Community
UDM News for our Neighbors
-
UDM to host NAMI Walk Michigan, Sept. 19; Join the Titans team
Thursday August 20, 2026
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) 2026 walk in Michigan is set for Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus. All are welcome to join. It’s the third-straight year the University has hosted the NAMI walk.
Join the Detroit Mercy Titans team with your friends, family, colleagues or classmates and support mental health.
Get involved and make a difference in the lives of Americans living with mental health concerns. If you shake a hand, give a fist bump or cheer with your team, this NAMI Walk is one of the most powerful days of the year, and you can make a real difference.
Please save the date and consider signing up for the walk or donating to mental health programs. Further details will be provided soon.
For more information, please contact the Dean of Students at deanofstudents@udmercy.edu.
Sign up for the Titans team! -
Detroit Mercy joins statewide direct admission initiative
Wednesday August 19, 2026
UDM is one of 18 Michigan colleges and universities participating in MI College Match, a new statewide direct admission program designed to expand college access for high school students.
Launched by the Michigan College Access Network in partnership with education company EAB, MI College Match will connect students at more than 350 Michigan high schools with admission and scholarship opportunities.
This effort does not require these students to complete a traditional college application. Instead, students will create a brief profile highlighting their academic achievements, interests and college preferences. Participating institutions, including Detroit Mercy, can then extend admission offers and share scholarship opportunities based on anonymized student profiles.
The initiative supports Michigan’s Sixty by 30 goal, which seeks to increase the percentage of working-age adults with a college degree or credential to 60% by 2030. It also aligns with Detroit Mercy’s Jesuit and Mercy mission of expanding access to a transformative education and helping students from all backgrounds reach their full potential.
The MI College Match platform opens Aug. 26. Students who complete a profile by Sept. 21 will be eligible for the first round of admission offers Oct. 5.
Learn more about MI College Match.
-
UDM to sponsor Arts Beats & Eats Festival, Sept. 4-7
Sunday August 16, 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:
-
Titans of Detroit returns Sept. 18 to support Titan Athletics
Thursday August 13, 2026
The second annual Titans of Detroit fundraiser will take place on Friday, Sept. 18, at the Cambria Hotel Detroit, located at 600 W. Lafayette Blvd. Celebrate Titan Athletics alongside coach Mark Montgomery, coach Kiefer Haffey and special guests at an evening benefiting Detroit Mercy athletic programs.
The evening begins with a special reception for VIPs at 5:30 p.m., followed by happy hour at 6 p.m. and then dinner at 7 p.m. in the hotel ballroom. Guests will enjoy complimentary drinks, fine dining and the opportunity to bid on exclusive auction items.
Last year, the event brought together more than 250 UDM supporters and raised more than $110,000 for the University’s athletics programs.
Featured guests of this year’s celebration include two-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, who will give the keynote presentation, Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo, NBA All-Star Derrick Coleman, Titan legend John Long, Detroit Mercy coaches and other distinguished members of the athletics community.
Tickets are $400 per person, and complimentary valet parking is included courtesy of Cambria Hotel Detroit.
Those interested in table sponsorships may contact Jason Clark at 313-682-3295 or clarkje2@udmercy.edu.
Guests planning an overnight stay can receive a special hotel discount by calling 313-733-0300 and requesting the Detroit Mercy rate.
Limited tickets are available, so register today.
Register for Titans of Detroit here. -
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.
Subscribe to our weekly community newsletter:
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.