Faculty, Staff and Administrators

Faculty/Staff Announcements from Campus Connection

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• October 05: UDM to host 21st annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference, Oct. 15 

  Monday October 05, 2026
  

  

  Detroit Mercy will host the 21st annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit (GLBD) Conference on Thursday, Oct. 15, in the Student Union Ballroom on the McNichols Campus.

  This year, students, staff, administrators and faculty are invited to attend the environment-centered event for free.

  The redesigned one-day conference will bring together community members of all ages to discuss critical environmental and social challenges and explore ideas for addressing them. This year’s theme is “Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Change Makers.” 

  Conference topics include:

  • The science behind sustainable living
  • How pollution and renewable energy affect public health, especially in communities of color
  • Youth leadership and environmental responsibility for community change
  • Social justice and eco-spirituality
  • Storm water management and flood prevention
  • Water affordability and justice

  The program features pre-recorded keynote presentations from nationally recognized thought leaders, including:

  • Samantha Skenandore – Re-Evolving Indigeneity to Save Our Planet
  • Brett KenCairn – Nature-based Climate Solutions: Centering Life to Heal the Planet
  • Nina Simons – Living Between Paradigms
  • Leah Penniman – Free the People! Free the Land!
  • Julian Brave NoiseCat – The Epic Misadventures of the Trickster Coyote

  Pre-recorded performances by Destani Wolf, the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company, and Garth Stevenson, along with inspiring youth leadership presentations by Coley Kakols Miller and Kyle Trefny, highlight the important role young leaders play in creating a more sustainable and equitable future. 

  The Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit conference is a platform for community members to network and highlight innovative approaches to environmental and social challenges. The conference is for people of all ages who are interested in exploring topics, developing skills and motivating action for the betterment of our One Earth Community.

  More about the conference schedule and to register here.

• October 05: Hear survivors’ stories and explore ending torture at CLASA co-sponsored program, Oct. 9

  Monday October 05, 2026
  

  

  The Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive (CLASA) will co-sponsor, along with the Nurse Anesthesia Program and the Psychology Department, presentations by members of the Torture Abolition Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC) on Friday, Oct. 9, from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Briggs Building, Room 317.

  During the program, participants will hear directly from TASSC survivors. Their stories will shed light on the 1.3 million survivors of torture in the U.S., including their holistic needs. Future clinicians and communities partnering with survivor-led initiatives are an ideal model to address this rapidly evolving issue.

  The program will consist of four speakers, two of whom are:

  • Aymen Tabir — Torture survivor and executive director of TASSC International. Tabir is also a certified human rights consultant.
  • Sara Bauman ’02, ’06 — A trauma survivor and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), Bauman serves as the board secretary of TASSC International and a founding member of the Detroit Chapter of TASSC. Also, a founder of Ether and Thread, she works to ensure that survivors are the primary voices in identifying their physical, psychological and spiritual needs.

• October 05: The Battery Show North America returns to Detroit Oct. 12-15

  Monday October 05, 2026
  

  The Battery Show North America returns Oct. 12-15 to Huntington Place in Detroit. More than 16,000 engineers, executives and innovators will gather to explore the latest innovations in electrification, battery technology and next-generation manufacturing.

  The event is also a great opportunity for students, faculty and staff to connect with industry and discover internships, careers and partnerships.

  Through Detroit Mercy’s partnership with The Battery Show, UDM students will receive a free expo pass and faculty and staff will receive 20% off a conference pass.

  The expo will feature hands-on demonstrations, live product showcases and free educational sessions through the Open Tech Forum and Battery Tech Theater. The conference will feature more than 250 expert speakers, technical sessions and in-depth workshops.

  If interested in attending, please email ces@udmercy.edu to receive the University’s unique promo codes for students and employees.

  Register for The Battery Show North America here

• October 05: Winners of the 2026 Magnetic Poetry Contest announced

  Monday October 05, 2026
  

  

  The Detroit Mercy English Department is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Magnetic Poetry Contest:

  • First Place: A.C. Dertinger
  • Second Place: Alex Popp
  • Third Place: Ashlee Jones
  • Honorable Mentions: Phoebe Clark and Eemi Toma

  Be sure to check out the next issue of [sic], UDM’s literary and arts journal, where these winning poems will be featured.

• October 05: Learn more about immersion trip to Ireland at virtual information session Oct. 12

  Monday October 05, 2026
  

  

  

  Detroit Mercy’s McAuley School of Nursing will offer an immersion trip to Ireland from May 4-14, providing participants with the opportunity to learn about the life and work of Catherine McAuley (Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy).

  Those interested in this experience are encouraged to register for an upcoming virtual information session on Monday, Oct. 12, at 6 p.m. A confirmation email with meeting details will be sent upon registration.

  This immersion program is being offered as an interprofessional experience that will expose participants to not only the life and work of McAuley but also Irish culture, healthcare and history through the lens of the critical concerns of Mercy.

  This opportunity is offered to UDM faculty, staff, administrators and students (third year and above).

  For more information, contact Andrea Kwasky at kwaskyan@udmercy.edu.

  Register for information session here.

• October 01: Basics of puppetry workshop with acclaimed puppeteer Preston Foerder set for Oct. 13

  Thursday October 01, 2026
  

  

  The Detroit Mercy Theatre Company (DMTC) is sponsoring a hands-on introduction to the basics of puppetry, led by acclaimed puppeteer and Associate Professor of Psychology Preston Foerder, on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 12:45-1:45 p.m., in the Detroit Mercy Black Box Theater, located on the Lower Level of the Student Union.

  As part the inaugural year of DMTC’s Spotlight Series, this workshop will explore the fundamentals of puppet performance, including movement, manipulation, character, storytelling and the art of bringing an inanimate object to life.

  Foerder has extensive experience as a professional puppeteer and is the creator and performer of eight puppet theatre productions for family and adult audiences. He has received numerous awards, grants, and national and international festival performances including two UNIMA-USA/Jim Henson Citations for Excellence in the Art of Puppetry, the highest award in the field. He was a guest artist at the O’Neill Theatre Center Puppetry Conference and a New Jersey State Arts Fellow.

  This event is free and open to all.

• October 01: JFAN to host discussion on ‘Horror: From Rupture to Revelation,’ Oct. 15

  Thursday October 01, 2026
  

  

  The Jesuit Friends and Alumni Network (JFAN) will host a presentation on Thursday, Oct. 15, featuring Ryan Duns, S.J., on Horror: From Rupture to Revelation. On the cusp of Halloween, a time often dismissed as rooted in ancient, pagan rituals, this discussion enables attendees to take a deeper look.

  The event will take place in the Fountain Lounge of the Student Union. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for check-in and registration with lunch beginning at 12 p.m. and program to follow at 12:15 p.m.

  Fr. Duns will discuss how modern horror films and scary movies serve as a powerful lens for deep spiritual truths, exposing our universal struggle with fear, evil and ultimate grace.

  A Jesuit priest and theologian, Fr. Duns works at the intersection of philosophy and systematic theology as an associate professor of theology at Marquette University. He is the author of Theology of Horror: The Hidden Depths of Popular Films and co-author with Conor Kelly of Who Will You Become? An Ignatian Introduction to Catholic Theology.

  All are welcome, and registration is required. Deadline for registration is Oct. 9.

  For more information, please visit the JFAN-Detroit website.

  Register for discussion here.