforts of Live6 over the past decade include the organization’s ability to drive partnerships/collaborations and to proactively work to the entire neighborhood’s benefit. This year alone, the neighborhood was designated a select-level Michigan Main Street community, a five-year partnership with the MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation). This important designation will spur Live6 Alliance’s stewardship of the neighborhood’s commercial corridors.

Look for additional stories in the near future about new efforts and initiatives to keep the positive momentum in our community going.

Read the full article.

Students, looking for volunteer opportunities?

If you need to fulfill volunteer hours as part of service requirements for your organization, there is an opportunity to help out with Detroit Mercy’s ‘Thank a Donor Day’ from 12:30-2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30 on the McNichols Campus.

The Annual Giving and Alumni Relations departments are hosting the annual Thank a Donor Day and will have several opportunities to volunteer, including:

• Help students with thank-you notes and hand out lunch vouchers to participants.
• Help run game stations and hand out prizes.
• Help students with their thank you photos and videos, explaining the process and hyping them up!
• Take down donor recognition signs and return to University Advancement (inside of the Student Union).

To learn about the various opportunities and times available for you to fulfill your required hours, visit the link below!

Volunteer for Thank a Donor Day.

Volunteers are needed at one of the University’s signature events: The Great Lake Bioneers Conference.

Earn service hours while learning about sustainability efforts in Detroit. The event will take place Oct. 1-3 on the McNichols Campus, and multiple shifts are available on those dates. Please use the link below to sign up.

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

Sign up here.

The 2025 Bruttell Endowment for Social Ethics presents “Black Freedom, Religious Excitement and the Invention of a Public Health Crisis,” a lecture by Judith Weisenfeld, the Agate Brown and George L. Collard Professor of Religion at Princeton University.

This event will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m., in the Architecture Exhibition Space, inside the Loranger Architecture Building. The talk is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be available.

Weisenfeld will examine the rise of mental institutions as public institutions in the late 19th Century and the increasing prominence of a racialized understanding of “religious excitement” as a public health crisis that served as justification for the institutionalization of the formerly enslaved and their descendants.

Weisenfeld’s research and teaching focus on African American religious history, religion and race, and religion in modern American culture. She is the author most recently of Black Religion in the Madhouse: Race and American Psychiatry in Slavery’s Wake and New World A-Coming: Black Religion and Racial Identity during the Great Migration, which was awarded the 2017 Albert J. Raboteau Prize for the Best Book in Africana Religions. She is also the director of The Crossroads Project: Black Religious Histories, Cultures, and Communities, which is funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and supported by Princeton’s Center for Culture, Society and Religion.

For any questions, please contact Chair of the Department of Religious Studies Todd Hibbard at hibbarja@udmercy.edu.

The event is co-sponsored by University of Detroit Mercy College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences, the African American Studies Program and the Department of Religious Studies.

Register here.

The What’s the Tea with Ministry podcast returns for Season 5 with an insightful conversation featuring Vice President for Mission Integration Fr. Charles Oduke, as he unveils the University’s new core values.

What’s the Tea with Ministry is the podcast where University Ministry and others in the Detroit Mercy community spill the tea on living out the Jesuit and Mercy mission.

The podcast was created to expand mission-centered content available to the University community. It is an opportunity to engage in conversations, reflections and interviews with students, staff, faculty, community partners and more.

Listen to the new episode.

For the seventh consecutive year, University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) has been recognized as one of the top universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report in its 2026 Best Colleges edition.

The University is ranked No. 183 in the National Universities category, rising from No. 189 in the 2025 rankings. UDM also achieved notable improvements in other categorical rankings over 2025.

• Best Value Schools, National Universities — No. 22 (an increase from No. 28 in 2025)
• Undergraduate Business Programs-Management — No. 18 (an increase from No. 24 in 2025)
• Undergraduate Business Programs-Entrepreneurship — No. 18
• Best Colleges for Veterans, National Universities — No. 132 (an increase from No. 134 in 2025)
• Top Performers in Social Mobility — 144 (an increase from No. 181 in 2025)

In the 2026 rankings, Detroit Mercy is the highest-ranked independent university in Michigan and is listed among the top 100 private institutions nationwide.

“This year’s rankings reflect our steadfast commitment to academic excellence, innovation and student success,” said President Donald B. Taylor. “To rank among the top 25 schools in terms of value for our students speaks volumes about what we do as an institution to prepare our graduates to succeed.”

This fall, Detroit Mercy welcomed the first class of the newly established School of Optometry and the first cohort in its accelerated seven-year Doctor of Optometry Program. This new school represents a significant step toward addressing the growing demand for eye care professionals in the state and region. The new School of Optometry and Detroit Mercy Eye Institute are the University’s response to an increasing need driven by an aging population, rising awareness of eye health and a growing number of retirements within the profession.

Also this fall, the University’s College of Health Professions (CHP) expanded its academic offerings with the addition of two new bachelor’s degree programs. Students pursuing careers in healthcare can now choose from degrees in Health Science and Sports & Exercise Sciences, both designed to prepare graduates for impactful roles across the evolving health sector.

The University also welcomed its largest-ever incoming class to the McNichols Campus this fall with 700 new freshmen joining the community.

“This is a testament to the outstanding work of our faculty, staff, students and alumni to strengthen our brand and draw more students to the University from around the country. We are honored that our students have entrusted Detroit Mercy with helping them achieve their highest potential,” said Taylor.

The University remains committed to advancing its mission by expanding access and opportunity to all students. As part of this effort is the Titan Edge program, which offers a tuition-free Detroit Mercy education to high-achieving students who qualify for both the maximum Federal Pell Grant and the full Michigan Achievement Scholarship.

Using a wide range of data sources, each year U.S. News analysts and editors calculate more than 80 Best Colleges rankings to enable students and their families to identify colleges that best meet their needs. The rankings highlight colleges that excel in such areas as value, social mobility, teaching, veterans’ needs, HBCUs and in six academic disciplines (Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Nursing, Economics and Psychology). Learn more.

University Ministry will celebrate Mercy Day on Wednesday, Sept. 24, with an Intercultural Tea Party and exploration of the University’s new core values. All are invited to this event, which takes place from 4:30-6 p.m. in the Fountain Lounge, inside the Student Union. Various Detroit Mercy student cultural groups will share traditional drinks and treats from around the world—including Egypt, India, Korea, Morocco, Great Britain and Yemen.

Each of five tables will highlight one of UDM’s newly defined core values. Attendees who visit all five tables will receive a special core value prize.

The 2025 Wellness Expo will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 23, from 12-2 p.m. inside the Student Union Ballroom. The expo is free for all students and employees.

Meet local health and wellness vendors, grab a healthy snack and explore resources to support your well-being.

UDM employees: Be sure to stop by and connect with our benefits vendors!

Students, alumni, employees, family, fans and friends are all invited to join in the festivities at the University’s annual Homecoming, set for Sept. 26-27 on the McNichols Campus.

This two-day event offers something for everyone—from exciting games and tours to informative sessions and even tasty barbecue wings to enjoy throughout the day on Saturday.

Among the highlights are the annual bike tour of the historic areas surrounding the McNichols Campus, a pickleball clinic and competition, a taping of Detroit Mercy’s long-running show, “Ask the Professor” and a performance in the newly established Black Box Theatre in the Student Union.

Attendees can also cheer on men’s lacrosse alumni Titans at Titan Field as they take on the 2025-26 men’s lacrosse team in a friendly game at noon on Saturday.

The main event is the Fall Festival which is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. It features laser tag, arts and crafts, bubble soccer, yard and casino games, food trucks, scavenger hunt and many more family friendly activities, all located inside or near the Student Fitness Center. After dusk, a bonfire will be lit to celebrate all Titan Athletic teams!

Also included in the weekend’s events and numerous reunions are the College of Health Professions Research Symposium, a Golden Jubilee reunion for the Class of 1975 and the presentation of 2025’s Alumni Achievement Spirit Award honorees.

Full Homecoming info!

Struggling to keep track of your sources? Attend the McNichols Campus Library’s upcoming workshops designed specifically for graduate students and faculty to master citation management with EndNote.

In this beginner-friendly session, you’ll learn how to collect, organize and store references, create bibliographies and format your paper’s in-text citations for publication. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to streamline your research workflow, this hands-on session will equip you with the tools to save time and stay organized!

Drop-in sessions will be held in the McNichols Campus Library, Room 324, on the following dates:

• Tuesday, Sept. 23, 4-5 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 29, 12-1 p.m.
• Monday, Nov. 24, 3-4 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 5, 1-2 p.m.

Are you interested in getting involved with student organizations?

Detroit Mercy’s Student Life Office is seeking faculty, staff and administration to serve as moderators (advisors) and make a positive impact in our University community. Get involved, offer a hand and become a part of something bigger than yourself. Visit the Student Code of Conduct website and click on Student Organization Policy to read more about responsibilities of organization moderators.

Submit interest here.

University of Detroit Mercy’s College of Business Administration will begin offering business majors an academic concentration in real estate this year.

The program was developed in consultation with industry professionals and is designed for those seeking entry into the commercial real estate industry, property development, property management, real estate investing and related careers.

The College is also partnering with the Ferguson Foundation in Chicago to enhance the student experience. The Foundation offers a leadership program in real estate that includes mentorship opportunities and scholarships to female and minority students interested in real estate.

In addition to core business courses, the curriculum for the new program consists of courses in Fundamentals of Real Estate, The Legal Environment of Real Estate, Real Estate Appraisal and Real Estate Investment. Specialized courses are being taught by successful industry practitioners, including leaders from Rocket Mortgage and L. Mason Capitani.

“A number of our students have already accepted internships in the real estate industry,” said Joseph Eisenhauer, dean of the College of Business Administration, “and a group of business students interested in this program have already started a Real Estate Club.”

The real estate concentration brings to an even dozen the number of concentrations offered to undergraduate business students. Concentrations include sports management, marketing, accounting, management, social entrepreneurship, finance and international business, to name a few.

The College of Business Administration’s undergraduate and graduate programs are consistently ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best College’s” edition. For 2025, the publication ranked the College’s Entrepreneurship program No. 18; the Management program No. 24; Finance program No. 36; and the graduate Management program No. 16.

Did you know that UDM offers the McNichols Puritan Lodge Community Council (MPLCC) scholarship to high school students residing in the McNichols Puritan Lodge Community Council (MPLCC) area?

This area includes the boundaries of West McNichols on the north and the Lodge Freeway to the south, with Livernois on the west and Log Cabin and Idaho Streets on the east.

The scholarship covers full-time undergraduate tuition for up to four years (eight fall and winter semesters. Candidates will also be invited to a scholarship interview. Scholars must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average.

There are two scholarships available for incoming freshmen, selected each year by the Office of Admissions. For more information, please email admissions@udmercy.edu or call 313-993-1245.

As part of this year’s Homecoming festivities, Michigan’s new Poet Laureate Melba Joyce Boyd will offer a poetry reading in UDM’s brand new Black Box Theatre.

The reading is set for Saturday, Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m. The Black Box Theatre is located on the lower level of the Student Union on the McNichols Campus.

This event is free and open to the public and is an official stop on the 2025 Michigan Poet Laureate Tour, sponsored by the Michigan Department of Education and hosted by UDM’s Department of English.

Michigan Poet Laureates serve as ambassadors for poetry throughout our state, working to promote poetry as an art form, expand access to the literary arts and promote poetry as a literary voice that contributes to a sense of place.

Boyd is a recently retired distinguished professor in African American Studies at Wayne State University. She is an award-winning author of 13 books, nine of which are poetry. Her works Death Dance of a Butterfly and Roses and Revolutions: The Selected Writings of Dudley Randall were both honored by the Library of Michigan as Michigan Notable Books selections. Boyd worked as an assistant editor for Mr. Dudley Randall, the founder of Broadside Press, who was a member of the University of Detroit community for many years and who established UDM’s Dudley Randall Poetry Prize. In 2023 Boyd was recognized as a Kresge Eminent Artist.

The Writing Center will hold online professional development sessions this fall to help students at all levels strengthen skills in reviewing, analyzing and incorporating source material effectively into college essays in any discipline, in any course.

Participants will review strategies for engaging critically with sources, integrating evidence smoothly and avoiding common pitfalls like patch-writing and over-reliance on quotations. The session will also introduce best practices in formatting and citations, with more detailed workshops on APA and MLA to follow.

Online session dates are from 1-1:45 p.m. on the following dates:

• Thursday, Sept. 25
• Wednesday, Oct. 1

Please register at least 24 hours in advance. Zoom link will be sent the day before the session.

Register here.

Curious about pickleball? Come learn the basics of this fast-growing sport during our Homecoming weekend clinic and then put your new skills to the test in a friendly competition.

The clinic and competition will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 5-7 p.m., in the Whitty Student Fitness Center on the McNichols Campus.

Whether you’re a beginner or just looking to have fun, this event is a great way to get active and connect with fellow alumni and the UDM community.

Join Titan men’s soccer in the fight against childhood cancer during their fundraiser match in support of the Wreck-It Like Beckett Foundation on Saturday, Sept. 20. The Titans will battle Green Bay in a match at 2 p.m. from Titan Field on the McNichols Campus.

As part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the men’s soccer program will raise funds for this foundation through T-shirt sales and more during the match.

The Wreck-It Like Beckett Foundation is dedicated to supporting families affected by pediatric cancer, inspired by young Beckett’s courageous battle with brain cancer and his love of monster trucks. The foundation aims to “wreck” the barriers and challenges faced by families dealing with pediatric cancer.

Come out, cheer on the Titans and help make a meaningful impact in the lives of children battling cancer.

Donate here.

Founders Week celebrates both Catherine McAuley and St. Ignatius of Loyola with a number of special events beginning Friday, Sept. 19, and running through Sunday, Sept. 28. All are invited to attend.

Highlights include a talk and roundtable discussion on the issue of immigration with a courageous and caring Sister of Mercy, an intercultural tea party, an interfaith panel sponsored by Thomas Moore Society, Homecoming Mass and more.

Founders Week also celebrates the approval from Rome of the organization of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola on Sept. 27, 1540.

Check out the full list of events to help celebrate Founders Week:

• Friday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m. — Mission Deep Dive 201 (Student Union, Room 208)
• Monday, Sept. 22, 1 and 4 p.m. — Presentation and roundtable discussion with Sr. JoAnn Persch
• Tuesday, Sept. 23, 11 a.m.— Law School Red Mass (Riverfront Campus)
• Wednesday, Sept. 24, 8:30 a.m. — Comfortable Cup of Tea (Health Professions Building Lobby)
• Wednesday, Sept. 24, noon — Mercy Day Mass (St. Ignatius Chapel, Commerce & Finance Building)
• Wednesday, Sept. 24, 4:30 p.m. — Intercultural Tea Party (Fountain Lounge, Student Union)
• Wednesday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m. — Interfaith Panel sponsored by Thomas Moore Society (Riverfront Campus Atrium)
• Thursday, Sept. 25, 6:30 p.m. — Spirit Awards (Student Union Ballroom)
• Saturday, Sept. 27, 4 p.m. — Homecoming Mass, Founders Day for the Society of Jesus (St. Ignatius Chapel)
• Sunday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. — Founders Mass (St. Ignatius Chapel)

Detroit Mercy’s School of Architecture & Community Development and College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences will offer a joint spring break trip to Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico, in March 2026. This opportunity is open to students in all disciplines, as well as faculty and staff. Coursework is offered in architecture, community development and Spanish language during the winter semester.

Join an upcoming information session to learn more about the trip, courses offered, as well as costs, itinerary, orientation schedule and travel grant opportunities available to help offset costs.

Info sessions are as follows:

• Virtual — Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. Register for Zoom in advance here.
• In-person — Friday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m. in Briggs Building Room 301
• Virtual — Thursday, Oct 2, at 6 p.m. Register in Zoom in advance here.

For more information, contact Lara Wasner at wasnerle@udmercy.edu.

Wondering if your AP, IB, dual enrollment or summer courses count for credit? Stop by the lower level of the Student Union on Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 12:30-4:30 p.m. to chat with the Registrar’s Office team. We’ll help you figure it out — and sweeten the deal with free candy while you’re there.