Current Students

Celebrate Spirit! is the official kickoff to the new academic year and a University-wide celebration that welcomes our entire community of students, staff, faculty and administrators.

The celebration is set for Thursday, Sept. 17 in the Whitty Student Fitness Center. The 150th Jubilee Mass of the Holy Spirit begins at 11:30 a.m. 

The celebration includes a Catholic Mass, and individuals from all faith traditions are warmly invited to participate or observe in a manner that feels comfortable to them.

Celebrate Spirit! will be presided over by Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, STD, JCL, the Apostolic Nuncio (Vatican Ambassador) and Pope Leo XIV’s envoy to the United States. The event is hosted by University Ministry and Mission Integration. All are invited to wear red, orange or yellow as part of the event.

A lunch and reception will be provided in the Fountain Lounge & Terrace of the Student Union at 1 p.m.

Celebrate Spirit! is open to all members of the Detroit Mercy community no matter their religious affiliation.

Click here to volunteer at Celebrate Spirit!

Celebrate Spirit! 2026 invites the Detroit Mercy community to reflect on “Faith In Action” as this academic year’s theme as part of our 150th Celebration.

Faith is not stagnant—it is active. It is not an individual proclamation or checklist—it is something that exists in community and in relationship. Just as God animates our lives, we are called to actively respond to God in all things. This active faith moves us to imagine a prophetic future for our community. In our Ignatian and Mercy traditions, faith-in-action requires discernment and imagination—Where are we headed? Where does the world call us to be?

The annual student involvement fair, Titan Fest, returns to the McNichols Campus on Sept. 11 at 3 p.m.

Held around the Fisher Fountain, Titan Fest is the best spot for students who are interested in joining a student organization to learn about their options at UDM. This year’s event will showcase all returning student organizations, student-facing campus resources, delicious carnival style food, contests and more.

Hosting an organization’s table at Titan Fest? Make sure you’re recognized by completed the appropriate registration steps by Sept. 4.

For those who are interested in having a table at Titan Fest but are not representing a student organization, email Assistant Director of Student Life Emily Johnson at johnsoem6@udmercy.edu to make a request.

Take a break and drop by the Student Union Lower Level on Thursday, Sept. 10, for a free art workshop offered by Student Life.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn from Michigan painter Dan Kestler and experiment with ink transfer, a technique that is fun, simple and yields amazing results.

No prior art experience is necessary, and all materials will be provided. Students are invited to stop by anytime between 12:30-2 p.m.

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.

Detroit Mercy’s College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) will offer an immersion trip to Brazil from May 17-27, providing participants with the opportunity to explore African continuities and contributions to contemporary society.

Those interested in this experience are encouraged to register for an upcoming virtual information session on Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. A confirmation email with meeting details will be sent upon registration.

This immersion program to northeast Brazil will examine several issues relevant to the Afro-Brazilian diaspora, including racial affirmation, discourses of harmony and confrontation, and voices of presence and memory. These topics will be approached from the perspectives of music, art, history, religion, dance and folklore.

Participants will learn about the hierarchal religion of Candomblé and rhythms of samba while exploring the intersection of Catholicism with Africanicity in historic and present-day manifestations. The experience will also trace the history of a land that speaks to, from and about the Afro-Brazilian experience.

This program is open to UDM students, faculty, staff, alumni and University guests 18 years of age or older.

Travel grants are available to offset up to half of travel expenses for full-time undergraduate students pursuing a CHASS major or minor.

For more information, contact Lara Wasner at wasnerle@udmercy.edu or Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Shardé Chapman at chapmasn@udmercy.edu.

The Student Life Office is hosting a free afternoon tour of Detroit’s famous Belle Isle on Friday, Sept. 18.

Set in the Detroit River near downtown Detroit, the scenic island is home to a mix of historical and cultural attractions. During the tour, participants will visit the Belle Isle Aquarium, the oldest aquarium in the United States, and explore the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservancy, which houses plants from five unique biomes around the world. The outing will end with a picnic at the beach before returning to campus.

Transportation is available. Those planning to ride the Student Life bus should meet in the Student Union lobby at 2 p.m. Participants driving separately should meet at 2:30 p.m. in the parking lot outside the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle.

Fall Festival at Homecoming returns to UDM’s McNichols Campus Sept. 25-26. The weekend is packed with activities, and this year Detroit Mercy is partnering with Live 6’s Six Mile Street Fest, providing additional entertainment, local cuisine and family-friendly activities on the UDM Front Lawn (outside the McNichols gate).

This two-day event offers something for everyone—from exciting games and tours to informative sessions. Among the highlights are the annual bike tour of the historic areas surrounding the McNichols Campus, an open kickball game, a taping of Detroit Mercy’s long-running show “Ask the Professor” and an improv show in the newly established Black Box Theatre in the Student Union.

Attendees can also cheer on the Titans men’s soccer team at Titan Field as they take on the Duquesne Ducks at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The main event is the Fall Festival which is slated to begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday. It features arts and crafts, bubble soccer, yard and casino games, an escape room, food trucks, skating, scavenger hunt and much more.

Attendees also have the opportunity to take historical tours throughout campus, even one of Calihan Hall, featuring the newly renovated Titan Club.

After dusk, a bonfire will be lit to celebrate all Titan Athletic teams, followed by the NPHC Yard show, where multicultural fraternities and sororities will showcase their chapter’s history and traditions through steps, strolls, chants or dancing.

Also included in the weekend’s events and numerous reunions are the College of Health Professions Research Symposium, a Golden Jubilee reunion for the Class of 1976 and the presentation of 2026’s Alumni Achievement Spirit Award honorees.

Join in Fall Festival activities as you reconnect with the University during two exciting days filled with food, fun and celebrations.

Detroit Mercy Theatre Company is set to host auditions for its fall and winter shows on Monday, Sept. 14 from 7-10 p.m.

Auditions for the three shows — Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl; Born With Teeth by Liz Duffy Adams; and the Homecoming Improv Show — will take place in the Black Box Theatre, located on the Lower Level of the Student Union.

Students auditioning must prepare one 90-second monologue from a classical theatre text and one 30-second a capella song of your choosing. Callbacks will immediately follow auditions.

A classical monologue is a speech taken from a play written before the 20th century. These pieces typically span from Ancient Greek tragedy (e.g., Sophocles) to late-19th-century works (e.g., Anton Chekhov or Henrik Ibsen), with a strong emphasis on William Shakespeare.

Character breakdowns and rehearsal schedule can be found online.

Email theatre@udmercy.edu with any questions, including those about the required audition materials.

University Ministry invites the Detroit Mercy community to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Phoebe on Thursday, Sept. 3, with opportunities for prayer, reflection and conversation centered on the service and work of the deaconess, leader and witness to the Gospel.

The celebration begins with a Mass and reflection from 1-2 p.m. in St. Ignatius Chapel, followed by food and conversation exploring women, service and the Catholic Church in the Commerce & Finance Building, Room 118.

Later that evening, a watch party for Phoebe Prayer Service will be held from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Student Union Lower Level. Participants will enjoy free snacks while participating in a virtual national prayer service with song and storytelling about St. Phoebe and mission partners spreading God’s Word.

For more information, contact Anita Klueg at kluegag@udmercy.edu.

Get ready to kick off the semester with University Recreation!

RecFest 2026 is set for Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 5-7 p.m. at the Whitty Student Fitness Center.

URec is kicking off the fall semester in a big way. The event features the following:

• Raffle prizes
• Free food, desserts and drinks
• Free RecFest shirts for the first 150 students
• Games, challenges and demos
• Campus and community partners
• Detroit Pistons Extreme Team and Hooper

Whether you’re looking to get involved, meet new people, learn more about URec or just grab some free food and have fun, RecFest is the place to be.