Current Students

Open All | Close All

• Wellness Expo, set for Oct. 3, open to students and employees

  Friday September 06, 2024
  

  

  The 2024 Wellness Expo will take place on Thursday, Oct. 3 from 12-2 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. The expo is free for all students and employees.

  Many local wellness vendors will be present, such as Skin Bar, who will be giving out skin care products, and Healthy Eats with Dee, who will be distributing free healthy juice.

  Raffles, snacks, and fun activities will be provided! In addition, we will have our favorite guests back, the therapy dogs!

  Also, secifically for employees, we will have all UDM benefit companies there and free blood pressure readings!

  We look forward to seeing you there.

  

• UDM ranked No. 43 in U.S. by The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse

  Thursday September 05, 2024
  

  

  

  The 2024-25 academic year at University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) is off to a record-breaking start with the largest first-year class in more than 30 years and a ranking that puts it among the top 50 universities in the country.

  The 2025 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranking has put UDM at No. 43 in the nation, nine places higher than it ranked the University last year.

  “This is a great day for our students, the University and the city of Detroit,” said UDM President Donald B. Taylor. “With these rankings, UDM is now in the top 1% of 4,300 higher education campuses in the country,” he added.

  The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings are based on social mobility, which rewards universities with the highest proportion of students coming from lower-income families and maintain high graduation rates; salary impact, which lists schools in order of their impact on graduates’ salaries in relation to the cost of attending; and student experience, based on a survey of more than 110,000 college students at 500 of the nation’s best universities.

  UDM’s ranking was derived after being placed:

  • 39 in social mobility, an increase of nine spots from 2024 rankings.
  • 44 in best salaries, an increase of 21 spots from 2024 rankings (previously titled Salary Impact).
  • 91 in best value, a new category for 2025.

  The 2025 ranking also makes UDM:

  • The second-highest ranked university in Michigan.
  • The top ranked Catholic university in the state.
  • The No. 2 Catholic university in the Midwest.
  • The sixth-highest ranking Catholic university in the United States.
  • The fifth ranked university among all Association of Jesuit Colleges & Universities in the country.
  • The highest-ranked Mercy institution.

  Last year’s ranking at No. 52 created increased interest in the University and led, in part, to a record first-year class this fall of 655 students on its McNichols Campus. That is an 18.7% increase over last year’s record of 552. It is the largest incoming class since 1990 when Detroit Mercy was formed from the consolidation of University of Detroit and Mercy College of Detroit.

  “When we looked at the data, we saw a major increase in applications dating from the day The Wall Street Journal announced its rankings last year,” said Debbie Stieffel, vice president for Enrollment Management & Student Affairs.

  For current students, this new rank speaks to what they’ve known about UDM for years.

  “I’m grateful to be continuing my education at an institution that, time and time again, has proved itself to be one of the best places in the country for gaining an education and a degree,” said Hisham Almadani, a third-year Communication Studies student. “I look forward to graduating with my Bachelor of Arts next year, and I’m excited to apply everything I learned at Detroit Mercy into my professional career.”

  Last year, the University had a record number of applications and is once again on pace to set a new record for the 2025-26 academic year.

  Approximately 86 percent of the 2024-25 first-year class hails from Michigan. It also includes students from 20 states and nine countries including Lebanon, India, South Korea, Ukraine and Vietnam. Fifty percent of students in the incoming class are the first in their family to attend university.

  “We are honored that so many of tomorrow’s leaders have entrusted us with their college education,” Taylor said. “It shows young people are looking for the life-changing education we offer at Detroit Mercy, and they trust us to deliver it.”

  With this record class and student retention above the national average for last year’s first-year class, UDM is on target for an overall enrollment of more than 5,700 this academic year; last year’s enrollment was 5,528. Final enrollment figures for this year will not be available until mid-September.

  There are several reasons for the large boost in first-year enrollment, according to Stieffel.

  “One of the biggest draws was our new Titan Edge program, which offers free tuition to first-year students who are eligible for the maximum federal Pell Grant and the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, and is renewable for up to four years,” she said.

  On top of the national rankings and the Titan Edge, “these enrollment numbers are the result of a lot of hard work by all University employees. Recruitment is everybody’s job and there is a great deal of pride in our programming, mission and special location in the heart of Detroit,” Stieffel added.

  Detroit Mercy earned a great deal of news coverage last year. In April, UDM opened the Detroit Mercy Eye Institute at its Novi Campus. Also in April, the University hosted U.S. Sen. and Detroit Mercy alumnus Gary Peters and National Cyber Director Harry Coker Jr. to observe the groundbreaking work by UDM’s Vehicle Cyber Engineering Program. The U.S. Department of defense has provided the University more than $1.6 million in grants to establish the Metro Detroit Regional Vehicle Cybersecurity Institute.

  In other news, the U.S. Department of Energy provided a multi-million dollar grant for a project in which the University and its students will work with local nonprofits to support energy efficiency.

  The University also had a record-breaking fundraising year, with donors supporting UDM with more than $25 million in gifts that provide scholarships and faculty and programmatic support.

  A portion of one donor’s gift has been used to refresh the campus with new signs and large artwork commissioned by local Detroit artists.

  “There is a great buzz about the University,” Taylor said. “People are finally hearing what we’ve been saying all along: University of Detroit Mercy is a great national University.”

• Titan Fest offers food, games, music and a chance to visit with student orgs

  Thursday September 05, 2024
  

  

  Detroit Mercy’s annual student organization fair, Titan Fest, is nearly here!

  Enjoy food, games, music, face painting, and meeting all of UDM’s amazing student organizations on Friday, Sept. 6 from 3-5:30 p.m. Join us outside of the Student Union near the McNichols Campus fountain.

  The first 500 students to check-in will receive a new Titan Fest t-shirt!

  If you represent a student organization, make sure that your group has reserved their table on Detroit Mercy Live.

  

• Midnight bike ride returns on Sept. 13, register to ride

  Thursday September 05, 2024
  

  

  Have you ever wanted to bike the streets of Detroit after dark?

  Sign up for the annual Midnight Bike Ride on Friday, Sept. 13. On-site registration begins at 7 p.m. in the Student Union, and the ride begins promptly at 8 p.m. from the McNichols Campus. Be a part of this University tradition.

  The bike tour includes rest stops to point out places of interest and a hot dog break at Detroit’s famous Lafayette Coney Island. Participants may purchase items at the stop at their own expense. After the 20-mile trip, the cyclists should return to campus around 12 a.m. on Saturday.

  Here’s the breakdown:

  • Students – If you have your own bike, the ride is free! (T-shirts are $5)
  • Bike rental for students – $5 (limited availability)
  • Faculty, staff, and members of the community are welcome to join the tour  – $25 (includes a T-shirt)

  Register online today!

  

• Celebrate Spirit! ushers in new school year, Sept. 10

  Thursday September 05, 2024
  

  

  The official welcoming event to the new school year for the University community Celebrate Spirit! is set for Tuesday, Sept. 10 inside of the Student Fitness Center. The Mass of the Holy Spirit begins at 11:30 a.m.

  The presider for Celebrate Spirit! is Vice President for Mission Integration Fr. Charles Oduke and the guest homilist is Marilyn Lacey, RSM. The event is hosted by University Ministry, Mission Integration, and the College for Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

  All are invited to wear red, orange or yellow as part of the event. Following Mass at 11:30 a.m., a free lunch will be provided in the Fountain Lounge of the Student Union at 1 p.m. Click here to volunteer at Celebrate Spirit!

  This year’s theme is Radical Hospitality inspired by the charism and values of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and Society of Jesus. Radical hospitality involves three steps — remembering, welcoming and belonging — that get to the root of membership as the practice of welcoming yourself and others by remembering that we belong to a global community and the totality of being.

  Full information.

• Volunteers needed for TENN produce deliveries

  Thursday September 05, 2024
  

  

  Get a jump start on volunteer hours in the new semester by signing up for Detroit Mercy’s Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN)‘s bi-weekly Monday deliveries from 3-5 p.m. or weekly Friday deliveries from 10 a.m. to noon.

  Join the fun and community building as TENN packs fresh produce and delivers it to the University’s neighbors doors.

  With any questions, please email Chelsea Manning at mannincp@udmercy.edu.

  Sign-up for Mondays. Sign-up for Fridays.

  

• Men’s basketball to hold open tryouts, Sept. 9, also looking for team managers

  Thursday September 05, 2024
  

  

  The Titans men’s basketball team is holding open tryouts and also looking for student managers for this upcoming season.

  Tryouts will be held on Monday, Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. in Calihan Hall. Potential student-athletes must be full-time students and in good academic standing, and also be available for practice and games.

  Potential student managers should have previous basketball experience and will travel with the team. If you want to build your resume and network in the pursuit of a future coaching career, this might be a great fit.

  For more information on each, please contact men’s basketball assistant coach Collyn Richardson at crichar@udmercy.edu.

  

• Detroit Mercy to host mental health walk Sept. 21

  Wednesday September 04, 2024
  

  

  University of Detroit Mercy will host the 2024 NAMI Walk Sept. 21 on the McNichols Campus.

  Some 2,000 supporters of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) are expected to participate in a 5K walk on UDM’s campus to raise funds and awareness of the organization, which is dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

  According to NAMI, one in five adults in the United States experience mental illness each year and nearly 1.5 million adults in Michigan has a mental health condition.

  “This is very exciting for the University because it is the first time the walk has been held at Detroit Mercy,” said Dean of Students Monica Williams. “We are participating because too often mental health issues are not spoken about and these walks are a way to open up discussions. It is the mission of this University to work within the community to help make it stronger for everybody.”

  Students, staff, administration and faculty are creating teams to participate in the event, that begins at 8 a.m. with registration and ends at 11 a.m. after a walk around the University’s McNichols Campus. Participants receive special Detroit Mercy swag.

  Supporters who want to participate but can’t attend the event can make a difference by supporting a team or making a donation.

  Learn more and register online.

  

• University Recreation offers six intramural sports this fall, sign-up now

  Wednesday September 04, 2024
  

  

  Detroit Mercy’s University Recreation has something for everyone this school year with its intramural sports programming.

  Sports leagues and tournaments are offered to all UDM students, faculty and staff, and provide the opportunity to compete against one another throughout the academic year for intramural championship prizes.

  URec strives to have a diverse selection of programming available to students and employees. Fall 2024 intramural programming includes sand volleyball, soccer, indoor volleyball, flag football, badminton and basketball. The leagues are FREE for all.

  Please contact URec Assistant Director Allen Seales at sealesv@udmercy.edu or 313-993-1781 with any questions, comments or concerns.

  Register now!

  

• Building Community Power Through Journalism: A Conversation with Nargis Hakim Rahman

  Wednesday September 04, 2024
  

  

  Join a moderated conversation with award-winning journalist Nargis Hakim Rahman entitled “Building Community Power Through Journalism.” Through her role as the civics reporter and producer for local NPR affiliate WDET and several community-based projects, Rahman creates media to give Muslims and other marginalized groups a voice in the press.

  This conversation will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom on the McNichols Campus. All are welcome!

  Rahman has been a fellow at International Women’s Media Foundation and the South Asian American Digital Archive. Her work has appeared in Huffington Post, NPR, YES Magazine!, Haute Hijab, Tostada Magazine, Eater, Model D, Detroiter Magazine, The Muslim Observer, Brown Girl Magazine, Metro Detroit Mommy and more.

  This event is organized by the Islamic Studies Program and co-sponsored by the Office of the Dean, College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences; Department of Communications; Women’s and Gender Studies Program; and Department of Religious Studies.