Faculty, Staff and Administrators

Faith leaders and lay people will gather to pray for the election on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 10:30 a.m., at Gesu Church’s social hall. All are welcome.

This prayer vigil will communicate faith-rooted support for voting and our elections in a spirit of togetherness. The intention is to bless non-partisan election officials, poll monitors and poll chaplains and to discourage attempts to suppress or intimidate voters or otherwise tamper with the election.

For students interested in attending with others from University Ministry, meet us at 10 a.m. at the University Ministry office.

“We are in an especially fraught and significant moment in our nation’s history, with active and at times successful attempts to gerrymander the vote or suppress turnout in areas that might not be favorable to a preferred candidate. Thus, we must be even more proactive. The Church is well within its theological mandate for inviting and training people to be non-partisan poll watchers or poll chaplains—and to stand firm in the face of intimidation.” Archbishop Weisenburger, Sept. 16, 2026—Participation, Dignity, Elections: A Catholic Theological Conference

All Detroit Mercy staff and faculty will receive a free Titans mug or tumbler at the Thursday, Oct. 22 women’s soccer game, with the Titans hosting Northern Kentucky in a 1 p.m. start. It’s staff and faculty appreciation game from Titan Field on the McNichols Campus.

Take a late lunch, take a break from work and catch the squad in second-to-last home match of the 2026 season.

The gifts will be at the marketing table, located at the tent next to the red broadcast trailer, while supplies last.

Admission into the game is free for all!

Detroit Mercy students are invited to make a meaningful impact in the Detroit community through the Titans Scholars Literacy program, a service-learning opportunity led by the Office of Mission Integration.

The program connects UDM students with local elementary schools to strengthen literacy skills, promote health literacy and support the holistic student development through service and education. Participants will also build mentoring, communication and leadership skills.

The program’s first partner school is George Washington Carver Academy in Highland Park and the second partner school is KIPP Imani Academy in Detroit, where student tutors will support elementary students in grades K-5, based on school needs.

Tutoring and mentor opportunities are available Monday through Thursday, with preferred scheduling on Wednesdays and flexibility to accommodate student availability. Available tutoring times are as follows:

• 8:30-10:15 a.m. — Grades K-2
• 9-11 a.m. — Grades 3-5
• 3-4 p.m. — Mixed grade levels (health enrichment and mentoring only)
• In addition to weekly tutoring and mentoring, students may participate in special one-time events.

An ICHAT background check is required. With any questions, please contact Ashley Barnes, Office of Mission Integration Faculty Fellow, at barnesav@udmercy.edu.

Looking to further your education? Make your graduate applications stand out by attending an upcoming Graduate Admission Workshop, hosted by the Center for Career & Professional Development, The Writing Center and the Office of Admissions. The sessions are set for three consecutive Mondays, Nov. 2, Nov. 9 and Nov. 16 — all at 3:30 p.m.

Sessions will focus on Letter of Recommendation/Etiquette, Resume Writing/Interview Skills and Personal Statements. Join the team in-person in the Admissions Office in Student Union Room 181 or virtually via Teams. People who attend all three sessions will earn a certificate! Registration is encouraged, but not required.

• Letter of Recommendation and Etiquette — Monday, Nov. 2 at 3:30 p.m.
• Resume Writing and Interview Skills — Monday, Nov. 9 at 3:30 p.m.
• Personal Statements — Monday, Nov. 16 at 3:30 p.m.

With any questions, please contact Jennifer Goethals, Associate Director of Graduate Admissions, at 313-993-3309 or goethajm@udmercy.edu.

The Detroit Mercy English Department will host poet and writer Keith Taylor for a poetry reading and conversation on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 12:45-1:45 p.m. in the Bargman Room on the second floor of the McNichols Campus Library.

Keith Taylor is the author, editor or translator of 20 books, and is the A.L. Becker Collegiate Lecturer in English, Emeritus, at the University of Michigan.

This event is free, and all are welcome.

University of Detroit Mercy alumna Allison Sherman ’24 became the first Titan to win the Detroit Free Press Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 18.

A former UDM student-athlete and Electrical Engineering graduate, Sherman donned her Titan uniform and was the first woman to cross the finish line, posting a time of 2:43:29 in the 49th running of the Detroit Free Press Marathon.

Sherman and her teammates would volunteer at the marathon as part of a UDM cross country and track and field program tradition. But she never imagined that she would one day win the competition.

“I remember my freshman year, we were down there just cheering on all those runners, and now I have completed multiple marathons myself,” Sherman said. “I never would have thought I would be in a position to win the marathon in my hometown, where I went to school and to represent the University wearing my jersey.

“It is truly amazing. It was awesome to see the Detroit Mercy community out there and cheering me on.”

Sherman said her goal for the Detroit Free Press Marathon “was to run as fast as possible.” However, her race-winning time did not become her new PR.

While competing for the Titans, Sherman earned All-Horizon League four times — including two First Team spots — and was runner-up at the 2022 Horizon League Championship. In track and field, she holds the school record in the 10,000 meters and scored multiple times at league meets.

Sherman also excelled in the classroom as a student in the College of Engineering & Science. She was named to the Detroit Mercy Athletic Director’s Honor Roll five times.

In 2024, Sherman received UDM’s President Award, a prestigious honor given to a graduating senior who has shown academic and athletic excellence and embodies being a Titan.

Seeing her family as she approached the finish line of the Detroit Free Press Marathon is a moment Sherman said she will always remember.

“My parents were down there at the finish line, and I got to see them first and then my fiancé Jacob and his parents,” Sherman said. “They were all in the warming tent with me. My sister came after she ran the half, her first marathon — she finished just before I did and was in the corral when they announced I had won it, so she came right over.”

That support is meaningful to Sherman, who will compete in the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1.

“My parents were really proud. My dad spent lots of runs on the bike next to me. Having him next to me meant so much, and so did having my whole family there. I know they were extremely proud.”

Help support Safety Street, Detroit Mercy’s 37th annual trick-or-treat event, by donating candy and sweets to ensure a fun, safe and successful time for the Detroit Mercy community.

The faculty or staff department that donates the most candy will win a pizza party, and the student group that donates the most will win $300.

Bring candy donations to the Student Life Office, located in the lower level of the Student Union. Donations will be accepted by Student Life through Monday, Oct. 26, at 5 p.m.

Are you interested in reducing stress, improving your brain health and memory, while also enhancing your physical balance and stability?

All are welcome to join the Department of Social Work for monthly Qigong and sound bath, held inside the conference room Briggs Building, Room 305, on the McNichols Campus. The next session of the semester is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon. Please arrive no later than 9:50 a.m. prior to the start.

Attendees will engage in the ancient medical practice of Qigong, followed by a relaxing meditative sound bath. Participation is limited; RSVP is required to attend. Please contact Associate Professor of Social Work Janet Joiner at joinerjm@udmercy.edu to reserve your spot.

Each year, University of 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 the University.

In 2026, the Day of Giving for UDM is Tuesday, Dec. 1 (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 students 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 found here you 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 Monday, Nov. 2.

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.

University Recreation is holding a free community bike ride on Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy a fun afternoon exploring Detroit’s surrounding neighborhoods alongside fellow students and staff. The ride will be at a comfortable pace, making it perfect for cyclists of all experience levels.

Check-in begins at 11 a.m. at the Whitty Student Fitness Center, with the ride starting at noon. Participants can bring their own bikes or reserve one of ours for free. After the ride, stick around for free lunch, and registered participants will also receive a free event T-shirt while supplies last.

Spots and rental bikes are limited, so don’t miss out. Register today at IMLeagues to secure your spot and reserve a bike.

Come out, get active and enjoy a great afternoon with your fellow Titans.