News Release
UDM's School of Architecture Dean to Step Down From Position To Teach and Consult
University of Detroit Mercy's School of Architecture Dean Stephen Vogel has decided to step down from his position, effective May 15, 2011, to focus on full-time teaching and consulting in UDM's School of Architecture, following a one-year sabbatical. Vogel came to UDM in 1993 from the architecture firm of Schervish Vogel Merz, PC, where he was a founding principal. His projects at this firm included multi-family housing, adaptive re-use, historic preservation, urban design and master planning and large scale, mixed-income communities.
During his time as dean, Vogel focused on the School of Architecture’s mission to educate future architects with a commitment to build sustainable communities and to provide service to the community. Under his leadership, the School was also named as one of only six architecture schools in the country recognized for social justice in Design Intelligence magazine. In 1993, he co-founded the Detroit Collaborative Design Center to offer University-based design services to non-profit civic and community organizations, which became a model for design centers in the U.S. and has received national and international recognition.
Additional accomplishments during his time as dean include raising more than $10 million in individual and firm donations and foundation grants, raising funds and heading up the renovation for the majority of the Warren Loranger Architecture Building, initiating the development of the Master of Community Development degree and reorganization of the Digital Media Studies degree, increasing enrollment to its highest levels in the School’s history and increasing student ACT scores by 3 points, as well as many other achievements.
Vogel has also been recognized nationally for his expertise in urban design—he has given many presentations and published extensively on the topic. Vogel and his firm have received a number of honors for his work from the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Release date: April 10, 2011
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The University of Detroit Mercy is Michigan's largest private Catholic University, offering 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 three campuses located in downtown and northwest Detroit.
For the 12th consecutive year, UDM was ranked among the top tier of Midwestern master's universities in U.S.News & World Report's "Best Colleges," 2013 edition.
