The University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture celebrated the first anniversary of the Master of Community Development program (MCD), Feb. 15 in the Warren Loranger Architecture Building. Many of the Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC) projects were also on display. The evening began with a reception, prior to the keynote address by David O. Egner from the Hudson-Webber Foundation.

MCD is a new graduate program that takes a one-of-a-kind approach to the theory and practice of building sustainable communities. The 36-credit program integrates human, economic, physical and organizational development into its core curriculum, and full-time and part-time students can expect to complete the program in two to three years. Graduates of MCD will become leaders in their field and be recognized as experts in sustainable community development in the public, private, corporate, not-for-profit and institutional sectors. The program graduated its first student earlier this month: TyShaun A. Bland (pictured).

"We are pleased to celebrate the first anniversary of the MCD program," says William S. Wittig, associate professor of Architecture and MCD co-director. "We feel strongly that this unique, interdisciplinary program is grounded by our core philosophy of service, social justice and sustainability. It is an excellent example of one of the ways that the University of Detroit Mercy lives out our mission to develop tomorrow's community leaders," he adds.