Faculty, Staff and Administrators

Faculty/Staff Announcements from Campus Connection

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• September 29: Enter into UDM Photography Contest, deadline set for Dec. 15

  Tuesday September 29, 2026
  

  

  Did you take some great photographs this summer? As we head into the fall term, consider capturing those special moments for your submission to the fourth annual Detroit Mercy Photography Contest!

  The Detroit Mercy Photography Contest is supported by the Office of Academic Affairs and the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning. This contest is open to all students enrolled in fall 2026, as well as UDM employees across all campuses.

  Photography offers a mode of creative communication and a lens into the communities we inhabit and visit. Photographs can capture memorable moments and expressions, people, places and events. The Office of Academic Affairs and Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning invite members of the Detroit Mercy community to submit digital photographs for consideration in this year’s contest.

  Participants may submit one photograph per category. First-place winners in each category will receive a cash prize and an enlarged, mounted print of their winning photograph.

  Be sure to visit the UDM photo contest page for contest rules, submission and release forms, and to view the previous winners. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 15.

  Current categories for submissions include:

  • Abstract/Conceptual: Images of unusual patterns, lighting or objects recognized for their design element (i.e., streaking light photos, mechanical structures, reflections in glass or metal, view from a strange angle). Images can be digitally enhanced or altered beyond the minor adjustments to create an entirely different photograph. All images must be produced by the photographer. The finished entry must still appear to be a photograph – not a drawing, illustration, painting or resemble other mixed media.
  • People: Photos of people, alone or in a group. Such pictures may be candid, humorous, journalistic or interpretative portraits where an emphasis placed on the person, not the environment. The main focus should be people.*
  • Nature/Scenic: Images or scenes of plant life, landscapes, seascapes, underwater, architectural and industrial scenes. Seasonal scenes which display a fundamental design or mood are also acceptable. The main focus should be nature/scenic.*
  • Dusk to Dawn: Details the photographic imagery captured after the sun goes down. This includes but is not limited to starry skies, life under neon lights, streaking traffic lights, mother nature at night, scenic landscapes and cityscapes, film noir portraits, creative use of light and shadows.*
  • Creatures: Images or scenes of animal life, wild creatures, insects, etc. (i.e., action shots of your pet, giraffes at the zoo, cows on a countryside, banana slugs in the forest). It may be a scenic environment, but the main focus should be the creature(s) or animal(s).*

  *Accepted image enhancement in the People, Nature/Scenic, Dusk to Dawn, and Creatures categories must be limited to minor photo adjustments such as contrast, exposure, cropping, HDR, dodge and burn etc.

  Call for judges: If you are interested in serving as a judge for the 2026 photo contest, please send an email expressing your interest to photocontest@udmercy.edu for consideration.

  You may also direct any questions to photocontest@udmercy.edu.

  View full contest details here.

  

• September 29: Learn more about immersion trip to Brazil at virtual information session Oct. 8

  Tuesday September 29, 2026
  

  

  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 Thursday, Oct. 8, 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.

  Register for informational meeting here.

• September 29: Applications for Mission Micro-Grant Program due Oct. 9

  Tuesday September 29, 2026
  

  Rx for Reading Detroit and United Children and Family Head Start of Detroit end-of-the-year literacy celebration

  Now in its 19th year, the Mission Micro-Grant Program awards annual grants of up to $200 to any full or part-time Detroit Mercy faculty or staff member in support of a wide range of activities that promote Detroit Mercy’s mission of being a Catholic, Mercy, Jesuit, urban and student-centered university.

  There are only four criteria a project or activity must meet to be considered for a Mission Micro Grant:

  • The project or activity must promote one or more elements of Detroit Mercy’s mission.
  • You must personally be involved in the project or activity.
  • You must be employed by the University during the time the project or activity takes place.
  • The grant monies must be spent in the same fiscal year in which they are received.

  Please visit the Mission Micro-Grant website to learn more about what type of projects are eligible for funding and project deadlines. You can also browse previously funded projects and activities.

  The application process is very simple. One-page online applications are due Friday, Oct. 9. PLEASE NOTE: Only one grant application may be submitted per project.

  Questions can be sent to Rosemary Weatherston at weatherr@udmercy.edu.

  Submit application here.

• September 29: Discussion sessions on ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ to begin Sept. 30

  Tuesday September 29, 2026
  

  The Department of Religious Studies is hosting a series of small group discussions on Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas led by Fr. Greg Banazak. The encyclical deals with AI and its implications for our shared humanity.

  Given the urgency of this issue, the sessions will offer a timely opportunity for students, faculty and staff to think through this important document. The series is planned as part of the 2026 Bruttell Series in Religion and Social Ethics. All are invited.

  All sessions will be held in Briggs Building, Room 305, and refreshments will be available.

  Three sessions are planned:

  • Wednesday, Sept. 30, 12:45-1:45 p.m.: “Dialoguing with Magnifica Humanitas: AI and Ethics”
  • Thursday, Oct. 15, 12:45-1:45 p.m.: “Dialoguing with Magnifica Humanitas: AI and Religion”
  • Monday, Oct. 26, 12:45 – 1:45 p.m.: “Dialoguing with Magnifica Humanitas: AI and Everyday Life”

• September 29: Creative Writing Collective to hold first session of school year, Oct. 6

  Tuesday September 29, 2026
  

  

  The Detroit Mercy English Department will host the first Creative Writing Collective (CWC) of the fall semester on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 5:15-6:30 p.m., in the Briggs Building, Room 202. The gathering will be led by Senior Adjunct Instructor and Poet-in-Residence Michael Lauchlan.

  The CWC provides a relaxed, supportive environment for all students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the community to read, write and chat together.

  All are welcome, and no creative writing experience is necessary.

  For questions or if you would like to be added to the CWC mailing list, please email english@udmercy.edu.

  

• September 29: CLASA to host conversation on El Salvador’s challenges, Oct. 6

  Tuesday September 29, 2026
  

  

  The Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive (CLASA) will host talks on El Salvador, featuring Alejandra Sandoval, on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the Loranger Architecture Building Exhibition Space.

  The discussions will cover contemporary challenges facing El Salvador as well as the work of the Center for Interchange and Solidarity (CIS) in defending human rights, ensuring basic human needs are filled and empowering women.

  The conversation will take place in two parts: 10-11:10 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a 10-minute break between sessions. Participants can attend either or both sessions, with minimal repetition between the two.

  This event is free, and all are welcome.

  Sandoval is a Salvadoran visual communicator and digital strategist currently serving as the promotion and solidarity crafts coordinator at the Center for Interchange and Solidarity (CIS) in El Salvador. Passionate about linguistic and cultural exchanges, her work uses digital storytelling to build cross-cultural understanding.

  This event is co-sponsored by the Language and Cultural Training Program at UDM.

• September 29: Photos: Download pictures from Titan Fest

  Tuesday September 29, 2026
  

  

  The University had several photographers at 2026 Titan Fest, capturing all of the fun from the annual club and organization fest on the McNichols Campus. A full display of captures featuring your club/orgs/friends are available for download now!

  Download Titan Fest photos.