The program was designed for clinicians and others with minimal formal business training including doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, medical office staff, etc.  Each new "class" is a cohort of 20-25 students that progresses through the curriculum together.  It will be held at a location that will minimize student travel time and will maximize available time for learning.  The program can be completed in six semesters over two years.

For more information on the program, visit business.udmercy.edu or contact Gregory W. Ulferts, director, Graduate Business Programs at 313-993-1202 or by e-mail at ulfertgw@udmercy.edu.

Family, friends, and fans of the Titans are able to listen to Coach McCallum give the monthly scoop on the men’s basketball team as well as give insight into the upcoming games.

All luncheons begin at 12:00PM and are held in the Ed & Brooks Room in Calihan Hall. We look forward to your attendance and for more information, contact the Main Athletic Office at 313.993.1700.

• FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21
• WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17
• THURSDAY, JANUARY 22
• THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26 

Berrigan’s talk “U.S. Weapons at War: Confronting and Getting Beyond the Bush Legacy,” will be held on Wednesday. January 21, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the Ford Life Sciences Building, Room 113 and will address the weapons issue we face, while both confronting and moving forward after the current George W. Bush presidency.

Prior to her work at the New America Foundation, she served for eight years as deputy director and senior research associate at the Arms Trade Resource Center at the World Policy Institute at the New School in New York City. Berrigan has also contributed to “The Nation” magazine, “Foreign Policy in Focus” and a contributing editor for “In These Times” magazine.

The author of several articles and reports on arms trade and human rights, U.S. nuclear weapons policy, and the domestic politics of U.S. missile defense and space weapons policies, she has been a featured expert on national and regional radio outlets, and regularly speaks on national security issues at major conferences throughout the country.

This event is free and open to the public.  For more information, contact CLASA director Dr. Gail Presbey at 313-993-1124 or presbegm@udmercy.edu.

Susan Sellers is founding partner and creative director at 2x4 Design and a lecturer at Yale University School of Art. At 2x4 Design, she leads diverse projects from large-scale identity and branding projects to exhibition and set design for major cultural institutions nation-wide.

Her company, founded in 1994 with two other partners, includes print, film/video, web, and environmental design. The company creates original and dynamic ideas for their diverse client list which include Nike, Prada and MTV.  The firm’s designers explain that they are involved in every step of their client’s projects, building strong brand identity and relationships with each and every customer.

"Our ideas are not project specific, said Sellers,  “We are working on a bigger project all the time: the project of the studio and the overarching meaning of what we do. In that way, we are not so affected by the success or failure of individual attempts. We add up all the successes and try to disregard or downplay our failures," she added.

Seller’s recent projects include; comprehensive positioning for the Museo Picasso Málaga and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, exhibition design for Tricia Brown Dance Company, and several major book projects with the Guggenheim Museums in New York and Berlin.

She has been a visiting design critic at the Rhode Island School of Design, Ohio State University School of Architecture, University of Texas at Austin and SCI-ARC. Her articles have appeared in a number of journals including Eye, Design Issues and Visible Language.

Sellers has held positions in several studios including Total Design and UNA in Amsterdam. She holds a B.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design and an M.A. in American Studies from Yale University.

In addition, 2x4 Design received the 2006 Communications Design Award and was a Communications design finalist for the 2005 National Design Awards.

The UDM  event is sponsored by Great Lakes Fabricators and Erectors Association, Harley Ellis Devereax Corporation, Dichotomy, AIA Detroit , JPRA Architects, Gensler Associates, Rossetti Associates and the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture.

This lecture is free and open to the public.  For more information call (313) 993-1512.

Teenage misfits Solomon (Steven Pole), Diwata (Anne Di Iorio) and Howie (Joel Frazee) have never met, but come together through podcasts and Internet blogs to discuss their teacher’s shocking online secret. They decide to start their high school’s first speech and debate club to discuss this issue and while doing so discover and explore their own issues of body image and sexual identity. The speech and debate club helps them realize their chance to be heard at last by the school and the outside world. 2008’s Off-Broadway sensation Speech and Debate is a quick-witted, bold and timely comedy which shows that three voices are stronger than one.

Speech and Debate playwright Stephen Karam led an unusual childhood while growing up Scranton, Pennsylvania. While others played, he was busy writing one-act plays and mailing them off to publishers and contests listed in the Dramatist’s Sourcebook. While at Brown University, Karam developed his writing and character development skills, focusing on the experiences of youth as they blossom into adults. Karam was nominated for the 2006 Helen Hayes Award for co-writing Columbinus, which ran off-Broadway in 2006. Karam’s writing has also appeared in the Advocate and online at McSweeney’s.

Award-winning actor and director Yolanda Fleischer will be directing Speech and Debate. Fleischer, professor and director, has been with the University of Detroit Mercy family since 1986. She holds a B.S. of Education degree from Central Michigan University and M.A. and M.F.A. degrees from Wayne State University. Fleischer’s most recent UDM directing work includes “Lobby Hero,” “The Moonlight Room” and “Children’s Hour.” Fleischer likes to direct socially conscious theatre that focuses on the relationship of the art of theatre, social justice and women’s issues. In the professional community, Fleischer has directed “The Drawer Boy” at the Detroit Repertory Theatre and “Door to Door” at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre. Fleischer continues to enlighten her students in class while exploring onstage her thoughts on humanity.

Speech and Debate opens on January 30 and runs for three weekends, through February 15. UDM’s Theatre Company’s performances are held Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Marygrove Theatre on the campus of Marygrove College, 8425 W. McNichols Rd.

The Theatre Company will add special talks to Speech and Debate to further discussion on the topics involved with the show. A pre-talk with the Director and special panel will occur at 7:10-7:30 p.m. on Saturday January 30, 2009. This pre-talk will discuss the body image issues that will be raised in the show. A talkback session will be held on Sunday February 8, 2009 directly following the performance with a panel of experts. The talkback session will discuss sexual identity issues raised in the show.

General admission is $15. Admission for senior citizens, UDM and Marygrove faculty, staff, and alumni is $13. Student admission is $9; UDM and Marygrove students pay only $5 with appropriate ID. The Theatre Company’s box office is located in Reno Hall on the campus of the University of Detroit Mercy. Hours of operation are 12:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. For tickets, call the theatre box office at 313-993-3270. For more information visit us online at theatre.udmercy.edu.

UDM’s Theatre Company Official Press Release for "Speech and Debate" (.pdf)

Students will be using social networking and electronic messaging methods to reach other students, faculty, alumni and supporters to sign up for Michigan’s online Donor Registry. There will be a donor drive station located on each campus, which will also distribute flyers and posters for the event.

“The energy and enthusiasm that University of Detroit Mercy students bring to the Campus Challenge is refreshing,” said Beth Ann Dalrymple, last year’s valedictorian at UDM and “Gift of Life” Michigan volunteer and recipient.  “Organ donation is all about the continuation of life, offering hope to others in need. University of Detroit Mercy was founded on the principal of service to others and I cannot think of a better way for the UDM community to come together and show Michigan who we are. We are Titans and we have heart,” Dalrymple said.

Since it began years ago, the “Gift of Life” Campus Challenge has quickly become one of the most successful organ donation outreach programs in the nation. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognized the group for their outstanding achievements. “Gift of Life” is Michigan’s only full service tissue recovery and donor organization, with collaboration with the Michigan Eye Bank, providing organ, tissue and eye donation.

Visitors can sign up on the Donor Registry and credit University of Detroit Mercy at the Gift of Life Michigan web site now. By signing up for the Donor Registry, you can save a life.  You can see UDM's progress in the competition at the standings web page.

For more information, please visit www.giftoflifemichigan.org or call 800-482-4881.

The Broadside Press Poet’s Theatre was established to promote literature of African American culture to our community. It has given the students in the Detroit-area, an opportunity to express themselves through their creativity in writing.

Associate Professor of  English, Rosemary Weatherson has been working with Broadside Press for the past several years, bringing many students poetry to the campus and beyond. "The Dudley Randall Center for Print Culture is thrilled to be able to host Broadside Press's Poets' Theater, an important outlet for many of our students,” she said. “Part of the Center's mission is to break down boundaries between academic, student, and community writers and offer wonderful opportunities for all types of writers and fans of poetry to come together on our campus," she added.

La Shaun phoenix Moore will be the first featured poet on Sunday. She is a Detroit performance poet and activist for the Prison Creative Arts Project and proud host of the “Byte This” Poetry Series which is presented every Monday at Cliff Bells in Detroit.  A member of the 2006 Detroit Slam Team and coaching assistant for the 2008 Detroit “ByteThis” Slam team, she is also co-slammaster of the 2009 “ByteThis” team.

Cassie Poe is also being featured this weekend.  For four years, Poe hosted a hugely popular open mike series at the Camillian Cafe in downtown Detroit.  She was also a member of the 2003, 2004 and 2005 Detroit Poetry Slam Team, slammaster and coach of the 2006 and 2008 Detroit “Byte This” team and also serving as slammaster for the 2009 “ByteThis” team.  Moore and Poe are both co-chairing the “Women of the World Poetry Slam,” coming to Detroit in March.

For more information, contact Rosemary Weatherston, Director, Dudley Randall Center for Print Culture at weatherr@udmercy.edu.

This event is open to the public and a $5 donation is suggested, but not required.

The photographic display can also be viewed in the lobby of the McNichols Campus Library through February 5. The exhibit is the result of Murphy’s three journeys to Iraq during which she documented the Iraqi people and the physical, psychological, economic and social consequences of the U.S. invasion and occupation of their country. She will discuss her experiences in Iraq, the humanitarian crisis of Iraqi refugees, and her work with the Archdiocese of Detroit to meet the needs of Iraqi refugees here in the Detroit area.

Between 2001 and 2004, Murphy, a Dominican Sister of Springfield, Illinois, made three journeys to Iraq. The first two trips, in March of 2001 and December of 2002, were 10-day fact-finding trips in the company of other Dominicans and of leaders in U.S. Catholic social justice organizations. They took place while UN economic sanctions against Iraq were still in place.

Her third and longest journey began nine months after U.S. and coalition forces invaded Iraq. She and another Dominican Sister entered an Iraq under the control of the Coalition Provisional Authority. They arrived at Baghdad International Airport on December 14, 2003, just hours after Saddam Hussein’s arrival at a U.S. detention facility there, and only hours before CPA head L. Paul Bremer announced that the Iraqi leader was in Coalition custody. The two U.S. Dominicans traveled for a month in the company of their Iraqi Dominican sisters and brothers through Baghdad, Mosul, the Plains of Nineveh, and Iraqi Kurdistan.

The exhibit and speaking events are sponsored by UDM’s Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive (CLASA). For more information, contact Dr. Gail Presbey at (313) 993-1124 or presbegm@udmercy.edu.

Paul Ballew '88, '91 is senior vice president of Consumer Insight & Analytics for the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. He will be outlining our economy's current situation, and how the new paradigm acts as a pathway to many of today's current financial problems.  Ballew was previously the chief sales forecaster with General Motors Corporation.

Professor of Economics Donald Byrne has taught at the University for over 40 years and annually publishes an Economics newsletter, which is available online at http://byrned.faculty.udmercy.edu/.

Both Ballew and Byrne published the report, "Financial Markets in Transition-1995," with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

UDM, in partnership with the Detroit, Oakland and Macomb District Dental Societies will once again participate in the American Dental Association's "Give Kids a Smile" program that began in 2002.

"There are so many children in our area that have not seen a dentist," said Mert Aksu, dean of the School of Dentistry. "UDM's dental clinic provides care to the homeless, the elderly and AIDS patients, and this event reflects the University's mission to help others," he added.

"Give Kids A Smile" is a program designed for children, ages four through 16. After each screening, participants will take home a free oral health kit containing toothpaste, floss… and a big smile.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact  United Way for Southeastern Michigan at: 1-800-552-1183 and connect to the call center at 2-1-1.

While more than a thousand students from around the country votes on their favorites on the America’s Marketing High School web site after the game, hundreds of metro Detroit students came to the University of Detroit Mercy for the school’s  annual “Pizza, Pop and Pretzels” press party in UDM’s Student Center Ballroom on the McNichols Campus on February 2, 2009. The high school students were also treated to a cmpus tour and free tickets to the UDM Titans games versus Butler.

This year, prior to the annual press party at noon, participating high school students have also been invited to a special America’s Marketing High School College Road Trip from 9 - 11:15 a.m. These students will attend a “World of Business” presentation, interact with UDM students and take a campus tour prior to the press debriefing.

Can you imagine a better opportunity for high school and college students to study marketing than to first take part in a series of brief lectures (podcasts on Itunes) aligned with a comprehensive marketing curriculum then review these multi-million dollar ads under the tutelage of University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) marketing professor Dr. Michael Bernacchi and Oakland Schools Technical Campus marketing instructor Paul Galbenski?

Bernacchi has hosted his renowned “Super Bowl Ad Nauseam” annually since 1985 with UDM students. For the past five years, he has partnered with Oakland Schools, expanding student participation to more than 75 Michigan high schools this year as well as participation in the online America’s Marketing High School curriculum (www.americasmarketinghighschool.org) to classrooms across the United States.

For more information on America’s Marketing High School Program aof Oakland Schools, please contact either Dr. Michael Bernacchi (313.993.1116) or Paul Galbenski (248.288.4236).

The tours will be lead by current UDM students and will be coordinated by those in the same areas of academic interest. A tour of the freshmen dormitory will also be available at the end for students interested in living on campus.

To apply for admission, students will need to bring a completed application (or complete one on-site) with high school transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores. Students can receive an admission decision on-site and the application fee will be waived for all participants.

For more information, visit the UDM Admissions web site, http://www.udmercy.edu/apply/ or call the admissions office at (800) 635-5020.

The painting was unknown to scholars of the internationally acclaimed artist until its discovery approximately five years ago in a basement at UDM.

"When the old damaged painting was found in our basement a few years ago, I could never have imagined that today it would be on display at the DIA,” said Rev. Gary Wright, S.J., rector of UDM Jesuit Community and director, University Ministry, UDM. “The Jesuit Community at UDM wanted to be able to share this treasure of our city's African-American heritage with the whole community. This has been a great experience of two venerable Detroit institutions working together so that the whole community can now enjoy this piece of our history."  The painting is on display with five other pieces by Duncanson.

Duncanson (1821-1872) primarily painted portraits and genre paintings, and came to Detroit in 1845 in search of commissions. He painted portraits of prominent Detroit citizens, such as Henri Berthelet and his young grandson, William. He maintained a studio in downtown Detroit and advertised his talents in the Detroit Free Press. Before his departure in 1846, the Detroit Daily Advertiser remarked favorably on Duncanson’s skills as a painter. The artist would return to the area many times in his life, making Detroit and Cincinnati his primary residences.

The recently discovered painting, in which he explores a religious subject, was executed by the artist during his formative years when, like many emerging artists, he went through a period of experimentation. It is signed by Duncanson and dated 1846, a year when he is known to have worked in Detroit.

“The General Motors Center for African American Art is delighted that the Jesuit Community at UDM has loaned the painting to the DIA,” said Graham W. J. Beal, DIA director. “This new addition to the museum’s 19th-century African American art gallery, alongside Duncanson’s portrait, still-life, genre, and landscape paintings, enriches the DIA’s presentation of this important artist with significant ties to Detroit.”

Much research remains to be done on At the Foot of the Cross. The discovery of this rare painting will provide further insight into the development of Duncanson’s analytical, technical, and stylistic skills. It is relevant to American art history in general because it reveals Duncanson’s exploration of Christian art, for which there was no distinct American tradition in the 19th century.

Ed Note:
UDM will host an event to celebrate the loan of the painting on Friday, Feb. 27 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the DIA’s Kresge Court for university donors and leadership volunteers. Media are welcome to cover the event. THE EVENT IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. For more information, contact Elizabeth Patterson, associate vice president of Marketing and Public Affairs at UDM at (313) 993-1254.

Hours and Admissions
Museum hours are 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for ages 6-17, and DIA members are admitted free. For membership information call 313-833-7971.

The UDM Team, pictured, from left, Brian Powrozek, Jennifer Gallagher and Ann Morgan of the College of Business Administration took home the prized cup in the second year of this prestigious academic event and winning the top prize of $10,000 in scholarship money. Supporting the team were coaches Mary Ann Hazen and Euge Greenstein from UDM’s College of Business Administration. In the competition, our students gained invaluable feedback from judges and expanded their own networks.

ACG is the Detroit Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, which is a premier organization of corporate growth driven professionals with more than 290 members. ACG was proud to announce their winners for the second annual ACG Detroit Cup in a very tough competition were judges make you think on your feet. The competition consisted of two challenges.

Competing against UDM this year were the Eli Broad School of Business at Michigan State University, Oakland University, the Ross School of Business at University of Michigan, Walsh College and Wayne State University. The ACG Cup was open to all graduate students who officially registered at the participating school through the 2008-2009 academic year.

Written by Bertolt Brecht (Book and Lyrics) and Kurt Weill (Music), The Threepeny Opera was inspired by John Gay’s 18th-century The Beggar’s Opera. Brecht and Weill’s creation is a savage, biting commentary on capitalism and modern morality. Set in London, The Threepenny Opera is a bitter tale told of the outlaw known as Mack the Knife (Samuel Brice). He secretly marries the daughter (Cat Menzies ) of Soho’s underworld boss (Greg Trzaskoma), but is soon betrayed by his sinister in-laws and sent to prison. After being freed by the police chief’s daughter, he is again betrayed – this time by a prostitute – and sentenced to death. At the final hour he manages a reprieve, thus providing a menacing finale of ferocious irony. Weill’s acidic harmonies and Brecht’s piercing texts creat a revolutionary musical that inpsired such subsequent hits as Cabaret, Chicago and Urinetown.

Director Dr. Arthur Beer will highlight parallels between The Threepenny Opera’s 1837 London setting and 1974-2009 Detroit in the production. This is Dr. Beer’s 33rd season with The UDM Theatre Company. He has won Best Actor, Best Director and Lifetime Achievement awards from The Detroit Free Press, and numerous acting and directing awards from The Detroit News, The Oakland Press, Between the Lines, Pittsburgh Press and others. He has won the Hopwood and Gesu playwriting awards and is Playwright-in-Residence at the Theatre Company, which has produced five of his original plays and adaptations, including the world premiere of Malice Aforethought: The Sweet Trials and its revival in the 2007 season. Art and his wife, Mary Bremer, founded and have directed the Classic Theatre Study Abroad program in Greece each summer for the past 25 years. He is currently academic chairman of the Performing Arts Department. He has directed 200 plays and acted in a like number.

Musical Director Shawn McDonald is no stranger to the art of theatre. McDonald, a singer and actor, has played numerous roles Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Alfredo in La Traviata, Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Sivgila and Nerone in L’incoronazione di Poppea. Educated at the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, McDonald is now the Director of Vocal Activities at Marygrove College where he has directed many productions including “Motown” staging of The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, and Amahl and the Night Visitors. On top of his career in the performing arts McDonald is a pianist working with organizations such as Michigan Opera Theatre’s community programs, The Tuesday Musicale of Detroit, Young Peoples Theater of Ann Arbor, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, and Temple Israel, West Bloomfield.
The Threepenny Opera opens on March 20 and runs for three weekends, through April 5, 2009. Performances are held Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Marygrove Theatre on the campus of Marygrove College, 8425 W. McNichols Rd.

General admission is $20. Admission for senior citizens, UDM and Marygrove faculty, staff, and alumni is $16. Student admission is $13; UDM and Marygrove students pay only $9 with appropriate ID. The Theatre Company’s box office is located in Reno Hall on the campus of the University of Detroit Mercy. Hours of operation are 12:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. For tickets, call the theatre box office at 313-993-3270 or reserve your tickets online at theatre.udmercy.edu/threepenny. For more information visit us online at theatre.udmercy.edu.

This year's featured keynote speakers are John & Nancy Kennedy. John Kennedy '79 is Chief Executive of Autocam Corporation, a worldwide manufacturer of precision machined components for the automotive and medical instruments industries. Nancy Greening Kennedy '83 has held positions of leadership both at Arthur Andersen and Autocam. Under their leadership, Autocam has grown through strategic acquisitions, which include well-established companies in North America, Europe and South America. Both John and Nancy are University of Detroit graduates from the College of Business Administration.

• Jeffrey Antaya '80  — Plante & Moran PLLC
• Kathy Aznavorian '68    — Fox Hills Golf Club
• Cornell Batie '92, '00 — Mack Avenue Records
• Mark Bealin '84 — Jefferson Wells
• Anthony Belli '06 — E. G. Nicks
• Joseph Callaghan '78 — Oakland University
• Armando Cavazos '74 — Synergies Plus, LLC
• Richard Damman '68,'74 — Consultant
• Dennis Drenikowski '82 — Merrill Lynch & Co
• David Fitch '79, '83 — Citizens Bank
• L. Travis Furlow '06 — Resource, Inc.
• James Giordano '85 — CareTech Solutions
• Kenneth Gonzalez '02, '06
• Gerald Hepp '58 — Plante & Moran, LLP
• Jonathan Keehn '05 — Maverick Capital
• William Kelly '85 — Cognizant Technology
• Anne Kennedy '83 — Retired, Munder Capital
• Peter Kennedy 85 — Comerica, Inc.
• Matthew LaRocca '04 — Chrysler
• Donald Lee 91 — Clark Hill, PLC
• John Naglick '78¬ — AlixPartners
• Dominic Paluzzi ‘04, '07 — Butzel Long
• James Penman '84 — Donnelly, Penman, & Partners.
• Daniel Roma '84
• Daniel Saint '89 — Jefferson Wells
• John Sirhal, 69 — Plante & Moran, PLLC
• Brad Simmons '79 — Ford Motor Company
• Emil Simon '85 — The Rollick Beverage Company
• Teresa Soave, '96, '98 — Chrysler
• Marvin Washington '92 — Chrysler
• Anthony Weekly '90 — Fifth Third Bank
• Ed Wilhelm '80 — Borders Group, Inc.

For a complete listing of those participating in Alumni Week, please visit the CBA Alumni Week page. Participants are subject to change.

Students will be given the opportunity to meet with university advisors, representing over 60 academic programs, ask questions about the university and academic life and financial aid. On-site admission will also be offered to incoming freshmen interested in an undergraduate degree.

University of Detroit Mercy is Michigan’s largest private school that offers more than sixty academic programs. Sponsored by the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, the university has three campuses located in downtown and northwestern Detroit.

To make a reservation, or for more information concerning the open house, call the UDM Admissions Office at 313-993-1245, toll-free at 1-800-635-5020, or e-mail admissions.events@udmercy.edu.

The Broadside Press Poet's Theatre was created to promote literature of African American culture. It has been allowing students in the Detroit Area to express themselves through their writing, and  just emerged onto UDM’s campus the past year. Broadside has been able to develop many literary projects due to the numerous partnerships with other organizations. Because of this, many communities support and sponsor the programs.

Gloria House is a professor at the University of Michigan, Dearborn and Director of the Africa and African American Studies Program. She was a student during the Southern Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, and has been engaged in the development of African American communities since then.

Her poetry sprung from her involvement in these hardships. Some of her accomplishments include two poetry collections from Broadside Press, Blood River (1983) and Rainrituals (1989), and a third book of poems published by Third World Press, Shrines (2004). She also co-edited an anthology of African American poetry, entitled A Different Image: The Legacy of Broadside Press (2005). This book was chosen by the Library of Michigan as one of the twenty notable books of Michigan for the year.

Albert M. Ward co-edited the anthology of African American poetry, A Different Image, as well. His poetry has appeared in publications at many universities, such as Wayne State, Boston College, and University of Detroit. In 1990, he published a book of poetry for the Broadside Press, entitled Patches on Main Street. He as also has written verses for Broom Designs, Inc., a family-owned African-American greeting card company in Detroit, and Blue Mountain Arts greeting cards.

For more information, contact Rosemary Weatherston, director, Dudley Randall Center for Print Culture at weatherr@udmercy.edu.

This event is open to the public and a $5 donation is suggested but not required.

This year's Auction will fund several summer public interest fellowships. Since 2003, the program has provided more than 40 students with summer stipends that work for a variety of organizations that support the poor and marginalized such as Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, African Women’s Lawyer’s Association in Accra, Ghana, American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, Freedom House, Elder Law Center of Neighborhood Legal Services, City of Detroit Human Rights Department, National Wildlife Federation, and Salvation Army’s William Booth Legal Aid Clinic.

With the help of public contributions, the auction will give UDM the opportunity to fund these valuable programs which allows our students at University of Detroit Mercy to call to serve and work for the public good of our community.

For more information please contact any of the following people:

• Ms. Susan Fronrath, Chair SBA Voice For Justice Auction Committee at fronrasj@students.udmercy.edu
• Prof. Pam Wilkins, 313-596-0270, wilkinpa@udmercy.edu
• Prof. David Koelsch, 313-596-9805, koelschdc@udmercy.edu
  

MSHDA, through Cities of Promise, has committed to fund up to $25 million over the next four years toward blight elimination in the eight Cities of Promise— Benton Harbor, Detroit, Flint, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Muskegon Heights, Pontiac and Saginaw.

“The Cities of Promise Initiative launched by Governor Jennifer Granholm a couple of years ago was a commitment to help Michigan cities experiencing high levels of poverty to become vibrant and productive cities once again,” MSHDA Executive Director Keith Molin said. “MSHDA is proud to be a part of the accomplishments made here in Highland Park, and applauds UDM and the city’s deep commitment reflected by today’s Community Resource Day event.”

Complimentary services will be offered from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Local dignitaries such as Highland Park Mayor Hubert Yopp, UDM President Gerard L. Stockhausen, S.J., Highland Park Emergency Financial Manager Arthur Blackwell II, and MSHDA Executive Director Keith Molin, Director of the Governor's Office for Southeast Michigan Kimberly Trent, and Highland Park Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Arthur Carter, will kick off the day with an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. There will also be a raffle with prizes throughout the day.

“We are so very pleased that UDM, the State and MSHDA are providing much needed services to Highland Park residents,” said Mayor Yopp. “This is exactly what we need --- while so many residents are unable to afford the type of legal, dental and educational services for area residents.”

Services offered include:

• Counseling Program: Addiction, career exploration, school counseling & Medicaid application completion
• Dental School: Oral health education, dental screenings and dental sealant program for eligible children
• Education Department: Family literacy including college & academic information
• Law Clinic: Assistance and/or referrals with legal problems related to senior issues, immigration, veterans benefits, and criminal and some general legal matters
• Nursing School: Information on healthy nutrition, the MI Child Health Plan, and primary health care services available at the University of Detroit Mercy McAuley Health Center
• Psychology Clinic: Workshops on coping with grief and loss, coping with violence related trauma and understanding special education testing for kids.

For more information, contact Carla Hogan, City of Highland Park, at 313.252.0050, ext. 227 or Delanda Dixon, UDM College of Liberal Arts & Education, at 313.993.3250.

For almost two years, University of Detroit Mercy, The Detroit Metro Sports Commission, Community Bowling Centers and Super Bowl (Canton) have worked in developing plans for this prestigious 2009 NCAA Bowling Championship,” said Dave Beachnau, DMSC executive director.

In partnership with the NCAA, our local committee has created a tremendous host effort for the tournament that will culminate with a show-stopping setting for the event finals that will be seen by a national television audience on ESPN2 and ESPNU at 8 p.m. EST on Saturday, April 11.

Tickets for Thursday/Friday are daily $7 for students, $10 for adults, and $15 for all sessions for students and $25 for adults. Tickets to the Saturday finals are $8 students and $13 adults. All tickets are available by calling 734-459-6070.

About the NCAA®
The NCAA® is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have the following elite companies as official Corporate Champions—AT&T, Coca-Cola and Pontiac—and the following elite companies as official Corporate Partners—Enterprise, The Hartford, Hershey’s, Lowe’s, Sheraton and State Farm.

About UDM
The University of Detroit Mercy is Michigan’s largest private Catholic University, with approximately 100 majors and programs in 60 academic fields. Sponsored by the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, the University has campuses located in downtown and northwest Detroit.  UDM is one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities and the largest of 17 Mercy institutions of higher education in the United States.

About the DMSC
The Detroit Metro Sports Commission is a subsidiary of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau that was formed in 2001 to bring regional, national and international amateur sporting events to metro Detroit. www.detroitsports.org

Dr. Derrick Kuzak graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor’s of Science and Electrical Engineering degree and received his Masters in the same area one year later, along with his Doctoral degree in Systems Engineering in 1976. He began his career in 1978 at Ford Motor Company, and has worked his way up to his current position as Group Vice President, Global Product Development. Kuzak has also given back to UDM in numerous ways. He spoke at the 2008 Ford Innovation Symposium held at the university, is a member of the Ford/UDM Steering Committee, and advises the faculty in the College of Engineering and Science Master’s in Product Development Program.

Michael J. Rokosz received his Bachelor’s of Science in Physics and Mathematics from the University in 1970. He founded MJR Labs, a Technical Consulting firm, and currently holds the position as president of the company. He also worked as a research scientist and manager for the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility at Ford Motor Company. Along with receiving many awards himself, Rokosz created an award titled “da Vinci Award”. This award pays tribute to individuals who have helped to make the world more handicapped accessible.

The social part of the evening begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner, awards, and dancing at 7 p.m. For more information about tickets, contact Melanie Dara at 313-993-1218 or darame@udmercy.edu.

The documentary was produced by Pathway Productions and Jerald Harkness, the son of former Loyola Chicago All-American Jerry Harkness. It details events surrounding the game that was named one of the Top 25 Defining Moments in the first 100 years of the NCAA.

The game featured Loyola, with four African-American starters, and Mississippi State, an all-white team.   The documentary centers heavily on Mississippi State, a three-time Southeastern Conference champion that was bound by Mississippi state law from playing integrated basketball squads. The film details how Bulldogs coach Babe McCarthy, university president Dean Colvard and athletics director Wade Walker risked their personal safety and jeopardized their jobs by sneaking the team out of Mississippi during the night so it could play Loyola, despite protests from the governor and state police officials, threats from the community and a pending court injunction. In the Regional game, which many doubted would take place, Loyola defeated Mississippi State, 61-51, en route to claiming the 1963 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.  

The discussion portion of the Friday’s event, scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m., will include five panelists – UDM Professor Roy Finkenbine, chair of History/Director of Black Abolitionist Archives; UDM Professor Ike McKinnon, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano; UDM men’s basketball head coach Ray McCallum and Titans junior basketball guard Woody Payne.

The 2009 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship will culminate at Ford Field in Detroit, April 4 and 6. UDM is the official host institution for the Final Four®.

“I’m proud to bring the lessons of The Hartford’s Playbook for Life to students across the country,” said Vitale. “Students today need to be prepared with the knowledge to meet the financial challenges ahead of them and achieve their goals successfully.”

“I’ve worked with college students across the country as part of The Hartford’s Playbook for Life program,” said Zimmerman. “It’s important for college students to start preparing a solid foundation to their financial futures as soon as they can.”

The Hartford’s Playbook for Life travels from coast to coast to help college students get a jump start on planning for financial independence and security. Since the program’s inception in March 2005, The Hartford has brought the Playbook message to students at more than 30 colleges and universities. On March 25, the Playbook will also be presented to students at Towson University.
 
“The Hartford’s Playbook for Life is a great tool to help student-athletes create a game plan and achieve financial security after graduation,” said NCAA President Myles Brand. “We applaud The Hartford for embarking on this very important initiative and encouraging college students to start planning for tomorrow, today.”

With less than one percent of student-athletes moving on to compete at the professional level, the vast majority move on to work in the "real world.” Most of them are largely unprepared for the financial challenges ahead. The Hartford’s Playbook for Life helps student-athletes meet those challenges by introducing them to practical topics such as evaluating job offers, budgeting, responsibly managing credit cards and debt, and understanding the fundamentals of savings and investing. The program features visits to college campuses, a free guidebook with practical, easy-to-use information, and a Web site with a video webinar version of the Playbook for Life on-campus presentation, along with additional resources, at www.playbook.thehartford.com.

Vitale coached the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, Rutgers University and the University of Detroit basketball teams before broadcasting ESPN’s first college basketball game in December 1979, and creating a legacy as an enthusiastic analyst and color commentator. In addition to his many contributions to the ESPN network, ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com, Vitale has been a college basketball analyst for ABC Sports since 1988, also covering the NBA Finals and the 1992 Summer Olympics for ABC Radio, and as a columnist for Basketball Times. He has been selected for seven halls of fame and has authored seven books.
    
Vitale adds his involvement with the Playbook for Life to a roster of philanthropic efforts, such as his devotion to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and his role on the Board of Directors for The V Foundation, a non-profit organization, founded by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, dedicated to finding a cure for cancer.

While media are invited to attend the event, it is not open to the public.
 

About The NCAA

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 380,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaasports.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.

About The Hartford

The Hartford is one of the nation's largest financial services companies and a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil and Ireland. The Hartford's Internet address is
www.thehartford.com.

The event will feature many of  the beat’s biggest names including journalist John Feinstein of The Washington Post, The Sporting News and NPR; Dick Jerardi of the Philadelphia Daily News; John Akers of the Basketball Times; Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal; Dana O'Neil of espn.com; Dick Weiss of the New York Daily News; Shannon Shelton of the Detroit Free Press; and Malcolm Moran, formerly of USA Today and The New York Times.

Admission is free for college and high school journalists but registration is required for those who would like to attend. Students will be given the opportunity to cover various aspects of the tournament and through their stories competing for the association’s $1,000 scholarship in the days following the seminar. The majority of the assignments will be for press conferences and ancillary events.

To register for the seminar, schools should send in interested student names and school affiliations. There is a limit of three students per school. Contact UDM Journalism Professor, Tom Stanton by e-mail: stantontom@aol.com  or calling 586-725-0726.

The subjects of these presentations range from mitigating and eliminating the corrosive behavior of biodiesel and understanding pollution of buses . . .from improving vehicle efficiency through hydraulic hybrid technology and education to reducing NOx emissions and improving the production processes and the quality of biofuels,” he added.  

Hanifin explained that the event and the results that will be presented are manifestations of the uniquely effective collaboration of industry, government and academia that is occurring right here in Southeastern Michigan at NextEnergy and the Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center.

The event will cover the following research:

• the chemistry, additives, sources, stability and emissions of biodiesel fuels
• exhaust after treatment NOx reduction additive function and handling (tentative)
• hydraulic hybrid development and applications
• modules to teach hydraulic hybrid technology

Through support from the US Department of Transportation and the Michigan Department of Transportation, this event is offered free of charge to all attendees.  To RSVP or receive a full agenda email: Pat Martinico at: martinpa@udmercy.edu or call, 313-993-1216.

The floor consists of 225 4-by-8-foot panels, weighing about 180 pounds apiece began its 375-mile trek across the state last Saturday and made several stops along the way.

UDM Athletic Director Keri Gaither and the DLOC chair was at Ford Field on Wednesday when it arrived.  UDM is the host institution for the championship's Final Four®.  The event will have a $75 million economic impact on its host city.

MHC patients are representative of a medically underserved population. Ninety-five percent are African American, mean age is 44 years old and average family income is $22,356 (2004 data). The Center is located within census tracts designated as Healthcare Provider Shortage Area and Medically Underserved Area.

MHC’s focus is on those who are underserved; the Center provides care to the uninsured through the Breast & Cervical Cancer Control Program and its partner, Mercy Primary Care, which provides care to the uninsured.

The Center has a strong reputation in the community as a trusted provider of quality health care. Results of patient satisfaction surveys in 2006-07 indicate that patients are highly satisfied with care received at MHC. The Center is one of fewer than 20 Nurse Managed Centers in 12 states (2 in Michigan) currently supported by Health Resources and Services Administration's Division of Nursing and is currently participating in grants from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, HRSA, Komen Foundation, Michigan State Housing Development Authority

Said MHC Project Director Joyce Conley, "We provide practice opportunities to our graduate and undergraduate nursing students rotating through, offering them valuable experience. Our faculty strive to model competent practice, dynamic leadership and stewardship of scarce resources for the students who practice and learn at the Center."

On March 28, staff from MHC will be providing information sessions on Child Health and Healthy Nutrition to Highland Park residents as a part of Community Resource Day, to be held at the Ernest T. Ford Recreation Center, 10 Pitkin (west of Third Street), in Highland Park. MHC sessions will be offered from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the gym.

McAuley Health Center is located at 5555 Conner Avenue, Suite 2691. The Center is accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, please call (313) 579-1182, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You will need to bring a photo ID and proof of insurance (Medicare, Medicaid, or private) or income to your appointment.

"As host NCAA institution for the 2009 NCAA® Men’s Final Four®, the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) has been working closely with the committee and the local business and civic community for more than 18 months to make this the best Final Four® in NCAA® history and to provide an exciting array of fun for locals and visitors and to also leave a positive Final Four legacy for Detroit," said Gaither.

Every NCAA championship has a member institution or conference hosting the event. This approach helps keep the focus on the student athletes, who are the main reason for the championship in the first place. As the host institution representative, Keri Gaither is also the chair of the Detroit Local Organization Committee (DLOC). Her role as chair is to provide strong leadership and direction for the local operation of the Final Four®.

Events include:

• Hoop City®, a four-day indoor interactive featuring trivia contests, autograph sessions with basketball coaches, live basketball-related entertainment, and a traveling version of the NCAA Hall of Champions. Hundreds of UDM faculty, staff, students and alumni volunteered their time for the event to coordinate the large-scale event. Detroit Titan student-athletes will volunteer their time and expertise at the NCAA Campus Sports Zones inside Hoop City®. Tennis, golf, soccer and softball players from UDM will be active participants. Several University of Detroit Mercy student athletes are volunteering their time at the NCAA Campus Sports Zones inside Hoop City. Tennis, golf, soccer and softball athletes from UDM will be actively instructing the participants.
• The Final Four Dribble® allows 4,000 youngsters, ages 10 through 16, to bounce basketballs from Hoop City to Ford Field on game day of the semifinals. Helping coordinate the event will be many UDM students to make the event run smoothly. The Detroit Titan strength and conditioning staff will warm up the 4,000 expected participants with stretching exercises and aerobics. Members of both the men’s and women’s basketball teams at UDM, along with Tommy Titan, the UDM cheer team and pep band will also welcome the dribblers at the finish line outside of Hoop City®,
• The “Game of Change” documentary and a panel discussion on race relations and sports was one of the 2009 NCAA® Men’s Final Four® pre-events on UDM’s McNichols Campus in Calihan Hall. Panelists included University’s faculty, alumni and students, including Coach Ray McCallum. Calihan Hall also hosted 1,800 volunteers that are working at the event throughout the week.
• The Detroit Local Organizing Committee (DLOC) for the 2009 NCAA® Men’s Final Four® will be donating a legacy gift of $250,000 from the NCAA to help children in Southeastern Michigan enter school ready to learn by improving the quality of early care and education for pre-school age children throughout the region. University of Detroit Mercy’s College of Liberal Arts & Education and UDM’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will work with United Way for Southeastern Michigan for the next five years on the legacy initiative. Recently, several UDM student athletes and Tommy Titan helped open the first center by reading to the kids in attendance.
• As part of the NCAA® Men’s Final Four®, UDM is helping coordinate the 2nd annual Sports Career & College Expo during the week, in conjunction with other schools and universities. UDM’s Keri Gaither will be the keynote speaker at the event. UDM student athletes will also be participating as speakers, sharing their experience of being a student athlete and how it impacts their life and future career goals.
• The NCAA® Youth Education through Sports (YES®) Clinics hydrated by vitamin water® will also draw fans and educate boys and girls (ages 10-16). Many national and local college coaches will present free instructional skill sessions in basketball while NCAA life skill coordinators conduct sessions in personal enrichment. Parents will also be participating by attending their own information session. UDM basketball coaches Ray McCallum, Autumn Rademacher, UDM assistant coaches, their staff and over 25 student athletes will also help coordinate the events. UDM strength & conditioning, sports medicine and compliance staff will also serve on panels and conduct group activities.
• The 2009 NCAA Final Four, the United States Basketball Writers Association and University of Detroit Mercy are hosting a free sports writing seminar for college and high school journalists on UDM’s McNichols Campus. Participating in the event will be John Feinstein of The Washington Post, The Sporting News and NPR; Dick Jerardi of The Philadelphia Daily News; John Akers of The Basketball Times; Steve Carp of The Las Vegas Review-Journal; Dana O'Neil of espn.com; Dick Weiss of The New York Daily News; Shannon Shelton of The Detroit Free Press; and Malcolm Moran, formerly of USA Today and The New York Times.
• The 13th annual “Legends of the Hardwood Breakfast” now stands as one of the premier events during the NCAA® Final Four® weekend and will be held at Cobo Hall. The University will be participating as one of the event’s Tip-Off Sponsors and Detroit Titan mascot, Tommy Titan will be a part of the festivities.
• 2009 Men's Final Four® Salute Presentation will be held at the Fox Theatre. The event will feature the Final Four® teams, inspiring video highlights of the Road to the Final Four® and conversations with the Final Four® coaches conducted by Jim Nantz of CBS. The UDM Pep Band will entertain guests and support the final four teams by playing their respective school fight songs.
• Several Detroit Titan men's and women's basketball players recently participated in the Middle School Madness awards program, presenting awards to middle school students who entered an essay and poster on the topic of sportsmanship in daily life. Prizes included tickets to the NCAA® Final Four® at Ford Field.
• Final Four® Friday is an event that all fans can watch each of the four participating teams at an open practice at Ford Field, free of charge. Practices begin at 12 p.m. and the University of Detroit Mercy pep band and cheer team will perform for thousands of participants with Tommy Titan shaking hands throughout the crowd.
• Basketball icon and former U of D University coach, Dick Vitale will return home to discuss his coaching experience and motivational skills to encourage students to prepare now for the realities of life after graduation. The event will be held on UDM’s McNichols Campus for all UDM students.

The Final Four® tournament not only generates millions of dollars for the NCAA's member schools, but also has a tremendous economic impact on the host city. According to Gaither, last year's Final Four tournament in San Antonio brought in more than $47 million. The DLOC estimates more than 60,000 basketball fans will bounce into Detroit this year, creating more than $30-$50 million in revenue for the metropolitan area. "It's an opportunity to show them what the city of Detroit, and the state are all about,” she added.

See the UDM feature page on the 2009 NCAA® Final Four®.

Attending the clinics is free but advance registration was strongly encouraged as all participating student athletes will be accepted on a first come-first serve basis.  The YES® Clinics are being coordinated in conjunction with the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship tournament. the Final Four®.

University of Detroit Mercy is proud to be the host institution for the Men's Basketball Final Four® tournament. UDM successfully hosted the 2008 Midwest Regional Games at Ford Field in Detroit and is excited to bring the big games back to Detroit this weekend. Officials estimate the Final Four® has about a $30-50 million economic impact on its host city.

The Youth Education through Sports (YES®) Clinics, hydrated by vitaminwater revive are conducted by the National Youth Sports Corporation (NYSC).  The YES® Program is the NCAA’s premier outreach to youth across the country, connecting young athletes with collegiate coaches and student-athletes to provide fundamental instruction in sports, conditioning and life skills at select collegiate championships.

Along with basketball instruction from NCAA coaches and student-athletes, students will also learn from experts in conditioning and life skills who will conduct activities to improve mental and physical fitness both on and off the court.  The specific skill sessions will be more instructional in format, and teach the “FUN” in fundamentals of sports and life.  Participation in this clinic will allow youth to experience the excitement of the 2009 Final Four® first-hand.  All participants should wear athletic shoes and be dressed for physical activity.

Each participant, in addition to the clinic instruction, will receive a souvenir YES® T-shirt, printed materials on basketball skill development, nutrition and academic topics and other gift items.

Parents and/or guardians are encouraged to attend a special session specifically designed for them.  In this session, attendees will have the opportunity to discuss issues relating to youth sports, nutrition, sportsmanship, recruiting, college entrance preparation and injury prevention with experts from the community.

For more information, visit www.NCAA.com/yesclinics.  If you have specific questions, please contact Rueben Washington, the Detroit-area coordinator at 313-770-9461 or Gary Lichtman, UDM, Director of Media Relations at 313-993-1254.

About the NCAA

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 380,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 49,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports.  For more information, visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaasports.com.

ATTENTION MEDIA:

Great photo opportunities with future NCAA basketball athletes on Saturday, morning at Renaissance High School, 6565 W. Outer Drive in Detroit.

Interviews with Coordinator Rueben Washington, participating basketball coaches, youth and parents will be coordinated at the Renaissance High School site only.  Contact Gary D. Lichtman and Elizabeth Patterson , UDM at the event.

During the ceremony, the University will also award an honorary doctoral degree to Richard A. Abdoo, president of R.A. Abdoo & Co. LLC, an environmental and energy consulting firm, for his strong leadership in the corporate environment and for his community outreach work, both locally and nationally.

Prior to his own business, he was chairman and chief executive officer of Wisconsin Energy Corporation from 1991 until his retirement in 2004. He also served as President from 1991 to April 2003 and joined the company in 1975 as Director of Strategic Planning.

During his administration, Wisconsin Energy Corporation grew to become a Fortune 500 company through a series of mergers and acquisitions. He merged Wisconsin Electric and Wisconsin Natural Gas Company into a single utility in 1996, acquired WICOR, Inc. and its Wisconsin Gas subsidiary in 2000, and later that same year introduced the company's Power the Future plan to meet the future energy needs of southeastern Wisconsin.

In addition, Abdoo has served on the boards of AK Steel Corp., NiSource and Sundstrand Corporation. Throughout his career, he has also been a champion of humanitarian causes. He is currently a member of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital’s Professional Advisory Board.

Abdoo received a master’s degree in economics in 1969 from University of Detroit and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from University of Dayton in 1965.  A registered professional engineer in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, he is also a longtime member of the American Economic Association.  

Drawing on his Lebanese heritage, Abdoo has been a tireless proponent of improved living conditions for members of the Arab community and an advocate for stronger U.S-Middle East relations and was honored in 2006 locally, with the prestigious “Arab American of the Year Award” from the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) at their annual dinner in Detroit.

Assuming various leadership roles within the Arab-American community, including immediate past president of the American Task Force for Lebanon, Abdoo serves as a member of the Boards of Directors of AMIDEAST and Advisory Board member of the RAND Corporation Center for Middle East Policy. He has visited refugee camps in Lebanon as part of his desire to help improve living conditions for those affected by war and civil strife.  

In 2000, Abdoo was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, presented to Americans of diverse origins for their outstanding contributions to their own ethnic groups and to American society. Honorees typically include U.S. presidents, Nobel Prize winners and leaders of industry.

Abdoo has been married to the former Joan Kallid of Detroit for 42 years. They have two grown children, a son, Mark, and a daughter, Denise.

The McNichols Commencement 2009 ceremony  will be broadcast on the Horizon League Network (HLN)  for anyone who wishes to view the ceremony or for those who may be unable to attend the ceremony.

Schiller‘s career has encompassed positions in health care dietary management, teaching, academic administration and governance. An educator for over 35 years at University of Detroit Mercy and Ohio State University, she has an impressive career, writing and lecturing extensively, working with educators worldwide. Schiller was named Professor Emeritus from Ohio State University, having retired as professor and director of the Medical Dietetics Division, School of Allied Medical Professions at OSU. She remains active in nutrition and dietetic professional organizations.

She currently serves as Development Assistant at St. Mary Medical Center in Grand Rapids and is a valued member of governance boards for UDM, St. Mary Medical Center-Springfield, Ohio and Mount Carmel Health System-Columbus, Ohio. Schiller has received numerous other awards and recognition for her many contributions to the profession, including the award for Outstanding Education and Research from the American Dietetic Association (ADA), the prestigious ADA Medallion, and the ODA President’s Award. She was named a Fellow of the ADA as a result of her demonstrated leadership in the profession.

Schiller earned a Bachelor of Science in dietetics from Mercy College of Detroit, a Master of Science in Institutional Management and a PhD in Human Nutrition from Ohio State University.

Receiving the honor, he proudly joins the honorable group of leaders which include Carroll Shelby, Henry Ford II, Robert Eaton, Lee Iacocca and John DeLorean (to name just a few).

The award recognizes excellence in automotive leadership from OEM executives as chosen by a nominating committee comprised of industry media, analysts, and suppliers. O'Sullivan has more than three decades of experience in the industry, and has held many key positions with Ford before joining Mazda.

O’Sullivan resides in Irvine, California with his Anne, also a University alumnus.

Over 440 adults in need received basic dental services such as fillings, extractions and minor denture repairs. Many of these adults could not otherwise afford dental care. Over 1,500 procedures were performed, valued at more than $150,000 in free dental care. Along with the services, the clinic also provided oral health education for adults that attended.

UDM's College of Health Professions provided blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol screenings. Patients also received 164 free prescriptions from Walmart pharmacy. By 9 a.m., the event had attracted over 1000 people interested in receiving dental services. In addition to the 440 people seen, over 250 vouchers for care were provided to those who had waited in line but could not be seen that afternoon, due to the overwhelming response.

The focus of the event was to:

• Provide free access to immediate care for treatment of dental infections or pain.
• Raise public awareness of the increasing difficulty low-income adults face in accessing critical dental care.
• Increase awareness of the importance of oral health to maintaining body health; tooth infections and periodontal disease have been associated with premature birth, increased complications of diabetes, heart disease, increase risk of pneumonia in the elderly, and death.
• Challenge Medicaid, the public, policy makers, and dental professionals to work together to improve the oral health of those who are underinsured or uninsured.

The event was part of Governor Granholm¹s oral health initiative announced during her annual State of the State Address. "We were extremely pleased so many dental professionals in our area, came together to volunteer their time and talents for those in need," said Dr. Mert N. Aksu, Dean of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and Clinic.

Through his strong leadership, he began a number of activities to further the mission of UDM and the school such as this event. Aksu was the founding chairperson of the Department of Patient Management, enhanced community outreach opportunities, and fostered an environment of patient care, based on acomprehensive care model. This event was coordinated by Dr. Vinod Miriyala, director of Community Outreach and Multicultural Affairs at the School of Dentistry.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm called for the Michigan Day of Oral Health Outreach in her 2009 State of the State address to mobilize volunteer dentists, hygienists and other health professionals to provide free access to dental care services and oral health care education and prevention services to low-income, uninsured and underinsured adults with immediate dental care needs.

Granholm and Aksu thanked the volunteers for making it happen at the event.

Watch video footage from the winning team!

Fifty teams representing 43 schools constructed their robots and competed against other universities throughout the world.  These included nationally recognized leaders in engineering education such as Princeton, Cornell, Georgia Tech, Olin and Rose-Hulman, and other Michigan universities:  Michigan Tech, Lawrence Tech, Wayne State and University of Michigan-Dearborn.  Competitors also included state universities from across the nation (including Florida, Maryland, Wisconsin, California, Nebraska, Texas and Pennsylvania), and international universities including University of Toronto and Ecole de Technologie Superieure [Canada]).

"Our students worked extremely hard and were able to achieve a high score in their last attempt in the Autonomous Challenge, which enabled the team to take overall first place in the IGVC," said Electrical Engineering Professor Mark Paulik.

The IGVC is an annual international competition created to offer cutting-edge design experience to engineering students. The competition consisted of three challenge events: Autonomous Challenge, Navigation Challenge, and the Design Competition. The scores from each of these events are combined to determine the overall First Place Grand Award winner.

The University of Detroit Mercy team received the 2009 First Place Grand Award. University of Delaware placed second.

"This win reflects not only the hard work and competitiveness of our team and faculty mentors, but also UDM’s innovative curriculum that employs autonomous vehicles as a vertically integrative platform," said UDM Engineering & Science Dean Leo Hanifin. "It’s a major accomplishment to win the IGVC Grand Prize for the second year in a row.  This team’s success, and that of other UDM student teams, demonstrates the unparalleled competence of our students in designing and building complex systems that work."

He added, “Autonomous vehicles embody the future of engineered products. They are highly complex electro-mechanical systems with imbedded intelligence . . . like a wide variety of systems that are critical to the economic success and security of our nation.”

• Patient must be ages 9-16  

• Patient must be Medicaid eligible (bring Medicaid card or child's Social Security number)    

• Severity of dental and jaw problem    

• One parent or guardian only must accompany child    

• Must return for June 26 cleaning appointment    

• Must be able to keep every monthly appointment

He performs a elemental analysis of coins by using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, (a non-destructive technique widely used for environmental, industrial, pharmaceutical, forensic, and scientific research applications to measure the concentration of elemental constituents or contaminants). Benvenuto will focus his research on three main groups of coins, including the biblical Judean widow's mites, Siamese bullet coins and medieval Korean coins.

He is a six-time recipient of the UDM Science Teacher of the Year Award, and is one of two faculty named College Teacher of the Year for 2002-03 by the Michigan Science Teachers Association. He was awarded the American Chemical Society's Detroit Section Distinguished Service Award in 2004, and has been the section chairman for 2006 and 2007.

Benvenuto holds a B.S. from the Virginia Military Institute, where he attended on a four-year Army scholarship, and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, where he was awarded a graduate student du Pont Fellowship. He performed post-doctoral research at the Pennsylvania State University, and joined the University of Detroit Mercy in late 1993.

The evening of libations, edible delights and science inquiry is free and open to the public. Food and beverages are available to purchase through the evening.  Free parking is available across from the restaurant.

For more information, please visit: www.brewingchemistry.com or contact Meghann Mouyianis at 313-993-1259 or meghann@brewingchemistry.com

University of Detroit Mercy’s project will support faculty in the Information Assurance Program, a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education, to carry out cyber security research.

Dr. Dan Shoemaker, Director of the Information Assurance Program and Chair of the Department of Computer and Information Systems, is the program’s principal investigator for the project. Shoemaker currently serves on the Software Assurance Initiative of the Department of Homeland Security, National Cyber Security Division.

The aim of the project, which involves researchers from other universities and organizations, is to develop and disseminate the knowledge necessary to ensure that the software that enables America’s business and critical infrastructure is safe and secure.

In the yearly guide hitting newsstands next week, University of Detroit Mercy was also rated  one of the top 15 institutions in the "Great Schools, Great Prices" category.  According to U.S.News, this ranking highlights the best financial value as it relates to a school's academic quality.

"We are pleased to once again be recognized in the top tier of our peer institutions," said University of Detroit Mercy President, Gerard L. Stockhausen, S.J., Ph.D. "The University's unique combination of high academic quality at a good value with a diverse student body makes UDM an ideal choice for students as evidenced by the record number of new students attending the University over the past few years."

PLEASE NOTE LOCATION CHANGE FOR SERVICE

This event gathers the entire University community together to rededicate everyone to UDM's mission, to renew friendships, and to welcome new members. A longstanding tradition, “Celebrate Spirit” is a symbol of the beginning of a new academic year. The festivities include a worship service for all faiths in Gesu Church (see info), followed by a picnic lunch and student organization fair on McNichols Campus around the Fisher Fountain.

“Celebrate Spirit” will be celebrated by UDM President Gerard L. Stockhausen, S.J Rev. Gerard L. Stockhausen, S.J., Ph.D. He was appointed UDM president effective on July 1, 2004. A doctoral graduate in economics from the University of Michigan, Stockhausen's academic expertise is in the area of international economics, including trade theory and policy, political economics and social ethics. During the 1991-92 school year, he was a visiting associate professor of Economics at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

In addition to his doctorate in economics, Stockhausen holds a master's degree in social ethics, a Master of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California and a master's degree in mathematics from St. Louis University. Prior to being appointed president, he served as UDM's Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.

He currently serves on the boards of Detroit Downtown, Detroit Economic Club, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, New Detroit and on the executive committee of the Board of Advisors for University Commons community organization.

His professional affiliations include serving as director of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and as a member of the Council of Presidents, Conference for Mercy Higher Education. He is a board director for Wheeling Jesuit University and Creighton University as well as a trustee of Loyola Jesuit High School, Detroit.

In addition, Fr. Stockhausen is a director of the Ignatian Lay Volunteer Corps and a director of the Horizon League Athletic Conference.

For more information regarding Celebrate Spirit! and a complete list of Founders Celebration activities, please visit www.udmercy.edu/founders-celebration.

The UDM Theatre Company and Marygrove College’s Music Department are fortunate to be one of the first universities to produce The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in November. Just coming off a national tour, this musical tells the story of six over-achieving adolescents that are the finalists in their county's spelling bee. It will directed by Greg Grobis, The musical will be performed Nov. 13, 14, 15, 20, 21.

Opening in February is Craig Wright’s Recent Tragic Events. This unique play takes on the morning after September 11, 2001 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The play is about a young advertising executive hasn’t heard from her twin sister in New York City and while watching the tv coverage, is questioning life and love Recent Tragic Events is a dizzying, thought-provoking and amusing piece about life and its free will or its fate. The play will be performed on Feb. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21.

Closing the 39th UDM Theatre Company season is Bleacher Bums directed by David Regal. Theatre and baseball collide head-on in this hilarious comedy about the fans in the bleacher section at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. Eating hotdogs, drinking beer and making wagers on the game brings these bleacher bums together as they watch their hometown team play the game they love so much. Conceived by Joe Mantegna and written by The Organic Theatre Company, Bleacher Bums is a show that every baseball and theatre fan should relate to in some way. Bleacher Bums will run on April 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25.

As a bonue to the season, The UDM Theatre Company performing a special benefit production of Unheard Voices. Conceived and directed by Yolanda Fleischer and written by the UDM Theatre Community, Unheard Voices is a play that will address the issues and problems of the overwhelming epidemic of homelessness in Southeast Michigan. The stories behind the homeless are as varied and surprising as the population. The Theatre Company’s goal is to present the voices, lives, visions, hopes, dreams, pains and spirits of the local homeless community on stage for the audience to recognize and acknowledge through financial support. All donations raised will go to the Homeless Action Network of Detroit (H.A.N.D.) whose help has made this program possible. Unheard Voices will be presented on the University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus on February 26, 27 and 28, 2010. This event is a limited free ticket event with donations encouraged. Subscribers to the 2009-2010 UDM Theatre Company season will receive a reserved seat on the night of their choice.

The University of Detroit Mercy Theatre Company wants GREAT Theatre: Close To Home for you. Take advantage of the Theatre Company’s best offer on tickets by getting your season tickets to all four shows for only $46.00. That is a savings of 30% off the regular ticket prices. Season tickets are on sale now through October 11, 2008.

The UDM Theatre Company is proud to annouce a new Student Flex Pass. Any full-time high school, college or university student can purchase a Student Flex Pass for $20.00. This pass saves students over 50% off the regular student ticket price and the service fees and allows them to see each UDM Theatre Company production. For more information check out our UDM Theatre Company Facebook Page. http://www.facebook.com/udmtheatre

The Theatre Company’s performances are held Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Marygrove Theatre on the campus of Marygrove College, 8425 W. McNichols Rd. The Theatre Company’s box office is located in Reno Hall on the University of Detroit Mercy campus. Hours of operation are noon through 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. For tickets, call the theatre box office at 313-993-3270 or reserve your tickets online at theatre.udmercy.edu.

Students from University of Detroit Mercy and Marygrove College can audition on Monday, September 21, 2009 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm with community auditions from 7:00 - 9:00 pm in the Denk Chapman which is on the 1st floor of the Madam Cadillac Building on Marygrove College’s campus. We require auditions to have 16-32 bars of music and a 60 second monologue. Call backs will be on Tuesday September 22, 2009.

View the Community Audition Flyer (.pdf)

For more information on the show and auditions please visit us online at http://theatre.udmercy.edu/auditions. For questions or more information, please contact Greg Grobis, UDM Theatre Company’s General Manager and Director of the “Spelling Bee” at 313-993-3270 or at grobisgj@udmercy.edu.

The bike tour includes rest stops to point out places of interest and a hot dog break at midnight at Detroit's famous Lafayette Coney Island. The cyclists should return to campus around 1 a.m. on Saturday morning.

"The bike ride has become one of our student’s favorite ways of kicking off the school year," said Dorothy Stewart, director of student life. "Each ride picks up more momentum from both faculty and students. This is an excellent opportunity for new students to see Detroit and even native Detroiters to see our city from an entirely different perspective, at night."

For more information or to rent a bicycle at no cost, contact the Student Programming Board at 313-993-1150 or or programboard@students.udmercy.edu.

The University of Detroit Mercy is Michigan’s largest private Catholic University, with approximately 100 academic majors and programs. Sponsored by the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, the University has campuses located in downtown and northwest Detroit. UDM is one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities and the largest of 18 Mercy institutions of higher education in the United States.

For the ninth consecutive year, University of Detroit Mercy is listed in the top tier of Midwestern Master's Universities in the 2010 edition of the U.S.News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges."

The custom of a special religious ceremony for all members of the bench and bar at the opening of each term of the court arose principally in England, France, and Italy in the early 13th century. A Mass was celebrated in honor of the Holy Spirit, for which red vestments were worn. Hence, the celebration became known as the Red Mass.

The University of Detroit Mercy’s annual Red Mass dates back to 1877, when Detroit College, as the University was then known, began its first year with a mass at Saints Peter and Paul Church to ask the blessings of the Holy Spirit on the coming year’s work. The School of Law continued the tradition when it opened in 1912, again hosting the Red Mass on behalf of the Archdiocese of Detroit at Saints Peter and Paul through the present.

Today, the Red Mass is attended by judges, lawyers, and officials of all faiths asking God to bless, strengthen, and enlighten our civic and religious leaders, all servants of the law and all people of faith, so that in cooperation and mutual trust we may more effectively achieve justice and freedom for all. For more information about the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, visit www.law.udmercy.edu.

For more information, contact Denise Hickey, Assistant Dean of Alumni Relations and Special Projects at (313) 596-0202 or by e-mail: hickeydp@udmercy.edu.

John E. Lobbia ’64, former Chairman and CEO of Detroit Edison, is this year’s recipient of The Founders Award. He is recognized for his leadership and commitment to his alma mater in the tradition of UDM’s Jesuit and Mercy founders.

Lobbia served on the Board of Trustees for both the University of Detroit (1988-1990) and University of Detroit Mercy (1990-2006). He made immeasurable contributions to board discussions, which led to the consolidation of U of D and Mercy College of Detroit in 1990. During his 18-year board tenure, he served on the Advancement Committee, the Committee on Trustees, and the Executive Committee.

As a member of the Executive Committee, Lobbia was actively engaged in major decisions resulting in the Outer Drive dental facility and strategic planning priorities. He provided insightful and visionary leadership as chair of The Commission on the Future from 1995-1996, which assisted the University in positioning itself to meet the future demands of higher education. As Board chair from 1998-2001, he took an instrumental role in launching the University’s Legacy Campaign—the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the University’s history, which totaled $101.3 million upon its completion in June 2003.

Lobbia received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree in 1964 and joined Detroit Edison, where he rose through its marketing and customer service ranks. He served as the utility’s Chairman and CEO from 1990-1998.

As a tireless worker and supporter of efforts to improve the economic and social well-being of Southeastern Michigan, Lobbia has served or chaired a number of civic organizations, including the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Detroit Renaissance, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, the 1993 United Way Campaign, New Detroit, Inc., the Economic Alliance for Michigan, the Metro Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Hudson-Webber Foundation, The Parade Company and Michigan Parade Foundation.

He also served as a director for the National Bank of Detroit, Flint Group, Rouge Industries, and as a trustee of Oakwood Hospital, Rackham Engineering Foundation and WTVS/Channel 56 Public Television. He has been recognized for his professional and civic contributions with the Max M. Fisher Community Service Award from University Way Community Services, the 1996 Distinguished Citizen Award from the Clinton Valley Council of the Boys Scouts of America, the 1990 B’nai B’rith Great American Traditions Award, and the 1989 Italian American Man of the Year Award.

Charles Rutherford ’53, ’57, Of Counsel with Dykema Gossett PLLC, is the recipient of the University of Detroit Mercy’s Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. He is recognized for his professional achievement and experience in all phases of intellectual property law practice, including data security and E-commerce. For more than 40 years, he has utilized his expertise in preparing, filing and prosecuting U.S. and foreign patents related to the mechanical , hydraulic, basic electrical, medical and general engineering fields. He has also prepared trademark and copyright applications, and handled litigation regarding patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. He provides counsel on effective ways to protect and exploit intellectual property assets as well as negotiates licenses and agreements. He is highly regarded as an arbitrator and mediator in intellectual property, contracts and commercial disputes.

Rutherford received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1953 from University of Detroit and is licensed as a Professional Engineer in Michigan. He earned his J.D. from University of Detroit School of Law in 1957, and throughout his career has been an active member of numerous engineering and law professional associations. He also has 32 years of active and reserve military service, retiring in 1984 as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force, Judge Advocate Department Reserves.

His extraordinary contributions to the legal profession have been recognized by the Catholic Lawyers Society with the Monsignor Charles J. Malloy Award, and the UDM School of Law as an honorary member of the Frank Murphy Honor Society. His contributions were also recognized in 2004 by the Senior Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, which established the Charles R. Rutherford Senior Lawyers Leadership Award for leadership within the profession and extensive devotion of time, service and effort to the State Bar.

Rutherford has received alumni awards from the UDM School of Law, the U of D Alumni Association, and the Toledo Waite High School Alumni Association.

He has also been active in his community, serving as an officer and board member of the Legal Aid and Defender Association, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society, Detroit Rotary Club, and the Grosse Pointe Symphony Association. Volunteering his time to others is a way of life for Rutherford. “It’s the way we were raised,” he says. “The idea was always to serve—God, country, community and profession. Besides, it’s fun.”

UDM Board Trustee Christine K. Cortez is the recipient of this year’s Honorary Alumnus Award in recognition of her significant and outstanding contributions of time and commitment to the University and its mission. She currently serves on the Board’s Executive Committee and chairs its Mission Effectiveness Committee. Since joining the Board in 2003, Cortez has utilized her corporate business experience to assist UDM in achieving its strategic goals and ensuring a financially viable institution. She also has engaged Board Trustees in better understanding the University’s mission and how UDM lives that mission through regular mission updates at each Board meeting.

Born and raised in the Detroit area, Cortez received her Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Michigan University in 1976 and an MBA from Wayne State University in 1978. She joined Chrysler Corporation in 1976 and held a variety of positions of increased responsibility. In 2008, she retired as Senior Vice President, Service and Parts, after 31 years with Chrysler. Throughout her career, she was actively involved in creating opportunities for career development and mentoring of future business leaders.

Cortez was recognized for her professional contributions in the Automotive News All Star List in 2003 and 2004, 100 Leading Women list by Automotive News in 2000 and 2005, and with the Distinguished Service Citation from the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2005. Her community service includes chairing the Women’s Initiative for United Way of Southeastern Michigan from 2005 to 2008 and currently tutoring for Oakland Literacy. She also serves as editor of the Lake Angelus city newsletter, and enjoys golfing and participating in her book club and church choir.

“I most appreciate what the University of Detroit Mercy stands for,” says Cortez. “Obviously exceptional education tops the list, but there is also a dedication to develop students who will live their lives reaching out to those around them with a hand of mercy and commitment to justice. That’s what we need to preserve at UDM.”

For more information about the Ignatian Circle Dinner, contact Linda Small. Assoc VP Annual Giving & Alumni Relations at University of Detroit Mercy at 313-993-1538 or smalll@udmercy.edu.

"The Winning Streak" is a heartfelt comedy about a father and son who are being united for the first time. Omar (David Regal), a retired baseball umpire, is contacted by his long lost son Ry (Joel Frazee), who is anxious to discover anything about the man he is supposed to call his father. Through many humorous yet bittersweet meetings, Omar and Ry discover a great deal about each others lives. As the two get acquainted, Omar’s favorite baseball team goes an incredible winning streak which he believes is connected to the arrival of the man claiming to be his son. Find out if baseball and a winning streak can help Omar and Ry’s relationship in this comedy that stresses the need for family in us all.

David Regal, (Hamtramck/Detroit, MI) is a founder of the UDM’s Theatre Company. Graduating from the first MFA class of the Hilberry Theatre at Wayne State University, David took a leading role in developing the Theatre Company at UDM. Regal is currently the Artistic Director of the Theatre Company where he acts, directs and teaches. Regal has performed across the country and has won numerous awards, including Best Actor, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor and the Lee Hills Award. Tim Allen, Keegan Michael Key and David Patrick Kelly, among many others, credit Regal with being their acting coach. David’s other credits include the Artistic Director at Meadowbrook Theatre. David Regal will be directing Bleacher Bums in the 2009-2010 UDM Theatre Company season.

Joel Frazee, (Detroit, MI) is a junior Theatre major at the University of Detroit Mercy and is from Bluffton, Ohio. Joel has been an active member of the UDM Theatre Company with credits including Leo in "And Neither Have I Wing to Fly", Ben in "The Sunshine Boys', Grandpa in "How I Learned To Drive", Howie in "Speech and Debate" and Tiger Brown in "The Threepenny Opera". Directed by Dr. Arthur Beer, "The Winning Streak" opens on September 25 and runs three weekends through October 11. The Theatre Company’s performances are held Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Marygrove Theatre on the campus of Marygrove College, 8425 W. McNichols Rd.

General admission is $15. Admission for senior citizens, UDM and Marygrove faculty, staff, and alumni is $13. Student admission is $9; UDM and Marygrove students pay only $5 with appropriate ID. Please note a $3.00 service fee per order for non-subscribers.

The UDM Theatre Company is proud to announce a new Student Flex Pass. Full-time students at any high school, college or university can purchase a Student Flex Pass. To purchase, you will need a student picture ID card and $20.00. The UDM Theatre Company will take your information off of your ID and use it for the Flex Pass. Each time you come to the Theatre, present your Student ID at the box office and the UDM Theatre Company will look up your information and issue a ticket for admission. Your ID is non-transferable and gives UNLIMITED access to all FIVE (5) UDM Theatre Company productions! With the pass you can see each production as many times as you want. This pass saves students over 50% off the regular student ticket price and the service fees and allows them to see each UDM Theatre Company production. For more information visit us online at theatre.udmercy.edu or facebook.com/udmtheatre.

Over 400-neighborhood children from grades K-5th will attend “Safety Street” this year, dressed in their favorite costumes. UDM students in Halloween attire will distribute candy to the children and also offer free face painting during the event.

To prepare for the event UDM students hold a Safety Street Façade Blowout Party, Oct 29 at 7pm in the Fountain Lounge. Fraternities, sororities, and student groups participate in the fun evening; The School of Dentistry participates by giving out free toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss. The School of Architecture was the first to establish Safety Street for neighborhood children, but the event soon evolved to include the entire UDM community.

For more information regarding the event, contact Student Life at 313-578-0341.

The day will begin at 9 a.m. with registration in the Fountain Lounge of the Student Center Building on the McNichols Campus. Those wishing to attend the Junior/Freshman Visit Day can call 313-993-1245, 1-800-635-5020 or email admissions.events@udmercy.edu.

Engineering faculty members in the first half of their careers who are developing and implementing innovative educational approaches in a variety of disciplines will come together for the 2-1/2-day event, where they can share ideas, learn from research and best practice in education, and leave with a charter to bring about improvement in their home institution. The participants were nominated by fellow engineers or deans and chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants.

"The Frontiers of Engineering Education program will create a unique venue for engineering faculty members to share and explore interesting and effective innovations in teaching and learning,” said NAE President Charles M. Vest. “We intend for FOEE to become a major force in identifying, recognizing, and promulgating advances and innovations in order to build a strong intellectual infrastructure and commitment to 21st-century engineering education.”

The program will focus on effective ways to ensure that students learn the engineering fundamentals, the expanding knowledge base of new technology, and the skills necessary to be an effective engineer or engineering researcher. “In our increasingly global and competitive world, the United States needs to marshal its resources to address the strategic shortfall of engineering leaders in the next decades,” said Edward F. Crawley, Ford Professor of Engineering at MIT, and chairman of the first FOEE.

The goal of the event is alert and educate the University community about better ways to stay healthy and live an active life style. Participants will also be informed about departments on campus and other external organizations that support and help with the advancement of leading healthier lives.

Student Life Health Fair Organizations include:

• University Health Center - Flu Vaccination ($20)
• College of Health Professions (Blood Pressure Screening)
• Public Safety - Staying Safe on campus
• Student Senate - Breast Cancer Awareness
• Personal Counseling Center
• Nutritionist/Health Coach
• Student Life - Staying Fit & Active on Campus
• Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center - Skin Caner Awareness
• Sodexho Dining Services

After the fair, seasonal flu vaccines are available through the University Health Center. For further information regarding flu vaccinations please contact, Deborah Hale, Director of the University Health Center, haledl1@udmercy.edu, (313) 993-1185.

Mutawassim, a Navy veteran puts a unique spin on his poetry by using his musical talent to accompany his words. His rhythm and style are what captivates his audience. The remarkable aspect of his work is that he is self-taught on a variety of instruments.

The poet also goes by a variety of names that he uses to channel his “inner muse,” such as Detroit Bleu, AnkHeru Amen, Lord RaShango Adamah Khan, and SevenHand. His work incorporates the world of dreams, fantasies, and harsh realities. He has currently released two albums, “Gypsy Brew” and” Night Blossom,” under his name of Detroit Bleu. Mutawassim uses his daily motto for inspiration: “Time is irrelevant…there is only the compassion of the random abstract.”

His work can be found on the following social network pages:

• www.myspace.com/detbleu
• www.myspace.com/lordkhan
• www.myspace.com/ankheruamen
• www.myspace.com/sevenhandmaster

The poetry event is free and open to the public. Broadside Press Poets' Theater events are held on UDM's McNichols Campus the third Sunday of each month. For more information, contact Rosemary Weatherston, director, Dudley Randall Center for Print Culture at weatherr@udmercy.edu.

A panel of UDM faculty will address these questions and many more at the third semi-annual Honors Symposium on Wednesday, October 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ford Life Science Building, Room 113 on the McNichols campus.

A moderated discussion will take place where both sides of the health care debate will be represented. The symposium debaters will be R. Michael Canjar, professor, math and computer science; Lori Glenn, nursing clinical track instructor; Martin Leever, associate professor – chair, philosophy,: Molly McClelland, Todd Ray, assistant professor, Health Services/Health Services Administration; and Dr. Prasad Venugopal, associate professor, physics. Audience members are strongly encouraged to take an active participatory role in the debate.

For more information, contact David R. Koukal, Ph.D., honors program director and associate professor of philosophy at 313-993-1138 or koukaldr@udmercy.edu..

This years’s symposium is entitled “The Design of Experiences and the Use of Design Thinking as Tools to Develop and Deliver against Strategic Business Goals” The keynote speaker for the event is Iain Roberts, associate partner of IDEO, a design and innovation firm in the firm’s Chicago office.

Based in Palo Alto, California, IDEO helps design products, services, environments, and digital experiences for businesses. Additionally, the company has become increasingly involved in management consulting.

Roberts graduated with an MA in Industrial Design Engineering from the Royal College of Art and Bachelors in Aeronautical Engineering from Southampton University. His duties include building client relationships across industries, which include telecommunications, consumer electronics, transportation and financial services. He also works with project teams on designs that are relevant to the consumer public.

His talk will include the strategies used to comply with specific business goals. His work with AT&T and the in-vehicle experience with Ford prove him to be an expert in the field.

At the symposium, winners will also be announced from the UDM/Ford Innovation Contest.  The contest challenged full-time UDM undergraduate students from all majors to develop a three-minute digital presentation for a possible Ford SYNC system application. The contest teams were judged by leaders at Ford and IDEO, UDM faculty and a member of the automotive media.

For more information, contact Melanie Dara at 313-993-1218, or by email at darame@udmercy.edu.

Student Competitions

• Catapult, How far can you fling it?
• Egg Drop, How far can it fall before it breaks?
• Jeopardy, Move over Alex...Teams compete on math, physics, chemistry, computers, biology and general science questions. Moderated by former UDM Professor Kevin Olmstead, winner of $2.18 million on ABC's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"
• King of the Hill, Makes its debut!
• Rube Goldberg, You invent the perfect machine!
• Screaming Contest, How loud can you scream?
• Toothpick Bridge, How much weight will it hold?

Other activities for Tech Day include the annual Chemistry Magic Show, sponsored by the students and faculty of the University's Chemistry Club, as well as an array of displays from local companies and departments throughout the College of Engineering and Science and Chemistry buildings and Calihan Hall.

An awards presentation will wrap up the day at 12:00 p.m. in Calihan Hall to award the winners of the various competitions. All registered school students will receive a free Tech Day t-shirt for participating in the event.

This year, UDM is fortunate to thank BASF and DENSO for sponsoring Technology Discovery Day.

For more information about the event, please contact Dan Maggio at 313-993-1435 or go to http://eng-sci.udmercy.edu/precol/techday.html

The contest was established by Ford Motor Company and Microsoft to challenge UDM students in creating unique new applications for the SYNC Bluetooth system.

Teams consisted of three to five full-time undergraduate students from all majors. Each team was asked to create a three-minute video in simulation form that presented the SYNC application they had created. The panel of judges consisted of leaders from Ford and IDEO, a design and innovation consultancy firm, UDM faculty members and a Detroit automotive journalist.

The winning teams are as follows:

First Place—“Architects!!!”

Jeffrey Harris (Troy, MI)

            Christopher Petzak (Rockford, MI)

            Dean Storm (Royal Oak, MI)

            Derek Wendt (Grand Rapids, MI)

Second Place—“Two EE, Two ME, One Business”

            Hernan Garza (Detroit, MI)

            Robert Isley (Milford, Mi)

            Mike Popovski (Shelby Township, MI)

            Ryan Richards (Grosse Pointe Woods, mi)

            Tom Lorenzo (Avon, OH)

Third Place—Unnamed Team

            John Dwyer (Novi, MI)

            Jordan Houtby (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)

            Russel Kovar (Fort Gratiot, MI)

            Jeremy Stoychoff (Canton, MI)

Prizes included a two-day visit to IDEO in Chicago and a two-day immersion in Ford’s Special Vehicle Team.

In conjunction with this project, UDM students, faculty and staff are also been asked to participate in their own “United We Serve” projects in Detroit.

Students can volunteer at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen at 4390 Conner St. in Detroit on October 21, 2009 from 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. Students who volunteer may fulfill their service-learning course requirements.

UDM faculty and staff will volunteer their time at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen at 1264 Meldrum St. in Detroit on Friday, Oct. 23, and Friday, Oct. 30, 2009 from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

For more information, please contact David Nantais, director of UDM's Leadership Development Institute at 313-993-2003.

In each performance of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee", four different audience volunteers will be chosen to participate in the actual spelling bee live on stage making each performance unique! Volunteer spellers are encouraged to arrive to the theatre 30 minutes prior to curtain on the day of the performance to sign up to be selected to spell. Along with the four volunteer spellers are Darrius Washington (Detroit, MI) as Chip Tolentino, Anne C. Di Iorio (Farmington Hills, MI) as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere, Maxwell C. Bolton (Birmingham, MI) as Leaf Coneybear, Joel A. Frazee (Bluffton, OH) as William Barfee, Catherine Dacpano Menzies (Macomb, MI) as Marcy Park and Susan Boonenberg (Dearborn, MI) as Olive Ostrovsky. Erica Cole (Detroit, MI) as Rona Lisa Perretti and Steven Ploe (Detroit, MI) as Vice Principal Douglas Panch will monitor the Spelling Bee making sure all of the words are spelled correctly. The Spelling Bee will also feature Dez Walker (Royal Oak, MI) as Mitch Mahoney and Olive’s Dad, Angel Shakespeare (Farmington, MI) as Olive’s Mom, Rob Hammond (Troy, MI) as Carl Grubenierre, Emmanuel Carter (Inkster, MI) as Dan Schwarz and Chris Jakob (Detroit, MI) as Jesus Christ.

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" has music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin. The play was conceived by Rebecca Feldman with additional material by Jay Reiss. The Detroit production is directed by Greg Grobis and musical direction by Shawn McDonald. The creative team includes David Regal (Artistic Director), Melinda Pacha (Costume Design), Mark Choinski (Scenic Design), Kathleen Lanphear (Lighting Design), Matthew Lira (Stage Manager) and Hannah Reddy (Asst. Stage Manager).

Tickets for "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" are $20 for general admission, $16 for discount admission (senior citizens, UDM and Marygrove faculty, staff, and alumni), $13 for students and $9 for UDM and Marygrove students. Please note a $3.00 service fee per order for non-subscribers.

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" performances are Nov. 13 through 22, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Marygrove Theatre on the campus of Marygrove College, 8425 W. McNichols Rd Detroit MI 48221. The Theatre Company’s box office is located in Reno Hall on the University of Detroit Mercy McNichols campus. Hours of operation are noon through 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. The box office will move on the day of the performance to the Marygrove Theatre and will open 45 minutes prior to curtain. For tickets, call the theatre box office at 313-993-3270 or reserve your tickets online at http://theatre.udmercy.edu.

The honorees were recognized for giving back time and resources to the University in many different ways, helping it flourish and grow. The 13  inductees are:

• 
• Joseph A. Berkowski ’51 (awarded posthumously)
  University Registrar and Director of Admissions
• Catherine A. Caraher, Ph.D. ’53, '62
  Retired Professor of History, University of Detroit Mercy
• Rev. Malcolm T. Carron, S.J. ’39 (awarded posthumously)
  President, University of Detroit
• Gretchen Elliott, RSM ’66
  Retired Sr. Vice President for Mission Integration, Trinity Health
• Thomas A. Emmet, Ph.D. ’54
  Consultant and Founder, Higher Education Executive Associates
• Margaret A. Farley, RSM ’57, '60
  Retired Gilbert L. Stark Professor Emerita of Christian Ethics, Yale University
• Emily George, RSM ’58 (awarded posthumously)
  President, Mercy College of Detroit
• Jerome P. Horwitz ’42, ’44
  Retired Professor Emeritus, School of Medicine, Wayne State University
• Charles S. Kassab ’54 (awarded posthumously)
  Chairman, CEO and President, Huntington Bankshares of Michigan
• Marilyn Fisher Lundy ’46
  Retired President and CEO of Matrix Human Services
• Susanne O. McMillan ’58
  Community Activist, Detroit, Michigan
• John R. Mulroy ’39 (awarded posthumously)
  Vice President, Community Relations, University of Detroit
• Milford E. Woodbeck, Sr. ’33, '38 (awarded posthumously)
  Chairman, Overhead Conveyor Company, Inc.

Photos of the 13 individuals are now included in the new Hall of Honor, which is located on the main floor of the Briggs Building, McNichols Campus.

The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law will host a social networking workshop on Thursday, October 29, 2009, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the atrium of the law school located at 651 E. Jefferson Avenue in downtown Detroit.  The event is co-sponsored by the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Barristers and is open to all attorneys and law students.

Amanda C. Ellis, a national expert on attorney job placement, marketing, and business development will be the event’s keynote speaker.    Ellis’ presentation entitled, “The 6Ps of the Big 3:  Using Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for Job Searching and Business Development” will provide an overview of how attorneys and law students can effectively use these three most popular social networking sites.

“The 6Ps” of the presentation are:  Purpose; Picture; Profile: Privacy: Professional Use; and Phone Applications.  The workshop will include many specific examples of how to use these sites and the various benefits they can provide attendees who are searching for an attorney position or wish to develop and market their legal practice.

The speaker is founder of Amanda Ellis Legal Search and a former practicing bankruptcy attorney and legal recruiter.  She was previously with Special Counsel, the largest provider of legal staffing services to corporate legal departments and law firms nationwide, where she was the top producer for direct hire attorney placements.  She formed Amanda Ellis Legal Search to implement a focused approach to legal recruiting and attorney placement nationwide, with expertise in relocation to another state or legal market.

For more information about the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, visit www.law.udmercy.edu.

Contact:

Denise Hickey,
Assistant Dean of Alumni Relations and Special Projects
Phone: (313) 596-0202
E-mail: hickeydp@udmercy.edu

The treatment will be performed by volunteer endodontist professionals in the community and dental faculty from the UDM Dental School. The endo residents and staff will be available to help in the clinic. The school will also be the donate disposable clinic supplies and endo supplies.

For further information, contact Linda Wells, Assistant Dean for Clinic Administration at 313-494-6751 or by email at wellslm@udmercy.edu.

Hon. Denise Langford Morris was appointed to the Oakland County Circuit Court in August 1992. She was then elected in 1994 and re-elected in 2000 and 2006. Prior to her appointment, Morris's private practice focused on civil and criminal litigation. She also is a former Oakland County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and a former Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. Morris is a member of the Michigan Judges Association and the National Bar Association Judicial Council. 

Morris received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Wayne State University and her J.D. from University of Detroit School of Law. She has mentored many students throughout the years and volunteered her time in the "Ernie Goodman Civil Rights Mock Trial Tournament.”

Derrick Kuzak is group vice president, Global Product Development for Ford Motor Company. He has overall responsibility for all aspects of the company's Product Development System and reports directly to Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer of the company. Kuzak also reports to Mark Fields, executive vice president of Ford.

 In this role, Kuzak leads a team responsible for delivering on the company's promise of delivering more products people want with greater efficiency for Ford around the world. He began the global role in December 2006. Prior to that, Kuzak joined the America’s leadership team in August 2005, when he was named vice president, North America Engineering. In this role, he was responsible for engineering signoff of all North American vehicles and had direct responsibility for key commodities and common platform parts. Kuzak joined Ford in 1978 as research engineer.

He holds both B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Detroit, where he also earned a doctorate in Systems Engineering.

He was named UDM Engineering Alumnus of the Year in 2009 from the College of Engineering and Science. “Kuzak was chosen for his exceptional professional contributions to the auto industry, Ford Motor Company and the profession of engineering,” said Leo Hanifin, dean of UDM's College of Engineering & Science, and director of the Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center.

Terence V. Page is a partner with Hardy, Lewis & Page, P.C., a professional corporation of attorneys, representing a wide variety of both private and public clients. The 40-year-old firm handles complex trial and appellate litigation in both the State and Federal courts, representing management in an employment-related practice, as well as practicing corporate law, real estate, tax, probate, personal injury, business planning and estate planning.

Page earned his undergraduate degree in Accounting, law degree and Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Detroit. He has been a strong supporter of Titan athletics for many years, and was named to the Titan Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.

Hilda Vest, will be performing songs from her new book entitled Homehouse: Memoir of a Southern Childhood. She will be showcasing her vocal talents to convey the message of her writing. Detroiter Albert M. Ward will also be performing songs from his new CD entitled “About Love, Sometimes”. His music is a mixture of jazz and poetry.

The evening will also feature a special vocal jazz performance by local artist Sumarah Smith and evening with open mic afterwards. Complimentary refreshments will also be served.

The Broadside Press Poet’s Theatre has helped promote African American literature since 1965, allowing Detroiters an outlet to express themselves through the printed word. Broadside has been able to develop many literary projects by creating new linkages with organizations such as the Detroit Public Library and the Young Writer’s Institute for Teens.

The naming of the Center after Dudley Randall reflects not only the University’s great respect for a poet and a publisher who literally transformed the face of American Literature, but also, our commitment to continuing his vision of the written word as a living art form intimately connected to community and to self-determination; as well as our commitment to continuing his vision of publishing as a vehicle for building relationships and for promoting cultural critique. Dudley Randall was a great inspiration to generations of writers, readers, and community activists.

The event is free and open to the public. Broadside Press Poets' Theater meets on UDM's McNichols Campus the third Sunday of each month. For more information, contact Rosemary Weatherston, director, Dudley Randall Center for Print Culture at weatherr@udmercy.edu.

• Ford Motor Company has joined forces with the University of Detroit Mercy to retrain traditional automotive engineers to develop electric vehicles of the future
• Ford and UDM created a graduate-level curriculum that emphasizes core electric and hybrid vehicle engineering expertise, such as power electronics, power flow, energy management and system architecture
• Ford is retraining engineers to meet the growth in demand for hybrid and electric vehicles; Ford has announced plans to deliver four new electrified vehicles by 2012, including a electric Transit Connect van next year, an electric Focus compact in 2011 and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and next generation hybrid vehicle in 2012
• The UDM program developed with Ford will be open to engineers across the automotive and defense industries

The UDM program will supplement Ford’s internal electrical engineering training courses as the company retrains its own employees to deliver the company’s aggressive electric vehicle product strategy. The course series, which begins in January 2010, is designed to advance the knowledge and capabilities of technological team members in the automotive and defense ground vehicle industries.

“The era of electric vehicles is here and it’s critical that we meet this technology challenge by retraining our engineers with a broad range of new skills and competencies,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of Global Product Development. “This program, together with internal training, will support Ford’s aggressive plans to roll out electric and hybrid vehicles in the coming years.”

Ford engineers are already at work developing three distinct types of electrified vehicles – hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure battery electric vehicles. The vehicles include:

• Transit Connect battery electric commercial van in 2010
• Focus battery electric passenger car in 2011
• Next-generation hybrid vehicle in 2012
• Plug-in hybrid in 2012

Kuzak added that the magnitude of the training program will be similar to the educational programs undertaken by Ford during the late 1980s when mechanical engineers were trained on electrical engineering.

The UDM Advanced Electric Vehicle Program will begin with the first group comprised of current engineers from Ford and its suppliers. Team members will apply the program’s coursework in developing the next generation of electric and hybrid vehicles. Approximately 125 Ford engineers will participate in the program over the next several years.

“We recognize a greater need for our teams to have access to increase their knowledge of electrical, mechanical, chemical and software engineering.” said Nancy Gioia, Ford’s director of Global Electrification. “Ford has a large team of talented and dedicated engineers that are energized by the technological sea change we are seeing happen now in the industry.”

The UDM courses are supplementary to Ford’s internal online training programs in battery cells and electrochemistry, power-split controls, regenerative braking, calibration and commodity planning.

UDM has created seven new courses that are directly responsive to the training needs of Ford and the entire automotive and defense ground vehicles industries, said Dr. Leo E. Hanifin, dean of UDM’s College of Engineering & Science.

“The competencies achieved by these courses will enable teams from automotive OEMs and suppliers to develop the electric and hybrid vehicles that will keep the global leadership of the auto industry for this critical segment of the world’s transportation future right here in southeastern Michigan,” said Hanifin.

Engineers in this program will select five of the seven newly created courses that are designed by “competency teams of Ford and UDM experts” to deploy the most current technology, strategies, methods and tools emerging from universities, corporations and national laboratories.

These five courses will be completed in one calendar year. Most courses will be offered at the Ford Training and Development Center in Dearborn; others with laboratory experiences will be provided at UDM’s McNichols campus in Detroit. The Advanced Electric Vehicle Program courses include:

• Introduction to Advanced Electric Vehicles
• Controls Modeling and Design for Electric Vehicles
• Energy Storage Systems
• Power Electronics for Electric Vehicles
• Electric Drives/Electromechanical Energy Conversion
• Innovation and System Architecture for Electric Vehicles
• System Engineering for Electric Vehicles

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 200,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

About The University of Detroit Mercy
The University of Detroit Mercy is Michigan’s largest private Catholic University, with approximately 100 academic majors and programs. Sponsored by the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy, the University has campuses located in downtown and northwest Detroit. UDM is one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities and the largest of 18 Mercy institutions of higher education in the United States.

Team SEALE consisted of electrical engineering students Ray Slowik, Ali Ashgar and Jun Chen, along with mechanical engineering students Mark Fazi and Obafemi “Femi” Osunfisan. Their faculty advisors were UDM professors Sandy Yost, Mohan Krishnan and Nassif Rayess. SEALE serves as an acronym for the team’s project: Stability Enhanced Assistive Lift for the Elderly. The robotic device they created was built to assist physically challenged or disabled individuals to transition from a seated position to standing.

The UDM students were awarded a check for $2,000 along with a plaque for their efforts. Eleven teams competed in the competition, 10 from the United States and one from Mexico. The KERN Entrepreneurship Education Network grant and the RICC conference sponsored the travel and parts that were used for the competition.

For more in-depth information, rules and contact information, visit the RICC web site at http://ricc.wpi.edu/index.html.

UDM encourages high school students, whether they have applied or not, to learn all about the academic programs available, financial aid and scholarships, meet current UDM students and parents, and receive a tour of the McNichols campus.

The tours will be lead by current UDM students and will be coordinated by those in the same areas of academic interest. A tour of the freshman residence hall will also be available at the end for students interested in living on campus,

To apply for admission, students will need to bring a completed application (or complete one on-site) with high school transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores. Students can receive an admission decision on-site and the application fee will be waived for all participants.

For more information, visit the UDM Admissions web site, http://www.udmercy.edu/apply/ or call the admissions office at (800) 635-5020.