Current Students

The International Services Office (ISO) will host Detroit Mercy’s annual International Night on Thursday, Nov. 20, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

All UDM students, faculty and staff are welcome to the night, which is being hosted in the Student Union Ballroom. Come and celebrate our cultural diversity through food, entertainment and community.

Help make this event a success by volunteering for any of the following:

• A performance (a dance, song, poem, etc.)
• Setting up the flag for your country
• Help with setup or cleanup

Detroit Mercy’s College of Engineering & Science is set to host the 12th annual Research Symposium on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. All are welcome.

This annual event showcases the work of both graduate and undergraduate students, with over 100 research posters representing a wide range of disciplines taught at the University.

Attendees, including high school students and alumni, will have the chance to connect with student researchers, learn about their projects and discover the importance of hypothesis-driven research.

Lunch will be served, and prizes will be awarded to students for research excellence in both Engineering and Science categories, as well as a participant-voted People’s Choice award.

In 1950, a gallon of gas cost just $0.27, and the world had yet to experience color television. Here on the McNichols Campus, our Library first opened its doors — a new home for knowledge, reflection and community.

Seventy-five years later, while the world has gone digital, our Library remains rooted in the same values: curiosity, discernment and the pursuit of truth.

All are welcome to join us on Friday, Nov. 14, at 2 p.m. in the lobby of the McNichols Campus Library as we celebrate its 75th birthday and mark this special moment with a re-blessing of the building led by Fr. Charles Oduke.

Cake and punch will be served.

University of Detroit Mercy recently announced a set of refreshed core values created through a collaborative effort involving students, faculty, staff and alumni. Using language that is easy to understand, the newly articulated values will guide the University’s mission and future.

The launch and dissemination of these core values come during an exciting time of growth for the University, highlighted by strong national rankings and new academic programs. The new core values are:

• Educating the Whole Person: Fostering academic excellence, transformative learning and holistic well-being for every member of the community by integrating intellectual, spiritual, ethical and social development.
• Cultivating a Diverse Community: Nurturing an inclusive environment where every individual belongs and thrives
• Embodying Mercy & Compassion: Upholding a commitment to radical hospitality, respect for the dignity of each person and the care of all creation.
• Fostering Faith & Justice: Promoting academic inquiry and spiritual practices that inspire the pursuit of a more just world.
• Serving & Leading in Detroit: Working with surrounding communities and diverse partners to pursue the common good and optimal well-being for all.

“Our renewed core values are the result of a profound, University-wide reflection on our shared identity,” said President Donald B. Taylor. “They speak to who we are as an institution, honoring our deep history while pointing toward a hopeful future.”

The collaborative group of faculty, staff, students and alumni that worked to develop the refreshed core values met for several months gathering input from stakeholders. In June, Fr. Charles Oduke, vice president for Mission Integration at the University, formally presented the values to the Board of Trustees, which approved them during the summer meeting. In mid-August, Taylor and Oduke formally announced the values to faculty and staff during the annual President’s Convocation.

The announcement of UDM’s new Core Values is timely. In the recent 2026 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings, the University rose to No. 36 in the nation, making it the No. 1 private university in Michigan and the No. 3 Catholic university in the U.S. This ranking reflects Detroit Mercy’s exceptional outcomes in graduate salary impact and social mobility. UDM also received recognition in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report ‘Best Colleges’ edition, ranking No. 22 nationally in the Best Value Schools category.

This momentum is supported by the development of several new programs designed to increase accessibility and meet the evolving needs of students and the workforce. These include:

• The launch of Michigan’s first fully online J.D. program at the School of Law, with the first cohort starting in fall 2026.
• The creation of the School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences and new undergraduate degrees in Health Sciences and Sports & Exercise Sciences within the College of Health Professions.
• A new School of Optometry and Detroit Mercy Eye Institute.

“These values reaffirm UDM’s commitment to our Jesuit, Mercy, Catholic educational mission emphasizing academic excellence, service and a deep sense of purpose,” explained Oduke. “Combined with our climbing national rankings and new, innovative programs, we are confident these principles will strengthen our community partnerships and enhance the experience of our students for years to come.”

Students are invited to join the Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD) and the National Career Development Association in celebration of National Career Development month in November. This year’s theme is “The Evolution of Work: Careers in the Past, Present and Future.”

Several events will be offered throughout the month of November to help students understand current employment trends and how to prepare for their future careers.

Students can attend one or more of the following events to celebrate National Career Development month:

• Enterprise Mobility virtual office hours: Monday, Nov. 3, from 12-2 p.m., virtual on Zoom
• Practice interviews with CCPD and professional recruiters: Tuesday-Thursday, Nov. 4-6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (pre-registration required), Student Union, Lower Level, Room 86
• Job Search Strategies for International Students: Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 1-2 p.m., Engineering Building, Room 134
• Negotiating your Salary & Benefits Workshop: Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 1-2 p.m., Student Union, Lower Level, Room 86
• Ponder the Possibilities: Careers in Technology: Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 12:30-2 p.m., Student Union, Fountain Lounge
• Confident Conversations: Succeeding in Interviews with Ease: Monday, Nov. 17, 12:45-1:30 p.m., Student Union, Room 201
• Money Management, presented by Alliance Catholic Credit Union: Tuesday, Nov. 18, 12:45-1:45 p.m., Student Union, Room 206

For questions, please contact careerlink@udmercy.edu or 313-993-1017.

Students are encouraged to pre-register through their Handshake accounts.

The Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) and the Physician Assistant Program are hosting a month-long food drive this November to support our local community, especially as changes to SNAP benefits increase the need for support.

We are collecting non-perishable and dry food items all month long.

Drop-off Location as follows:

• College of Health Professions
• Student Union Lower Level Lobby
• Fitness Center Lobby
• Library (drop-off begins after Nov. 17)
• SACD Main Office

No items to bring? You can still help. Monetary donations are being accepted via Venmo @William-Beaumont-1 and will be used to purchase food items for families in need. For any questions or want to get involved, email mannincp@udmercy.edu.

Learn the basics of self-defense in this free, interactive course, led by a personal safety and martial arts expert, on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Group Activities Room of the Whitty Student Fitness Center. All students and employees are welcome.

Studies show that self-defense courses improve confidence and reduce women’s vulnerability to violence. Focused on situational awareness, personal assertiveness and verbal and physical strategies for keeping yourself safe, this course teaches self-defense techniques in a fun, empowering environment.

The event is sponsored by the Office of Equal Opportunity and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Detroit Mercy.

With any questions, please email Megan Novell, executive director of the UDM Office of Equal Opportunity, at novellme@udmercy.edu.

A fresh adaptation of a Shakespearean classic, Twelfth Night, opens Detroit Mercy Theatre Company’s 55th season and celebrates the company’s return to University of Detroit Mercy’s McNichols Campus with the opening of the new Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre.

Six performances will run in back-to-back weekends, Friday through Sunday, Nov. 7-16.

Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare and adapted by Marc Palmieri, follows twins Viola and Sebastian, separated by a shipwreck and stranded on the peculiar land of Illyria. Disguising herself as a young man, Viola finds employment in the service of the noble Duke Orsino, only to fall hopelessly in love with him. But Orsino has his sights set on the enigmatic Countess Olivia and enlists Viola—unaware of her identity—to carry his amorous pleas. In an unexpected twist, Olivia finds herself smitten with the disguised Viola instead.

“Shakespeare is always relevant to today’s world, which is why his plays have remained with us for so long,” said Andrew Papa, chair of the Department of Performing Arts. “Not only that, Twelfth Night is one of his best comedies, and it’s in times like these that comedies are just the reprieve the world needs.”

This production marks the debut of the new Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre on UDM’s McNichols Campus. This modern performance space will give students the opportunity to develop their craft and share their work with audiences, while also providing a welcoming place for cultural and artistic events that will benefit both the campus and the wider community.

“After more than a decade away, Detroit Mercy Theatre Company is thrilled to be returning home to McNichols Campus,” said Sarah Hawkins Rusk, managing director of DMTC and director of Twelfth Night. “Our new theatre will be a dynamic hub for creativity on campus, offering students a professional-caliber space to learn and grow.”

Joining the students on stage for this celebratory production are chair Andrew Papa and UDM alumni Peter Prouty ’00 and Kaelyn Johnson ’22. “As an actor in the show, it’s refreshing to perform alongside our eager students and our stellar alumni,” Papa said. “Getting the opportunity to perform with our students and some of our top alumni has been an incomparable experience, and I look forward to bringing this text to life in our brand-new, permanent home for the arts at University of Detroit Mercy.”

The DMTC Ticket Office is open Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., with tickets being available for purchase anytime online. Individual tickets are $25 for adults, $18 for seniors and Detroit Mercy faculty, staff and alumni, and $10 for veterans and students (ages 4-college). Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. To schedule your group, contact Sarah Rusk at 313-993-3273.

• Nov. 7: Friends and Family Night. Sponsored by Thomas E. Page ’71, ’76. This performance is invitation only.
• Nov. 8: Celebration of the Grand Opening of the Detroit Mercy Black Box Theatre. This performance is invitation only.
• Nov. 9: College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) & University of Detroit Mercy at the Theatre. Free tickets for students, faculty and staff of University of Detroit Mercy with valid I.D. A talkback following the performance led by a CHASS faculty member is presented as a part of the Detroit Theatre Discussion Project.
• Nov. 14: High School Night. Free tickets and talkback with student cast and crew following the performance for high school students and their families. Call 313-993-3270 or email theatre@udmercy.edu for details and reservations.
• Nov. 15: Community Night. $10 ticket for all patrons.
• Nov. 16: Closing Night

The Hive, a student-run pantry whose goal is to help food-insecure UDM students, will be opening in its new space in Reno Hall, Room 143, on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. From that date forward, it will be open as follows:

• Tuesdays from 1-5 p.m.
• Wednesdays from 5-9 p.m.
• Thursdays from 1-5 p.m.

Any currently enrolled student in need of assistance may visit the pantry once every two weeks and may take up to 12 grocery or hygiene items per visit.

For more details, please contact thehive@udmercy.edu or visit The Hive website.

Compete to be the most sustainable student organization or group on campus and win a pizza party with Titan Equity Nourish Network’s (TENN) Autumn compost competition on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

TENN will be collecting compostable material on from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in the mini lot between the Health Professions Facility and Commerce & Finance Building. Pumpkins, eggshells, bread and lots of other items may be composted. See complete list what can be composted.

For more information and to get your compost kit, please contact TENN by email at tenn@udmercy.edu.