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

Air date: 10/19/25

[00:28:47]

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Air date: 10/12/25

[00:28:44]

With Professors Matt Mio, Danielle Maxwell, Dan Maggio, Beth Oljar, Jim Tubbs, Heather Hill, Stephen Manning and Dave Chow

atp 2606 transcript

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

Detroit Mercy’s International Services Office (ISO) invites faculty and staff to open their homes this Thanksgiving by hosting an international student for dinner.

Many of our international students are eager to experience American Thanksgiving traditions in a home setting. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your holiday, learn about different cultures and create lasting memories. Past participants have described the experience as deeply rewarding.

If interested in participating, please complete the survey below by Friday, Nov. 7. Hosts should receive their student matches and guest details by Friday, Nov. 15.

For any questions, please contact Alison Roberts at robertad1@udmercy.edu.

Sign up here.

The start of the Titan basketball seasons are upon us, with the Detroit Mercy men’s basketball squad debuting at Calihan Hall on Friday, Oct. 24.

Coach Mark Montgomery and the Titans unofficially start the 2025-26 season at 7 p.m. in an exhibition against Grand Valley State.

The Titans return a number of players from last season and will look to begin the season on a bright note. Detroit Mercy will also play at Wayne State on Thursday, Oct. 30 (5 p.m.) against Central State in the first annual Horatio Williams Foundation Hoops & Culture Event.

Their season officially opens Nov. 3 (at UIC) and Nov. 7 (at Notre Dame).

The first regular season home game for the Titans is Nov. 11 against Cleary at 7 p.m. inside of Calihan Hall.

Celebrate Halloween with the Detroit Mercy Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the Titans at this frightfully fun event on Friday, Oct. 31 in the Titan Field parking lot.

All are invited to a spooktacular evening of Trunk or Treating from 5-6 p.m.

Then, stick around for the UDM men’s soccer game at 6 p.m. at Titan Field and show your spirit for the Titans as they take on Purdue Fort Wayne.

Costumes are encouraged. There will be a costume contest, so bring your best Halloween look and show off your fang-tastic creativity.

Bring your friends, grab some candy and enjoy Halloween, Titan-style!

All Detroit Mercy students are invited to attend an evening of professional and personal development at the Student Alumni Leadership Council (SALC) Annual Student Etiquette Dinner. This event is set for Thursday, Nov. 13 from 6-8 p.m. in The Loft, located in the Student Union.

Business attire is encouraged.

This year, alumni from the Women of Stellantis will present as well as lead roundtable discussions regarding the following topics:

• Developing your personal elevator speech
• The Art of Negotiation
• How to say no in the workplace

Please RSVP by Friday, Nov. 7.

Complete registration here.

Students are invited to a special Halloween season screening of the classic horror film Scream (1996) on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom on the McNichols Campus.

Admission:

• $2 entry fee (cash only)
• Free candy provided

Snacks and beverages available for purchase (cash only):

• Hot cocoa: $1
• Cookies: $2
• Popcorn: $1

This is a great opportunity to enjoy a spooky evening with friends, treats and a cult-favorite film. Proceeds will benefit TENN and future Business students. For questions or additional information, please contact noeljc@udmercy.edu.

Reserve your spot.

Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) is hosting a fun and interactive culinary workshop led by Chef Jessica Mitchell on Tuesday, Nov. 4 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the Lower Level of the Student Union. Learn how to make delicious, dorm-friendly banana mug cakes that are low waste and perfect for cozy evenings.

Come early as supplies are limited.

This hands-on event is a great way to explore sustainable snacking while picking up a new recipe you can easily prepare in your dorm.

For the first time ever, Student Life, the Campus Activity Board (CAB), and the School of Architecture & Community Development (SACD) are combining forces to put on a premier community festival here on the McNichols Campus.

Safety Street trick-or-treating itself has been going on at UDM for more than 30 years. Safety Street begins at 4:15 p.m. in Lot F by the main entrance of the McNichols Campus. But this year, the Safety Street festivities will be immediately followed by SACD’s ‘Movies at Mercy’ event.

At 7:15 p.m., SACD will be screening in retro-style ‘drive-in’ the 2025 live action film How to Train Your Dragon. SACD students have specially prepared furniture for everyone to relax on as they enjoy the movie.

For more information on facade decoration and candy collections, head to Raftr, the UDM app. There are monetary prizes for best facade and most candy donated. Feel free to reach out to hisnersj@udmercy.edu if you have any questions. We hope you can participate in one or all sides of this fantastic event!

To volunteer for the event, click here.

Detroit Mercy’s English Department will welcome poet and alumnus Cal Freeman for a reading from his new book, The Weather of Our Names, on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 12:45 p.m., in the Bargman Room, second floor of the McNichols Campus Library.

This event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase.

Chicago Review of Books recently praised The Weather of Our Names: “Cal Freeman is the type of poet whose precision is surgical, but whose scope is more like NASA’s Terra satellite. Capable of capturing the finite details of a moment in relation to the broader societal context, Freeman’s newest book, The Weather of Our Names, seamlessly weaves hyper-specific environments with deep understanding of memory, place and self.”

Biology major and Literature minor Sam Abedi wrote about the recent Homecoming reading by Michigan Poet Laureate Melba Joyce Boyd, the first poetry reading in the University’s brand new Black Box Theatre! The piece appears in Between the Pages, the English Department’s digital magazine.

Read full story here.

Help Titan Equity Nourish Network TENN prepare and run its third annual community meal, which takes place Thursday, Oct. 30. Please consider volunteering for any of the following dates/shifts:

• Oct. 28: Help Chef Bob prepare dishes for the meal. Volunteers are needed for multiple shifts between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The cooking day will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, located at 16100 Lawton St., Detroit, MI 48221.
• Oct. 29: Help set up tables for the event from 3-4 p.m. in the Student Union Fountain Lounge.
• Oct. 30: Multiple shifts available from 4-7 p.m. helping with set-up, during the event and clean-up in the Student Union Fountain Lounge.

Volunteers may sign up for more than one shift.

If you have any questions, please email Chelsea Manning at mannincp@udmercy.edu.

Sign up here.

The English Department is excited to announce the winners of this year’s Magnetic Poetry Contest and would like to thank all who wrote (stuck?) a poem. Many excellent submissions were received. Special thanks to Stacy Gnall and Michael Lauchlan for serving as judges.

You can read the winning poems on Between the Pages. (And the magnets remain—keep on composing!)

Winners are as follows:

• 1st Place: Ashlee Jones: Somewhere In Between
• 2nd Place: Liberty Stevens: My Old Cowboy
• 3rd Place: Ayshah Khalid: Drunk in Love
• Honorable Mention: Allena Williams: The Call
• Honorable Mention: Isabella Goolsby: No Good Political Movement

Read winning poems 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 Women’s and Gender Studies Program will host the annual Feminist Scholarship Colloquium on Tuesday, Oct. 21 from 3:30-5 p.m. in the William C. Young Boardroom, located on the second floor of the Student Union. All are welcome.

Presenters will share the diverse ways that sex, gender, sexuality and related issues inform their research and teaching.

Presenters from across the University will include:

• Ceara O’Leary, professor of practice of Architecture
• Julia Belian, associate professor, School of Law
• Lee Eshelman, associate professor of Psychology
• Maha Ahmad, associate professor, School of Dentistry

Refreshments will be provided.

Compete to be the most sustainable student organization or group on campus and win a pizza party with Titan Equity Nourish Network’s (TENN) Autumn compost competition on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

TENN will be collecting compostable material on from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in the mini lot between the Health Professions Facility and Commerce & Finance Building. Pumpkins, eggshells, bread and lots of other items may be composted. See complete list what can be composted.

For more information and to get your compost kit, please contact TENN by email at tenn@udmercy.edu.

A thought-provoking lecture entitled “Consulting with Hospital Ethics Committees” will be presented by Assistant Professor Jennifer McCurdy, Center for Bioethics and Social Justice, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.

The lecture is set for 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29 inside the Chemistry Building, Room 114, on the McNichols Campus.

As part of the Your Health Lecture Series, this talk, co-hosted by University of Detroit Mercy and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, will explore the vital role that hospital ethics committees play in guiding complex patient care decisions. McCurdy will discuss how these committees function, the ethical challenges they address and their impact on patients, families and healthcare teams.

This event is free and open to the public. All students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend.

More information and registration.

It may be fall, but it is also the best time to sow some seeds.

“Grow a Tree” has returned to the Seed Library. The Seed Library, located in the lobby of the McNichols Campus Library, offers five different species:

• Red Oak
• Scarlet Oak
• Pin Oak
• Swamp White Oak
• Ginkgo

A selection of native wildflower seeds is also available.

Starting a tree from seed is fun and easier than you think. Swing by the library to check them out!

Students, get ready for next semester at One-Stop Advising Day. Faculty and advisors will be available to help plan your courses, review program requirements and map out your academic goals.

This event takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 29, from 1-4 p.m. in the Briggs Building, Room 117.

Whether you’re exploring new programs or finalizing your degree plan, this is the perfect opportunity to get personalized, one-on-one guidance.

For questions, please contact Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs Kiantee Rupert-Jones at rupertkn@udmercy.edu.

Each year, Detroit Mercy conducts a Day of Giving, which provides an opportunity for Titans around the world — alumni, community members, parents, friends, faculty, staff and students — to join together and show support for UDM.

In 2025, the Day of Giving will be Tuesday, Dec. 2 (National Giving Tuesday).

This will be a 24-hour event to raise money for areas and projects around the University through our crowdfunding platform. It will be primarily promoted through social media, texts and student-to-alumni emails.

We are in the process of collecting campaigns to include on this day.

If you have a project/campaign you want to have included, please complete the campaign worksheet form with your project description and goal. In order to have enough time to build out the platforms for each campaign, the campaign worksheet form for each campaign must be completed and submitted by Nov. 14.

If you would like more information or a presentation about Day of Giving, please contact Director of Annual Giving Judy Wernette at wernetjm@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.

Titans, the University recently earned No. 36 in the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings for ‘America’s Best Colleges’ in 2026.

Show your Titan pride of the high national rankings by downloading the images below and including them in your email signature. To add:

• Download by right-clicking or control-click and save the images below;
• Click the settings ‘sprocket’ icon up in the top right corner of Microsoft Outlook;
• Click on Account, and then Signature;
• Paste the graphic or select the picture icon and upload into your signature;
• Adjust sizing, and then hit save at the bottom.

Note: When adjusting sizing of graphics in signature, please don’t make larger than the current dimensions.

College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) Dean Jocelyn Boryczka invites all students to attend the CHASS Student Town Hall, an open discussion about college updates, new initiatives and the issues that matter most to our CHASS community.

This event takes place on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 12:45-2 p.m. in the Briggs Building, Room 105.

Your feedback helps guide future priorities — come share your ideas and help strengthen the CHASS experience for everyone.

Sign up 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.

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.

During the month of November, the Catholic Church remembers family and friends who have died. The month highlights this tradition with two feast days, All Saints Day and All Souls Day during the first two days of November.

Detroit Mercy joins this celebration with an annual Mass of Remembrance on the first Sunday of November — November 2 at 4 p.m. in the St. Ignatius Chapel on the McNichols Campus.

All are welcome to join us as we remember all those who have gone before us and remain in our hearts.

Please complete the registration form below to have your loved one’s name added to the list and to RSVP.

Register for Mass of Remembrance.

All are welcome to an evening in support of Honduran women at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27 in the Health Professions Facility (CHP), Room 124, on the McNichols Campus.

Speakers will share news on a project to address women’s needs–the purchase and renovation of a new headquarters in San Pedro Sula, which will expand the capacity of Foro de Mujeres (The Women’s Forum).

Many Honduran women dream of staying in their home country, but the recurring threats of domestic violence and femicide often force them to flee. Foro de Mujeres is group of women who have come together to change that narrative by creating a community of mutual support, safety and solidarity.

The organization was founded by the Associates of the Sisters of Mercy, who “respond to the Gospel call to holiness by engaging in the spiritual and corporal works of Mercy, deepening their spirituality, partnering in prayer and action with the sisters and responding in their own personal lives to the critical needs of our time–care of Earth, anti-racism advocacy, justice for women, justice for immigrants and nonviolence.”

At the event, you’ll enjoy authentic Honduran snacks and drinks and have the opportunity to support this important work through donations and by purchasing handicrafts made by women in the Honduran community.

This event is co-sponsored by Detroit Mercy’s Titan Dreamers and Women’s & Gender Studies.

Director of the Catholic Studies Program Si Hendry, S.J., will lead a group of faculty, staff and administrators through Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises integrated into everyday life.

This is an excellent opportunity to deepen your prayer life and relationship with God and to get to know — on an experiential level — the spirituality behind the Jesuit sponsorship of UDM. It will involve praying every day guided by Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, reflecting on your prayer and other experiences, meeting with a group once a week and meeting with a spiritual director every week or two.

This opportunity will run from late October through the middle of May. It is a serious commitment, but well worth it.

If you are interested or want more information, please contact Fr. Hendry at hendrysi@udmercy.edu to arrange an interview to see if this would be appropriate for you.

The McElroy Lecture on Law and Religion provides a forum for prominent thinkers to address fundamental issues of law and religion. The 26th annual lecture is set for Thursday, Oct. 23, from 5-6 p.m. in Room 226 of the Riverfront Campus. A reception follows the lecture in the atrium.

This year’s lecture, titled “Next Steps for Church Autonomy,” will be presented by Stephanie Barclay, professor of law at Georgetown University Law School and faculty co-director of the Georgetown Center for the Constitution. The annual McElroy Lecture is made possible through a bequest from Detroit Mercy Law alumnus Philip J. McElroy.

This lecture will examine emerging frontiers in church autonomy jurisprudence across several critical contexts:

• the doctrine’s application as a defense to defamation suits arising from religious discipline
• tensions between ministerial exception principles and employment protections
• the use of collateral appeals to prevent process as punishment in autonomy disputes
• proper judicial deference to internal religious governance.

The lecture explores potential doctrinal developments that would be important to both religious liberty and individual rights while avoiding the constitutional hazards of excessive entanglement with religious affairs.

Barclay’s research focuses on the role our different democratic institutions play in protecting minority rights, particularly at the intersection of free speech and religious exercise. Her work is published or is forthcoming in leading journals such as the Harvard Law Review, the Chicago Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and the Yale Law Journal Forum. Barclay is a faculty affiliate at the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School and a Nootbaar Fellow at the Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion, and Ethics at Pepperdine University.

Register here.

Detroit Mercy Law Review will host a special Law Review symposium, titled “Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald: Exploring the Legal Issues Surrounding Deadly Shipwrecks and Honoring the 50th Anniversary of a Great Lakes Tragedy,” on Monday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The symposium will take place in Room 226 of Detroit Mercy’s Riverfront Campus, 651 E. Jefferson Avenue in Detroit.

Two panel discussions will be held, one on property law and the other on constitutional and state law. A Eucharistic service will follow the discussions at Mariners’ Church of Detroit with special prayers for the 29 souls lost and ringing of the bell 29 times, once again, in their memory. Dan Hall, a professional musician, will cover The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald at the end of the service. He will also perform an original song before the service about the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Lunch and reception will be provided in Detroit Mercy Law Atrium.

Register here.

Every time you shop at Kroger, you could help a student attend a service immersion trip.

Service immersion trips offer students profound opportunities to engage with and serve communities beyond Detroit. These trips integrate service, education and spiritual formation with regular reflections, inviting students to ask critical questions about pressing social issues. Each year, donations allow University Ministry to subsidize the cost, making trips more affordable for students.

This year, students will travel to three locations across the U.S. Over spring break, students will learn about the Civil Rights Movement while serving alongside local community leaders in Montgomery, Ala. Another group will head to Washburn, Tenn., to explore sustainability challenges in Appalachia and develop a deeper understanding of ecological ethics. In May, students will travel to the U.S.-Mexico border to witness firsthand the complex challenges migrants face at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Kroger will make a donation to the service immersion fund every time you shop. To set up your Kroger shopper’s card:

• Sign into or create your digital account
• Search the organization “UDM – MINISTRY SERVICE TRIPS” and click “enroll”
• Buy your groceries as usual with your Kroger card!

Or support students with a traditional donation 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.

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.

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. 

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.

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 in Royal Oak.

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.

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!

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.

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.”