John M. Staudenmaier, S.J.

This UDMcast features John M. Staudenmaier, S.J., UDM's assistant to the president for Mission and Identity, speaking on the occasion of being honored with the Leonardo da Vinci Medal by the Society for the History of Technology, an international organization dedicated to the historical study of technology and its relations with politics, economics, the environment, science and the arts.  The highest recognition from the Society, the Medal is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the history of technology, through research, teaching, publications and other activities.

Fr. Staudenmaier used the occasion to to talk about "several deep loves in my life," in particular, what he calls his prayer life, and his commitment to the secular academy.  The talk and the autobiographical stories it includes provisionally describe "how my prayer life and the academy are present in my self-awareness as two commitments that do not, however, live in schizoid compartments, nor does either trump the other."

Staudenmaier says the lecture was an appropriate venue to respond to a question written to him by Leo Marx in 1991, after a presentation by Staudenmaier, titled "What happened to the holy dark in the West?," had provoked some intense anger among attendees at a conference.  Marx pointed out that Staudenmaier had invoked "mysticism, the holy dark and even the Jesuits and Ignatius himself" at MIT, a place where these had long been directly linked with "a dire view of an inquisitional, dogmatic repressive absolutist church which we children of the Enlightenment grew up with and which I for one cannot wholly repudiate."

But Marx went on to raise the question which, twenty years later, Staudenmaier used to frame this talk.  Marx wrote, "Sooner or later you owe it to your secular friends and colleagues to say where and how faith makes a real difference in how we and you think.  Surely it must, or you would in effect be encouraging a trivialization of faith. Isn't there just a faint conspiracy (between you and your secular friends) to glide over that rock bottom distinction?"

Staudenmaier addresses that rock bottom distinction between faith and the academy in this UDMcast.

Staudenmaier's talk is preceded by excerpts of the introduction by Arne Kaijser, former president of the Society for the History of Technology, and 2011 chair of the Leonardo da Vinci Medal Committee (about two and a half minutes).

On Nov. 3, 2011, leaders from Ford Motor Company and University of Detroit Mercy joined together to celebrate innovation and collaboration on Ford Innovation Day, this year as part of UDM’s Engineering Centennial year. Ford and UDM continues to highlight technical innovation with the third annual Ford-UDM Innovation Contest for university students.

Alan Mulally

The videos available include the presentations given by Alan Mulally and Derrick Kuzak of Ford Motor Company.  President and CEO of Ford Motor Company Alan Mulally gave an update on the company and gave detailed answers to several questions from the audience.

View Alan Mulally's talk on UDM's YouTube channel.

Derrick Kuzak '73, '74, '76

University alumnus Derrick Kuzak, group vice president for Global Product Development at Ford Motor Company, gave a presentation on Ford's strategy of intentionally and continually creating and rolling out innovative technologies for Ford's vehicles.  View Kuzak's presentation below.

University of Detroit Mercy broke ground on a new 40,000 square-foot Student Fitness Center on the McNichols Campus, on Sept. 22. The Center will feature a two-court gymnasium for recreation and intramural sports such as basketball, volleyball, badminton and floor hockey; an elevated three-lane track; a group exercise room; men's and women's lockers rooms and restrooms; a lobby and student lounge and snack bar.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, UDM leaders gave remarks, led prayers and blessed the site before digging the ceremonial first shovel-fulls of dirt for the project, expected to be completed in 2012.

At the Sept. 23 groundbreaking, from left: Student Senate President Alvin Ford, Jr., UDM President Antoine M. Garibaldi, Associate Vice President for Facilities Management Tamara Batcheller, and UDM Trustee William C. Young.

Donald DiPaolo, associate professor of Education, speaks with new UDM students about the transition to college and signs of leadership, during the 2011 First-Year Experience Convocation.  DiPaolo uses road signs to spark an entertaining and thought-provoking discussion.

Listen to the UDMcast audio of DiPaolo's presentation, "Signs of Leadership," which covers a wide range of issues for new college students to consider about the meaning and potential of the college years of their lives.

UDM President Antoine M. Garibaldi was invited to be a guest on the WTVS program American Black Journal (ABJ), to discuss the challenges and rewards of having a university in the city of Detroit.

Garibaldi was interviewed by ABJ host Stephen Henderson, Detroit Free Press editorial page editor.

Mark Reuss, General Motors president of North America, gave the presentation, "The New GM," at UDM on March 16, 2011. Reuss discussed what GM has done to help turn itself around, including GM's recent accomplishments.

University alumnus Michael DiGiovanni '70, '72, former GM executive director of Strategic Marketing, also led a discussion with Reuss and the audience in which topics such as GM's post-bankruptcy recovery, Detroit's comeback, Reuss' professional experiences, and the effects of the March 2011 Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear tragedy.

The Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), was introduced in late 2010 as the most fuel-efficient HEV sold in the U.S.  According to General Motors, the Volt can travel 25 to 50 miles on battery alone, and the EPA rated the car as achieving 60 miles per gallon in combined gas/electric driving.

Posawatz has worked at GM for over 25 years.  He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at Wayne State University and a Master of Business Administration from Dartmouth College. Posawartz, a Michigan-licensed professional engineer, holds a number of professional distinctions and worked as a GM quality engineer, production foreman, plant area manager and finance director with the corporate finance staff.

Dan Mulhern is a successful management consultant, executive coach, expert on leadership and husband of former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. Mulhern visited McNichols Campus on Jan. 27, 2011 to talk about leading and mentoring with students in UDM's Emerging Leaders program, with his presentation, "Everyday Leadership: Leading and Mentoring with Your Best Self."

Mulhern was presented by UDM's Institute for Leadership and Service, the College of Liberal Arts & Education Dean's Advisory Board and Alumni Council, the Industrial/Organizational Psychology M.A. Program, the Office of Academic Services and the Office of Academic Affairs.

Dan Mulhern is a successful management consultant, executive coach, expert on leadership and husband of former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. Mulhern visited McNichols Campus on Jan. 27, 2011 to give a public talk about leading and mentoring, entitled "Everyday Leadership: Leading and Mentoring with Your Best Self."

(Mulhern also spoke separately with UDM students.  For his student-centered presentation, see that UDMcast.)

Mulhern was presented by UDM's Institute for Leadership and Service, the College of Liberal Arts & Education Dean's Advisory Board and Alumni Council, the Industrial/Organizational Psychology M.A. Program, the Office of Academic Services and the Office of Academic Affairs.