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• Class of ’24: Co-Valedictorian ready to care for world as Pre-Med graduate

  Thursday May 09, 2024
  

  

  

  Each year, University of Detroit Mercy’s Marketing & Communications department profiles members of the graduating classes. Students chosen were nominated by staff and faculty for their contributions to the life of the University. Click here for more information about 2024 commencement exercises.

  MacKenzie Patterson’s life and what she wanted to do with it was transformed when she was 11 years old.

  That was when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Patterson witnessed first-hand the great care that doctors provided her mom.

  Fast-forward to her senior year at University of Detroit Mercy, and Patterson is on the doorstep of realizing the dream of becoming like the doctor that helped her mom.

  Patterson, one of the Class of 2024 Valedictorians, will graduate Saturday with a Biology degree and is preparing for the next step in her educational journey: Medical school.

  “I just remember feeling pretty grateful to my mom’s doctor,” Patterson said. “I heard amazing things about her dermatologist and how thorough she was, and the cancer was a really tiny spot. She caught it and took really good care of my mom during the process.

  “That’s when I became more interested in medicine and science. I just wanted to become like her and helping patients like my mom and improving overall quality of life.”

  Patterson, from a small town outside of Buffalo, N.Y., initially visited the University because of an opportunity to run track and field for the Titans. Before visiting, she was looking at schools close to home and her family but reconsidered after touring UDM.

  “Before Detroit Mercy sent me that email, I had never considered running on a Division I track and field team, but after visiting, it forced me to reconsider my college options and open myself up to new opportunities,” Patterson said. “When I toured here, I liked that it was a small campus, small class sizes, professors know you by name, the track and field scholarship and I had the opportunity to be a Pre-Med student.

  “That one visit changed my path, and I may even argue, my life.”

  Patterson said Detroit Mercy became a second home the moment she stepped onto the McNichols Campus as a freshman. She attended an outdoor Mass hosted by University Ministry during her first week at UDM and she’s been involved with the organization since.

  “I just instantly felt welcomed by Ministry, I felt like they were going to be the people I would be spending a lot of time with,” Patterson said. “I met my best friend Hannah there, we sang together at Mass, and that’s a friendship that’s going to be part of my life forever. 

  “I feel like in a sense Ministry has become my family away from home.”

  Patterson immersed herself in a lot of other activities during her time at Detroit Mercy, too.

  In addition to being a track and field student-athlete and involved with University Ministry, Patterson is a member of Gamma Phi Beta, Zeta Nu Chapter and the Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society, as well as the MEDLIFE student organization, which raises money for medicine, education and development projects in underdeveloped countries.

  “When I first came here, I didn’t know anybody,” she said. “I feel like the Detroit Mercy community has really become my home; the people have been amazing to be surrounded by. I’ve had a lot of good experiences.”

  While she volunteered at a cancer institute and alongside physicians, nurses and other medical professionals in high school to further her interest in health and medicine, Detroit Mercy has offered her the opportunity to fully prepare for a life in the medical field through her academics.

  Patterson said that professors such as Michelle Andrzejak, Klaus Friedrich, Greg Grabowski, Jacob Kagey, among others, in the College of Engineering & Science have been integral with their time, support and encouragement.

  “Dr. Friedrich met with me almost every day of the week to tutor me, he’d meet with me over Zoom to try and explain something to me,” Patterson said. “I’ve had a lot of amazing professors like that. I feel well-prepared for medical school because the classes are set up in a way where you’re kind of preparing for it.

  “The way they teach, it seems synonymous with how med school will be, especially with some of the research assignments they give us to do.”

  Beyond the professors, the UDM community impacted Patterson, including Dan Greig and Anna Lawler in Ministry and Si Hendry, S.J., among others.

  “There’s been a lot of people here who have believed in me even when I wasn’t sure I could do it, people who have rooted me on throughout my education here,” Patterson said. “There’s a lot of those connections that I’m going to miss when I graduate from here.”

  Patterson said she felt the Jesuit and Mercy values and mission throughout her UDM career.

  “I liked the individualized care aspect of it,” she said. “It really does show through courses and how staff and faculty conduct themselves, you can tell that our University is really grounded in its mission. We’re trying to actively better our community.”

  Patterson started her UDM career during COVID and arrived in Detroit not knowing anyone on campus. She’ll leave with lasting relationships, a degree that prepared her for the next step in her life and the distinction of being a valedictorian.

  “The fact that UDM chooses a valedictorian using a ‘whole person’ concept, not solely on academic achievement, lends to the entire experience I’ve had on campus and the person I’ve been molded to become,” she reflected. “Receiving this privilege is a reminder that anything is possible.” 

  From early days Patterson, the oldest of four children who grew up in a military household with her dad being deployed multiple times throughout her childhood, was a caretaker helping with her younger siblings.

  Her interest in caretaking was then strengthened by watching the care her mom received and volunteering at a cancer center shortly thereafter.

  Now, with a college career full of new experiences and an education preparing her for medical school, Patterson is ready to care for the world at large.

  “When I decided to attend Detroit Mercy, I had no idea if I was making the right decision, but now I know with certainty that I was meant to be at Detroit Mercy,” she said. “I don’t know if it was luck or fate, but Detroit Mercy saw something in me that I had not yet seen in myself.

  “Looking forward, I can only hope to repay that kindness by going out into the world and showing them what a Titan can give.”

  — By Adam Bouton. Follow Detroit Mercy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Have a story idea? Let us know by submitting your idea.

• Class of ’24: First-Gen, Pre-Law grad felt supported by Detroit Mercy

  Thursday May 09, 2024
  

  

  

  Each year, University of Detroit Mercy’s Marketing & Communications department profiles members of the graduating classes. Students chosen were nominated by staff and faculty for their contributions to the life of the University. Click here for more information about 2024 commencement exercises.

  Jacob Yasso didn’t know if a four-year college was for him.

  His high school guidance counselor suggested that he should possibly try the community college route first to see if college was the right call.

  That’s when a University of Detroit Mercy Admissions counselor visited his school.

  “He looked at my transcript and he said, ‘you’re in.’ I was really kind of shook, I didn’t think that I would get in anywhere,” Yasso said. “All of my friends were applying, touring and putting in applications and I was really behind. I guess I was considered a late applicant, but Detroit Mercy didn’t make me feel like I was late at all.”

  Jacob Yasso (right), with Genevieve Meyers.

  Flash-forward to May 2024 and Yasso confidently says he made the right call in choosing Detroit Mercy. Yasso will be the first in his family to graduate from college when he walks across the Calihan Hall stage May 11 to receive his Political Science, Pre-Law degree.

  UDM answered every question Yasso had from the start, helping him fill out his FAFSA, assisting with scholarships and just being there for him.

  Matt Fortescue, the UDM Admissions counselor who visited his high school, Henry Ford II in Sterling Heights, also identified Yasso as a candidate to be a tour guide at UDM. Yasso was able to feel at home during his freshman year of 2020-21 — in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic — because of his tour guide job.

  “Matt recommending me for that position already made me feel like I was at home because he knew me so little, but he saw my potential,” Yasso said.

  If he hadn’t felt at home before, he did during the first week of classes, which were held online due to the pandemic. Sitting in a parking lot outside of the Fisher Building on the McNichols Campus, Yasso found out he was the only student who hadn’t taken a quiz in Associate Professor of Political Science Genevieve Meyers’ Basic Government class.

  He didn’t even realize there was a quiz. What happened next was a turning point.

  “Professor Meyers said, ‘it’s okay, thank you for your honesty and I’ll reopen it for you,’” Yasso reflected. “And I thought, ‘this is going to work out for me the next four years.’

  “That’s really when I became more comfortable with my studies, I really started to care about my work and do better and now my grades are much better than they were in high school.”

  The caring gesture from Meyers was a theme Yasso saw throughout his time at Detroit Mercy: The supportiveness of many throughout the UDM community, from Financial Aid, Student Life and Admissions to many staff and faculty in the College of Liberal Arts & Education and many more.

  That care began the day Fortescue visited his high school.

  “Everyone has been so supportive, otherwise I don’t think that I would be here right now.”

  Starting as a tour guide, Yasso became involved in much more during his Detroit Mercy tenure, joining the Honors Program, Political Science Student Association, Chaldean American Student Association and Student Alumni Leadership Council, and serving as an ambassador for his college and in Admissions, in addition to many other activities.

  Yasso was director of freshman orientation during the summer of 2023 before his senior year. He said it was by far one of the best experiences during college.

  Academically, Yasso started as a Theatre major but switched to Pre-Law, which he says fits him well. Theatre actually helped get him there.

  “Every stage you step on is a stage for justice, no matter what show you’re doing,” he said. “That’s how I got there into law was from theatre. I was always argumentative and my theatre teacher in high school taught us about intersections of theatre in law.” 

  He said partaking in the moot courts — even during COVID — only solidified his ambitions of becoming a lawyer one day.

  “My first year I had Intro to Law with Victoria Mantzopoulos, and she found a way to let us do a Moot Court online during COVID and she asked me to serve as the judge,” he said. “It was a really fun experience for me even though I was at home. We did at least one-to-two every year.”

  Yasso said that his Literature minor also had a big impact on him, especially as he prepares for law school.

  “Reading a lot of older literature books with diverse voices, it helps you articulate your ideas and write better, which is great for law school,” he said. “My literature minor is something that I’m proud of.”

  He said he felt the Jesuit and Mercy values embedded throughout his course work, and not only in the community service classes each UDM student is required to take.

  “These pillars that we have opened up our eyes to new possibilities and I think my career goal may be law school, but a real-life goal is a utilitarianist idea of creating the most happiness for the most amount of people,” he said.

  Yasso, who has two older brothers who are also considering college, is following the lead of his parents in the way that he attacks each day.

  “I watched them work hard during their lives and be successful and I just try and mimic that, working hard,” he said. “They wanted me to go to college, but if I didn’t, you obviously have to work. It motivates me every day.

  “It’s definitely very special for my parents.”

  A fixture for nearly four years to hundreds, if not thousands, of prospective students, parents, alumni and many others as a tour guide, leader and face of the University, Yasso is glad he decided to attend UDM even if his first tour of campus was a little terrifying.

  “The initial tour was scary, I think most people would be nervous going on a campus tour,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect from a college campus as a first-generation student, I didn’t even know where the Admissions office was.

  “But Detroit Mercy definitely helped me figure out my way.”

  — By Adam Bouton. Follow Detroit Mercy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Have a story idea? Let us know by submitting your idea.

• Class of ’24: Business grad uses empathy to measure success

  Thursday May 09, 2024
  

  Each year, University of Detroit Mercy’s Marketing & Communications department profiles members of the graduating classes. Students chosen were nominated by staff and faculty for their contributions to the life of the University. Click here for more information about 2024 commencement exercises.

  As a child of immigrants living in upstate New York post 9/11, Nisha Miah saw the effects of racism and financial uncertainty her parents endured, and the toll it took on their mental health.

  “As a child I wasn’t supposed to see certain things, and I wasn’t supposed to experience certain emotions, but I did,” she said, recalling those years. “I witnessed things that I knew my friends did not see, because my friends didn’t have to deal with them.”

  Miah’s tumultuous upbringing has led her to a deep sense of empathy for people and has shaped who she is today. While exploring colleges, Miah, who goes by Ivy, said, “I was looking for a very specific type of university, one that would cater to my long history of nonprofit work and volunteering.”

  A Business Administration major with a minor in Leadership, Miah “wanted my education to actually be utilized in the real world. It didn’t matter whether I studied business, political science, even art; whatever I chose to study, I wanted to be sure the knowledge I gained could be used for some force for good.”

  When she read University of Detroit Mercy’s  mission statement and vision during her college search, she knew it was where she needed to be.

  “I was led to apply because there were so many niche opportunities that really aligned with what I wanted to do,” she said.

  “When I talk to prospective students one on one, I ask them, ‘what is your definition of success?’ Then I tell them to take that definition and completely erase any idea they have of success — whether it be that CEO position, working at Google, making a certain amount of money — and think of success as your own personal development and growth.”

  The way Miah sees it, UDM requires students to become a member of the community, which is a good thing.

  “I think that that forcefulness is something that opens students’ eyes to a whole new perspective. Here, students gain a sense of humility, understanding their privileges and understanding the concept of empathy, which is critical during the time of university where you’re actually developing that frontal lobe and developing who you are.”

  When speaking to prospective students at Visit Day, Miah tells them, “If you want to see the knowledge acquired be a force for good, I truly cannot recommend any other place than right here, because it’s not only encouraged, but each professor I have had ensures that their curriculum has some type of ethical component to it.

  “Professors make sure that it’s 1% textbook, 99% projects/real-world simulations, making you do things outside of the classroom that apply those concepts of business to the real world.”

  Those real-world simulations have translated into competitions in which Miah has participated throughout her time at UDM.

  During her freshman year, she participated in the Michigan Colleges Alliance MC3 competition and devised an educational game to teach financial literacy to low-income Detroit youth.

  “I was playing the ‘Sims’ video game at the time and thought it would be a great idea if this was educational, because people of all ages are obsessed with ‘Sims.'” Her team worked the entire year, partnering with a local nonprofit to create a business proposal for “Cashtopia,” a simulated video game in which elementary school students create an avatar that is taught financial literacy through game play. As that avatar grows older, it learns more advanced concepts of financial literacy. Her team won third place overall in the state of Michigan.

  Another competition she took part in recently was the International Business Ethics and Sustainability Competition, where she and her team went to Los Angeles and competed against 33 global universities. Miah took first place in the category of 90-second presentation, while her team took second place in the 25-minute presentation category.

  When asked what she learned most about her community service work, she’s quick to answer. “Empathy. And acknowledging the importance of humility and the importance of wisdom. These are the three canons that I learned very quickly would dictate my life.”

  However, she does not like to call her community service ‘volunteering.’

  “This is my job as a human being,” she said. “This is my job as somebody who’s supposed to care for my global community. I would have nothing if it were not for the other members of society. The clothes I wear were sewn by somebody in a country that I will never ever go to. The food I have was made by farmers who are paid 25 cents a day. Everything I have is from the hands of another. So, I don’t see this as volunteering. I see it as my duty as a human citizen of this earth to you, another human citizen.”

  Upon graduation, Miah plans to secure a job with a nonprofit while also pursuing her master’s or Ph.D., which she would like to do at UDM. Public speaking is also in her wheelhouse, and she has a passion for it. “I’ve done it my whole life,” she said.

  Her hopes and dreams for the future are truly multifaceted and are connected to helping people and her community, which stands at the heart of the UDM mission.

  “I would love to be an intellectual and academic one day, somebody who is able to teach others and open their eyes to experiences that are far beyond their own experiences and instill that idea of humility, the importance of wisdom, and the number one thing, empathy,” she said. “I’m hoping to be the person who can impart those positive, powerful tenets for change.”

  Her idea of success may not be typical of young people graduating from college.

  “It does not look like the ideal: a big house, a nice car,” she said. “My idea of success is having made an impact on the people around me, the people that love me and care for me, and having developed beautiful relationships and connections.”

  — By Julie A. Erwin. Follow Detroit Mercy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Have a story idea? Let us know by submitting your idea.

• Class of ’24: Far from home, Architecture student looks to tomorrow

  Tuesday May 07, 2024
  

  

  

  Each year, University of Detroit Mercy’s Marketing & Communications department profiles members of the graduating classes. Students chosen were nominated by staff and faculty for their contributions to the life of the University. Click here for more information about 2024 commencement exercises.

  “Starting life anew in a foreign country is not an easy task,” said Iryna Olkhovetska. The native of Lviv in western Ukraine will graduate from University of Detroit Mercy May 11 with a master’s degree in Architecture.

  Olkhovetska is a first-generation college student, who made the difficult decision with her family to leave their home in Ukraine and move to the United States in search of a brighter future six years ago. Today, she is proud to be an American citizen. More importantly, she embraces her identity as both a Ukrainian and American and strives to honor her roots while building a future in the land of opportunity.

  Upon arriving in the U.S. and joining her parents, Olkhovetska enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to learn a language she had little experience with.

  Though apprehensive by what seemed like daunting steps to apply to any university, she chose UDM because of the tight-knit, community-type atmosphere. Before leaving Ukraine, she had completed her bachelor’s degree in Architecture in Ukraine and found that the one year the MCD program required was a great selling point over other universities with traditional two- or three-year master’s degree programs.

  “What makes UDM special is the architecture student’s explosion into the field,” she said.  “Students hit the ground running from the outset. On day one of class, students are required to introduce and then defend their thesis/idea on a small, paper-sized poster before an audience of classmates and professors.”

  Olkhovetska recalls being terrified at this task of presenting her ideas to people who were basically strangers. She remarks on how astonishing it felt nine months later when she not only presented an elaborate thesis but defended it with poise and confidence.

  She is passionate about her thesis, “Paradigm Shift: Rethinking the Notion of Detroit’s Suburban Neighborhoods by Exploring European-Inspired Design Strategies.”

  “This topic is very close to my heart as an immigrant who moved to the Detroit suburbs and was struck by the stark differences from the more vibrant, community-oriented neighborhoods I was used to back home,” she said.

  She notes that her thesis is “a heartfelt plea for a more human-centric approach to urban planning, one that recognizes the deep impact our built environment has on our quality of life. I want to use my skills and passion to create a better world, one neighborhood at a time.”

  In her experience relocating from Ukraine to a Detroit suburb, Olkhovetska said, “I was amazed by the car-centric design, lack of walkability and absence of lively public spaces compared to the mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly communities I grew up with.”

  It piqued her curiosity and motivated her to explore European design strategies such as prioritizing walkability with well-connected street grids, neighborhoods centered around lively public squares, parks that foster social interaction and investment in robust public transit networks to reduce car dependency, all of which could potentially transform the quality of life and sustainability of Detroit’s suburban neighborhoods.

  “My goal was to show how even auto-centric suburbs could evolve into more inclusive, sustainable, and inspiring places through strategic urban design interventions,” she said.

  “If the opportunity presents itself I would love to apply some of these concepts to my work at Fishbeck,” she added.

  Fishbeck is a Michigan-based architecture and engineering firm, where she will intern on the healthcare team working on design strategies for hospitals and labs. She landed this opportunity after a mock interview in a professional environment preparation class as part of her curriculum at UDM.  “I’m optimistic that we’re at a paradigm-shifting moment for Detroit-area suburbs, and I am eager to contribute through research and practice.”

  Outside of her classwork, Olkhovetska is also an artist who uses her talent to support her war-torn homeland. A group of women from the Ukrainian community in the Detroit area created a nonprofit organization called Ukrainian Girls Help Together, and she has played an active role in the organization.

  The group comprises a talented cast skilled in beading, T-shirt printing, and jewelry making as well as communication and networking. Olkhovetska initially added her paintings to the handmade products of group members who sell at various Ukrainian exhibitions and events. Her participation in this group has evolved into teaching art classes and donating her earnings to the group. Girls Help Together supports not only Ukraine’s military but also its orphanages, homes for the elderly, and even animal shelters.

  “I am incredibly proud of these girls because, despite our busy lives, we remain committed to our common goal and continue working tirelessly toward it,” she said.

  At an early age, Olkhovetska knew her future would involve creativity, and in high school, she developed a clear interest in the exact sciences.

  “I believe that my creative soul and precise mind are perfectly suited for a career in architecture, where I can combine my passion for design with my analytical skills,” she said. “Architecture is so fascinating. If it’s new, it’s not boring because I’m learning. I’m exploring something new.”

  Her next steps include obtaining her architecture license. She is grateful for the help of her professors who aided her on this journey. She also appreciates the dedication of her adviser, Wladek Fuchs, and program director Claudia Bernasconi, under whose guidance she was able to blend her “creative and technical instincts.”

  To prospective UDM students, Olkhovetska offers some advice: “Don’t be afraid to seek help; just ask for it. Part of the distinctiveness of UDM community is not only its professors, but also the students, where everybody helps each other. Communication is key,” she says. “There is nothing you can’t solve together.”

  — By Julie A. Erwin. Follow Detroit Mercy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Have a story idea? Let us know by submitting your idea.

• UDM partners with Kaplan to offer students free test prep for graduate-level admissions and licensing exams

  Tuesday May 07, 2024
  

  

  University of Detroit Mercy announced today that a new partnership with global educational services provider Kaplan is now providing all of its students with free test prep courses for graduate-level admissions exams, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT and DAT, and free test prep for professional licensing exams including the bar exam, INBDE, NCLEX-RN exam, and Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination. Additionally, students can prepare for a number of business and financial-focused products for free.

  The new partnership aims to improve matriculation to graduate and professional schools, improve professional licensing passage rates, and improve employability for UDM graduates.

  By investing in Kaplan’s All Access License, colleges and universities can help their students prepare for a variety of high-stakes admissions and licensing exams that they need to score well on to reach their ultimate professional goals — with zero out-of-pocket costs for students. Kaplan has prepared students for standardized tests for more than 85 years, and UDM is Kaplan’s latest All Access partner.

  “This partnership supports UDM’s Jesuit and Mercy mission by providing another transformative, student-centered opportunity to prepare for these challenging examinations without the worry of cost for these services,” said Pamela Zarkowski, UDM provost and vice president for academic affairs.“As a result, University of Detroit Mercy students are one step closer to becoming competent, compassionate leaders ready to serve in a vulnerable world.”  

  “Kaplan’s All Access comprehensive course offerings are going to deliver a career path-changing experience to University of Detroit Mercy students and we’re proud to work with the school’s administration to make this a reality,” said Kim Canning, vice president of university partnerships, Kaplan.“By becoming an All Access partner, UDM is demonstrating that they are committed to their students’ long-term success and see in them the leaders of tomorrow in a wide variety of industries, from business to law to medicine, and beyond.

  “Kaplan’s All Access License breaks down barriers and instead creates pathways for students striving to excel on crucial exams. We can’t wait to have UDM students in our classrooms soon to help them jump start the next phases of their life journeys.”

  UDM students who are interested in enrolling in a Kaplan course should contact their academic advisor.

• Summer volunteering opportunities are available with TENN

  Tuesday May 07, 2024
  

  

  Looking for volunteer hours over the summer, while also making a different in our community?

  Join Detroit Mercy’s Titan Equity Nourish Network in delivering produce to our neighbors and in our garden. Produce deliveries are Monday and Friday, while garden days are throughout the summer.

  Sign-up for Monday’s deliveries, which are every other week 12-2 p.m.

  Sign-up for Friday’s deliveries, which are every other week 10 a.m. to noon.

  Sign-up to help in the garden.

  With any questions, please contact Chelsea Manning by email at mannincp@udmercy.edu.

  

• Earn $40 through Detroit Mercy’s mental health study

  Tuesday May 07, 2024
  

  Detroit Mercy students, staff and faculty can earn $40 through a mental health study at the University. The Department of Psychology is looking for participants for the study.

  To qualify, you must be 18 or older, have experienced a traumatic event and have the ability to complete questionnaires and interview about current mental health symptoms in English. Each in-person appointment will take approximately 60-90 minutes.

  Participants will be asked to fill out a few self-report questionnaires relating to traumatic experiences, relationships, emotions and coping. They’ll also be asked to participate in a confidential videotaped clinical interview regarding traumatic experiences.

  The study will use the information to help clinicians diagnose trauma-related conditions and design better programs for people who have experienced traumatic events.

  Please call 313-993-1486 or email Katelyn Lowe at loweke@udmercy.edu with any questions or to see if you may quality for the study.

• Class of ’24: Law grad continues family legacy after leaving HR role

  Monday May 06, 2024
  

  

  

  Each year, University of Detroit Mercy’s Marketing & Communications department profiles members of the graduating classes. Students chosen were nominated by staff and faculty for their contributions to the life of the University. Click here for more information about 2024 commencement exercises.

  Being a lawyer is in Kevin Lynch’s blood.

  His father, mother, a pair of uncles, an aunt and grandfather have all worked as attorneys.

  “There actually was sort of this built-in path of going to law school,” Lynch said. “I knew that I had a lot of family members who had done well at it. But I never wanted to choose it just for that reason.”

  “If I was going to do it, I wanted to have my own reason to do it.”

  That reason was Lynch’s favorite part of his previous career: working with attorneys.

  He spent nearly a decade in human resources and worked with outside counsel in his role.

  “I always thought that was neat,” Lynch said. “They were leading the show, and I was more in an assisting role in HR. I liked their job and I thought, ‘I want to do that job.’

  “So, I ultimately made the decision to go to law school on that basis.”

  Three years later, Lynch will graduate from University of Detroit Mercy’s School of Law on May 10. He is set to join Butzel Long in September as an associate in the firm’s labor and employment group.

  Lynch chose Detroit Mercy Law for a variety of reasons. He wanted to work in the Detroit area and remain in southeast Michigan, where his family is located. His father, Terrance Lynch ’83, is a Detroit Mercy Law graduate, and he enjoyed the friendly atmosphere from the campus community during a tour.

  Having lots of family connections to law was helpful when Lynch made the leap to attend law school.

  “I think it gave me confidence that this was a good decision, sort of a tried-and-true one for my family,” he said. “They just had all kinds of advice. I think that’s part of what led me to Detroit Mercy, because I knew my dad had a great career, and he did it through going to Detroit Mercy. I wouldn’t have known that reputation but for him.”

  Lynch dedicated his Detroit Mercy Law experience to Law Review, where he served as editor-in-chief the past academic year. He oversaw Law Review’s annual symposium and had an article published in its winter 2024 issue. The article, Beyond Right-to-Work’s Repeal: Examining Other Reforms to Michigan Labor Law, had ties to his days in human resources.

  “Law Review was my life for the last couple years, and that was deliberate,” Lynch said. “I didn’t take on anything additional outside of that, just because it’s a huge commitment. It’s humbling how much work is involved with it and you really need to give it your full dedication, I think, to do it right.”

  Lynch’s career in human resources consistently intertwined with law.

  His first job in the field was at a small employment law firm that did human resources consulting with companies. In that role, he investigated employment disputes.

  From there, Lynch took a job in the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation’s (SMART) human resources department as a labor and employment specialist, where he worked with attorneys.

  Those interactions piqued his interest, and around two years before starting law school, Lynch said he started thinking about making a move: Go all-in on human resources or study law?

  “I ended up taking a transfer within the company to another area of HR, recruiting, and I didn’t like it,” he said. “The idea in taking the role was to explore another area of HR, and it wasn’t for me. It wasn’t meaty enough for me.

  “It’s really important getting good people in your company, but after a while, it became pretty routine for me. I like big, complex puzzles, I don’t want to just keep repeating the same thing week in and week out.”

  Going to law school after already being established in a career was crucial for his success, he said.

  “I needed it. I did not have the discipline coming out of undergrad to be successful in law school,” Lynch said. “It’s tough. Going to law school is the hardest thing I ever did.”

  Lynch worked for Butzel Long as a summer associate last year and is happy to be returning to start his career. Working in the firm’s labor and employment group is a full circle moment, he said, after so many years in human resources.

  “I actually worked with one of the guys at Butzel when I was in SMART,” he said. “I used to be his client; now, I’m his coworker.”

  Lynch feels properly equipped for his next journey as a lawyer. He appreciates the breadth of his law education and enjoys the direct experience he gained at Detroit Mercy Law.

  “My favorite moments at Detroit Mercy have been hands-on and clinics,” he said. “We got to do mock trials and try out doing different oral arguments. I was in the Federal Pro Se Clinic, so I got to work with real clients, actually doing some employment law stuff. It wasn’t just that I got to work with clients, but it’s also in the field I’m going into. I got some really good opportunities to do some lawyering.

  “Beyond that, the reason I came here is also turning out to be true: It’s set me up for success in Detroit and in Michigan.”

  For Lynch, his Detroit Mercy Law experience and all that has come from it has been beyond his wildest dreams.

  “I didn’t see it coming,” Lynch said. “I knew I was going to try my hardest to get as much as I could out of this. I’m just so grateful for how it turned out. Really, I just feel lucky.”

  — By Ricky Lindsay. Follow Detroit Mercy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Have a story idea? Let us know by submitting your idea.

• Job opportunity: Work in Office of Admissions this summer

  Monday May 06, 2024
  

  

  Detroit Mercy’s Office of Admissions has two positions available for the summer: Tour Guides and Welcome Desk Associates.

  For more information or to apply, please email Darrius Hicks at hicksdm5@udmercy.edu.

  

• Class of ’24: Helping create a healthier community is her goal

  Thursday May 02, 2024
  

  

  Each year, University of Detroit Mercy’s Marketing & Communications department profiles members of the graduating classes. Students chosen were nominated by staff and faculty for their contributions to the life of the University. Click here for more information about 2024 commencement exercises.

  Afsana Uddin has been attending classes at University of Detroit Mercy since 2012.

  “I’ve grown up here,” she joked.

  This year, she will graduate with a doctorate in Nursing Practice, after having earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing and a graduate degree in Family Nurse Practitioner.

  Uddin’s parents emigrated to the United States from Bangladesh and didn’t have a high school education. She is the third of their three children to receive an advanced degree and their first to receive a doctorate. She followed her two sisters to Detroit Mercy, where her nephews are also students.

  “There were so many factors as to why I chose Detroit Mercy,” said the native of northwest Detroit. “I liked the closeness, I loved that we’re embedded in the city of Detroit, I like the small campus because we have access to professors and other resources to help us.”

  But it was the service learning programs that truly inspired her. Her participation in the Fresh Incentive program helped her see that good health starts long before a person needs a doctor.

  “When you work in the community, you get to see and be exposed to things you didn’t know about and that can affect a person’s health,” Uddin said. “And it meant a lot that we were working right in the Fitzgerald neighborhood.”

  Fresh Incentives began at Eastern Market and delivered fresh fruits and vegetables to people in Detroit neighborhoods who don’t have ready access to healthy foods. Funding through the Ford Community Corps Foundation paid to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables expand the program to the Fitzgerald neighborhood.

  Access to food and education on taking care of your health are the two largest barriers to eating well.

  “Going into this, we thought that access to food would be a major deterrent,” Uddin said for a story about the early days of the program. “We are learning that education is a big part of that as well.”

  She expanded the work for her doctoral studies, introducing physical activity modules to get people moving. It was the first project where students entered the homes of the people they serve and it was eye-opening to her.

  The results were very positive. People lost weight, which led to benefits like lower blood pressure and the ability to exercise more. Working in homes led to connections and students, led by Uddin, expanded goals to decreasing intake of soda and salty snacks. They created a map of the many farmers markets nearby so people knew where to go to get fresh food.

  “There were positive outcomes on so many different levels,” she said. “It is a really important program.”

  Uddin hopes to introduce the model to the home care company she has worked at for two years.

  When not in class as a student, Uddin serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Health Professions.

  Her passion for spreading the word about healthy eating to populations that don’t have that history has been a very welcome surprise.

  “I originally had no plans about doing something like this,” she said. “But I’m so glad it found me.”

  — By Ron Bernas. Follow Detroit Mercy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Have a story idea? Let us know by submitting your idea.