Class of ’26: Transfer student finds community, perspective at Detroit Mercy

Each year, University of Detroit Mercy’s Marketing & Communications department profiles members of the graduating class. Students chosen were nominated by staff and faculty for their contributions to the life of the University. Visit our Commencement webpage for more information about 2026 commencement exercises.

Sara Shannan used to think it was unnecessary to walk across the stage after earning your degree.

But while attending University of Detroit Mercy, her opinion changed.

“When I finished school here, I was like, ‘Yeah, I'm going to walk for the ceremony,’” she said.

On May 9, Shannan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Detroit Mercy.

Shannan’s journey to pursuing a Computer Science degree began with a passion to help people.

“I like to do things that have value and I feel like healthcare has the utmost value, since health is what people care about most,” she explained.

Shannan realized early that the medical side of healthcare was not for her.

However, after working as freelance web editor, writing technical articles and learning about coding, she identified a path forward.

“I wanted to have an opportunity to work on the technical side of healthcare and software engineering was the way to do it,” she said.

Originally from Gaza, Shannan came to the United States six years ago after marrying her husband, who had already been living here.

She initially spent two years taking programming courses at Henry Ford College in Dearborn, before solidifying her desire for a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

“I was doing well and the professors were telling me I’m a natural,” she recalled. “So, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is it.’”

By January 2023, she had applied and enrolled in Detroit Mercy as a transfer student with the help of the Jesuit Founders Full-Tuition Scholarship.

“It was an opportunity that I could not miss and UDM was one of my top three choices for schools to attend,” she explained.

Detroit Mercy’s Computer Science program exceeded Shannon’s expectations academically.

“I did not really value what education is until I came to Detroit Mercy,” she said. “I’ve seen how much thought they put into the curriculum, research and even simple things like submitting your homework.”

But as an older student and mother of young children, it was the support from faculty and staff that left the biggest impact.

“It was difficult trying to balance everything, but the professors were always understanding,” she said. “They were my community that I really needed, and I appreciate them for that.”

This was particularly true in October 2023, when her family home was destroyed during the war in Gaza.

“It was very emotionally devastating for me, my family, my dad and my sisters, and everybody who was there,” she said.

As the oldest of nine, Shannon struggled to focus on schoolwork when family members in Gaza were just trying to survive.

She considered dropping out of school at the time, but Mina Maleki, director and associate professor of Computer Science, gave her the support she needed to continue.

“She was like a friend to me, honestly, in that moment,” she said.

Maleki helped Shannan adjust her schedule to be able to take the winter 2024 semester off.

During her break from school, Shannan pulled family members out of Gaza to live with her and welcomed a second child.

When she returned for her final semesters of college, it was a small but mighty village of her parents, two sisters and husband that helped her maintain a workable schedule.

“They were always babysitting my kids, my mom was always making me food, my sisters would always come and help me with the home,” she said. “And my biggest supporter was my husband.”

Shannan’s most consistent pillar of strength, however, was always her Muslim faith.

“It was very valuable when things got hectic,” she said. “It helped me get back on track and stay focused.”

Attending a Catholic university grounded in Jesuit and Mercy traditions gave her the space to exercise that faith earnestly, even among those of different beliefs.

“My faith is my number one priority in my life, so It was comforting to be at a school surrounded by people who value faith in the same way,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Shannan maintained a GPA above 3.9 and remained committed to helping people through technology, as reflected through her senior capstone project.

She worked with clients to create a mobile app that makes it easier for patients with long term diseases to manage and book their frequent appointments.

“That felt like a real-life experience and especially in a field that I'm really interested in that gives value to other people's lives,” she said.

This summer, Shannan will continue gaining experience, through an internship with Associate Professor Phillip Olla in the Center for Augmenting Intelligence in Urban Health at UDM.

She will be managing their website and analyzing some of their scientific studies.

As Shannan closes this chapter of her education, it is the care from the professors that will continue to define for her what it means to have quality education.

“The professors were always trying to improve on the knowledge they have and best methods to use,” she said. “Any university that truly cares about students and helping them utilize the right tools to be able to move on with their lives and succeed is a university you want to be at.”

In the end, Shannan did walk across the stage because the moment was more than the exchange of a piece of paper.

It symbolized the hard work, support and partnership that she received from the University and her community that helped propel her to reach her educational dreams.