Detroit Mercy Campus Connection

August 22, 2017

Faculty and staff return and celebrate at President's Convocation

This year's Agere ex Missione Awards were presented to School of Architecture Business Manager Brigette Murphy-Barbee and Clinical Track Associate Professor Carmen Stokes for their commitment to University of Detroit Mercy's mission.University faculty and staff always get excited at the annual President's Convocation, planning another year ahead for our students on campus. The president addressed several academic, campus and community initiatives currently underway, and recent retirees were celebrated, while new colleagues were welcomed.

This year's Agere ex Missione Awards were presented to School of Architecture Business Manager Brigette Murphy-Barbee (pictured left) and Clinical Track Associate Professor Carmen Stokes (pictured right) for their commitment to University of Detroit Mercy's mission.

Faculty award recipients were also announced: Professor of Biology Mary Tracy-Bee received the Faculty Excellence Award and Associate Professor of Psychology Kristen Abraham received the Faculty Achievement Award. They will be recognized at the Faculty Recognition Awards Celebration this fall.

Faculty and Staff annual Softball game

Following lunch, colleagues participated in an exciting softball game at Buysse Ballpark and played board games in the McNichols Library. See the photo gallery online.

Lawn Games on campus

Ike McKinnon street dedication

Isaiah

Professor of Education Isaiah "Ike" McKinnon, who is also the former Detroit Chief of Police and Detroit Deputy Mayor, had a street in downtown Detroit named in his honor, Aug. 15. See highlights from the ceremony, the full presentation and photos from the event.

Alumni shout out: Keegan-Michael Key

Keegan-Michael Key on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Thanks to Keegan-Michael Key for the two mentions of his alma mater on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last week. On the show, Keegan spoke with Fallon about his longtime acting goals and played a truth game with actress Leslie Jones.

Detroit Mercy makes Time.com list

McNichols Campus aerial

Time.com ranks Detroit Mercy 26th on the list of "The 46 Best Colleges for Getting Big Merit Scholarships." Detroit Mercy has one of the highest early career earnings for students who graduate and work in their field. Read the full list online.

Director of Language & Cultural Training receives Fulbright-Hays grant

Detroit Mercy’s Fulbright Hays Group Project Abroad to Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, July of 2016 at Yoruba Community and School. Pictured from left to right are: Dr. Roy Finkenbine (Detroit Mercy); Dr. Alan Grigg (Detroit Mercy); Karen Russell (Edison Elementary School, Detroit); Dr. Renady Hightower (Detroit Mercy); William Bowles (Western International High School, Detroit); Lara Wasner (Detroit Mercy); Alana Wynes (University Preparatory Academy, Detroit); Regina Elamri (Chandler Park Academy, Detroit); Dr. Gail Presbey (Detroit Mercy); Dr. Kamasi Hill (Evanston Twp High School, Evanston Twp. Ill.); Rachael Walker (Renaissance High School); Erika Stowall (Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences, Detroit).

University of Detroit Mercy Director of Language & Cultural Training Lara Wasner received a $93,252 grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program. Wasner will use this grant to facilitate a curriculum enhancement project for University faculty and Detroit K-12 teachers of arts and social sciences. Read the full story online.

Celebrate Spirit! Logo

Celebrate Spirit!, Sept. 14

All Detroit Mercy students, faculty, staff and administrators are encouraged to attend the annual Celebrate Spirit!, Thursday, Sept. 14. Celebrate Spirit! is the official welcome to the new school year, and will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Student Fitness Center, featuring Mass celebrant Thomas Florek, S.J. The School of Dentistry has produced a video, "Driven to Serve," as the keynote presentation this year.

Following the Mass, a picnic and the Student Organization Fair will be held around the Fisher Fountain. The McNichols Campus class schedule will be changed that day to accommodate Celebrate Spirit! attendance. See the Celebrate Spirit! website for more information.

Celebrate Spirit! 2017 is co-sponsored by University Ministry and the School of Dentistry, celebrating the 85th anniversary of Detroit Mercy Dental's founding.

Student Complaint and Resolution Center website available

Last academic year, a Student Complaint and Resolution Center website was developed to fulfill Department of Education requirements and provide a resource for students, allowing them to file a complaint that is non-academic in nature. This site is not intended to address student academic or grievance and appeal issues, but rather to provide a forum to allow a student to bring a complaint forward that can be addressed by the appropriate office. Faculty and staff are encouraged to refer students to this site when appropriate.

The site also offers specific information and links to the Whistleblower Policy, Title IX information and accrediting agencies that are not part of the Student Complaint and Resolution Center focus.

City of Detroit Homecoming, Sept. 13-15

University of Detroit Mercy is proud to be one of the many sponsors of the city's Homecoming event, Sept. 13-15. Detroit Homecoming is a three-day event organized by Crain's Detroit Business that brings former Detroiters back to the city each year to get them to re-engage with the city — and consider investing in Detroit. There are a host of invitation-only and other public events taking place. Detroit-born comedian Lily Tomlin will be honored during the festivities. Speakers this year include developer and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, Golden State Warriors Forward Draymond Green and TaskRabbit CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot.

Don't forget to keep the homecoming party alive with Detroit Mercy's Homecoming Weekend, set for Sept. 29 & 30. The celebration is open to all; young and old, students and alumni, neighbors and out-of-towners, we want everyone to feel at home.

Thumbs Up!

Associate Professor of Law Julia Belian was highlighted in the Michigan Lawyers Weekly article, "Summer highlights quirks of lake laws," Aug. 7. Michigan Lawyers Weekly has a printed version, as well as online with subscription.

Associate Professor of Law Khaled Beydoun was highlighted in the Al Jazeera article, "Charlottesville is America everywhere," Aug. 13.

Professor of Law Lawrence Dubin was quoted in the Detroit Free Press article, "Detroit says towing contracts weren't properly granted," Aug. 10.

Professor of History Roy E. Finkenbine spoke on "Using Historic Places to Teach History" to an Underground Railroad Teachers Institute at the Downtown Campus of Wayne County Community College. The Institute was sponsored by Detroit Public Schools, in partnership with the Detroit River Project and Advisory Partners, and included teachers from DPS, Grosse Pointe and Wyandotte schools.

Associate Professor of English Mary-Catherine Harrison presented, "From Sympathy to Social Justice: A Jesuit Model for Service Learning and Practice," at the Commitment to Justice in Higher Education conference at Seattle University. Harrison, with Director of the Institute for Leadership & Service Tim Hipskind, S.J., and Associate Professor of Law Deborah Paruch spoke on "Pointing Empowered Student Leaders toward a Justice Horizon," at the conference.

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Todd Hibbard presented the paper, "When the Prophets Meet the 'Hood: Critical Reflections on Teaching for Justice in Detroit," at the 2017 Commitment to Justice in Jesuit Higher Education conference at Seattle University, Aug. 10–13.

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More University news and event information is available online at www.udmercy.edu/about/events.