Community
UDM News for our Neighbors
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Street Fest returns Sept. 26: Volunteers and sponsors needed
Thursday August 06, 2026
The UDM Street Fest is returning this year, and University departments and colleges are invited to partner in this vibrant campus and community celebration.
The event takes place Saturday, Sept. 26, from 2-6 p.m., on the UDM Front Lawn (outside the McNichols gate).
Street Fest is an annual community-centered event that brings together students, neighbors, local organizations and partners for a day of family fun. The event features UDM and local vendors, community art activities and storytelling programs that uplift the unique histories of the neighborhoods around 6 Mile and Livernois. This year, Street Fest is in conjunction with our 150th celebration at Homecoming and the 6 Mile Street Fest hosted by Live 6 Alliance!
Your partnership plays an important role in helping us create an engaging and memorable experience for our students and neighbors alike.
The event fosters healing and trust by strengthening neighborhood relationships with the University while providing direct access to essential resources such as food distribution, job connections and health and social services. By uplifting local artists, amplifying small businesses and creating space for shared stories and dialogue, the event not only celebrates the neighborhood but actively invests in its long-term vitality.
Can your Department/College contribute? We are seeking help with:
- Student/staff/faculty day-of volunteers
- Host a tent and table for your organization or department
- Make a monetary donation toward grilling, paying vendors, paying students designers, or other costs
- Donate a snack item for the food table
- Provide/fund an event/activity. Examples from last year included: Silent disco, miscellaneous lawn games, raffles, photobooth, workshops, crafts and more.
Please contact Sammy Eckrich at seckric@udmercy.edu with any questions.
Sign up to volunteer or co-sponsor here. -
TENN August garden party set for Aug. 6
Monday August 03, 2026
All are welcome to help Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) celebrate our community and bustling garden with an evening of food and harvesting on Thursday, Aug. 6.
The garden party is set to begin at 4 p.m. at the TENN Community Garden, located on the McNichols Campus behind the Health Professions Facility.
To RSVP and for more information, please contact tenn@udmercy.edu.
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UDM to sponsor Arts Beats & Eats Festival, Sept. 4-7
Monday August 03, 2026The 2026 Arts Beats & Eats (ABE) Festival is scheduled for Sept. 4-7 in downtown Royal Oak, and UDM is once again a sponsor.
Associate Vice President of University Marketing & Communications Gary J. Erwin helped announce the upcoming entertainment lineup at the July 29 festival press conference at Rock & Brews in Royal Oak. During his remarks, Erwin also announced that UDM would begin celebrating the institution’s 150th anniversary.
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sept. 4-6, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7. Among the featured bands are Lit, Fuel, Taking Back Sunday, Third Eye Blind, Audrey Ray, Brett Young, Chris Young, Genuwine and Kool & The Gang, among many others.
For more on the event, check out the news coverage below:
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Make-a-Will month: Create or update your will
Thursday July 30, 2026August is National Make-A-Will Month, a reminder that creating or updating your will is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your loved ones and ensure your wishes are honored.
This month, we’re encouraging alumni and friends to take advantage of this opportunity by using Giving Docs.
Through Giving Docs, you can create key estate planning documents from the comfort of your home, helping you plan for the future with confidence.
Get started with Giving Docs here. -
UDM hosts the PGA’s Rocket Classic, tickets now available
Wednesday July 22, 2026
Detroit Mercy has once again partnered with the PGA as the exclusive university sponsor for the annual Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club this summer.
As part of the sponsorship, UDM has a limited number of general admission tickets available for each day of play. Proceeds from the purchase of these tickets will benefit the Detroit Mercy Alumni Scholarship Fund.
Each ticket purchase includes one entry for a chance to win a VIP Experience inside the ropes on a tournament day. Two experiences are available, each accommodating two people.
The winners’ names will be drawn the week before play begins.
PGA general admission tickets available here.
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Resources, Centers and Clinics
Center for Social Entrepreneurship
The Center provides business expertise and acumen as well as mentors to assist local entrepreneurs, beginning with the “Boost” workshop that aids entrepreneurs in developing business plans to achieve a greater social impact.
Counseling Clinic
The clinic provides no-cost counseling services to Detroit residents who otherwise may not have access to mental health services.
Dental Center
Detroit Mercy Dental offers dental services and education through two clinics, nine outreach clinics, a mobile dental clinic and a school-based dental sealant program.
Dental Mobile Clinic
The clinic travels to local participating schools in Detroit and Wayne County to provide comprehensive care for K-12 children.
Detroit Collaborative Design Center
The design center provides design services to non-profit community and civic organizations to engage communities and enhance neighborhoods.
Detroit Mercy Eye Institute
The Detroit Mercy Eye Institute includes the state-of-the-art equipment and technology needed to diagnose, monitor, and treat numerous eye conditions. The clinic will also provide affordable eyecare to the uninsured and vulnerable populations.
Law Clinics
Detroit Mercy Law provides legal assistance to Detroit area residents through six clinics: Immigration Law Clinic, SADO Criminal Appellate Clinic, Criminal Trial Clinic, Veterans Law Clinic, Juvenile Law Appellate Clinic and Intellectual Property Law Clinic.
Pre-College Programs
Detroit area students in grades 4-12 participate in more than 15 outreach programs annually through Saturday classes, summer camps, and innovative curricula in the sciences, technology engineering, mathematics, architecture and design.
Psychology Clinic
The Psychology Clinic provides assessment and counseling services for approximately 300 clients annually. Fees are based on ability to pay.
Rx for Reading Program
This program increases access to children’s books and supports families in reading to their children. The program has distributed more than 2,000 children’s books a month at a variety of locations, including low-income health, dental and WIC clinics; homeless shelters; and Head Start programs.
Summer Camps
A variety of summer activities available on UDM Campuses. Some are hosted by UDM; some are simply located on our campuses.
Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN)
TENN is a student-led and community-driven food justice program that delivers fresh produce to 60 families in New Martin Park Neighborhood and 80 seniors at Theresa Maxis Senior Apartments.
Alliances and Initiatives
Reimagining the Civic Commons
University of Detroit Mercy serves as one of the institutional anchors for the “Reimaging the Civic Commons” initiative, which is funded through the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation grant. The initiative focuses on the City of Detroit’s neighborhood revitalization priority: the Livernois/McNichols area. The project’s goal is to revitalize the neighborhoods between its two anchor institutions, Detroit Mercy and Marygrove College, creating a denser and more diverse urban community.
Live6 Alliance
University of Detroit Mercy helped to launch the Live6 Alliance in August 2015 to strengthen the Livernois Avenue and McNichols Road commercial corridor in northwest Detroit.
Service Immersion Days / Trips
These experiences give students opportunities to serve in shelters, soup kitchens, after school projects, urban farms and many other important community based projects both locally and nationally.
Directories
Media Experts Guide
Detroit Mercy scholars are experts in their fields and many have agreed to be available to media. Note that experts' views are their own and may not reflect the views of their colleagues or University of Detroit Mercy.
Migration Research Directory
The AJCU Migration Research Directory is an open-access resource for high-quality research on migration, provided by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. Faculty members from Jesuit universities around the world provide important migration and refugee research from a wide variety of perspectives.