Current Students

Mark your calendars! The annual end-of-the-year De-Stress Fest returns to the Whitty Student Fitness Center on Thursday, April 23, from 4:30-7 p.m.

As finals approach, take some time to relax, recharge and have fun with a variety of stress-relief activities. Stay tuned for event details coming soon.

The Detroit Mercy Pre-Law Society and Business Law Society will host its second annual Moot Court Competition on Thursday, April 2 at 2 p.m., where students of all majors can refine their legal reasoning, public speaking and advocacy skills in a simulated appellate court environment. Participants will present a hypothetical case before a distinguished panel of judges, including UDM faculty.

The competition will follow a traditional moot court format, where multiple teams will present arguments on both sides of a legal issue. This is an oral competition, and no writing is involved.

It only takes two to make a team for this competition, so find a friend and sign up now. Deadline to sign up is March 23.

For any questions, please contact saputocm@udmercy.edu or tomaeb@udmercy.edu.

In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, University Ministry will hold an interfaith panel featuring women who will share their stories of faith and life.

The panel is set for Monday, March 23, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., in the Student Union Ballroom.

A peer wellness student leader will facilitate a self-care activity table during the event.

Lite bites and refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend.

Please contact Director of University Ministry Anita Klueg at kluegag@udmercy.edu for any questions or more information. This event is cohosted by the Hindu Community of Michigan, the Muslim Student Association and Peer Wellness.

Do you know a student who went above and beyond this year? Nominations are now open for the 2025-26 Student Leadership and Service Awards and will be accepted until Thursday, March 26!

An unbiased committee will review all nominations, so please be detailed in your submissions!

The Student Leadership and Service Awards reception will be held on Thursday, April 16, at 5 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. More details will be provided to nominees/winners. In conjunction with the awards ceremony, our National Society of Leadership & Success inductees will be honored.

Awards categories for Student Leadership and Service Awards include:

• Rising Star Student Leader (First-Year Student or Sophomore): This award is given to a first-year student or sophomore-level student who demonstrates leadership qualities in multiple areas of campus. They consider their community in their everyday decisions and are working for positive change around them. This person may not have a title, but their actions and commitment to the process of leadership are noticeable to their peers and constituents.
• Student Leader of the Year (Junior or Senior): This award is given to a junior or senior-level student who demonstrates leadership qualities in multiple areas of campus. They consider their community in their everyday decisions and are working for positive change around them. This person may not have a title, but their actions and commitment to the process of leadership are noticeable to their peers and constituents.
• Titan Spirit Award: This award is given to a student who demonstrates Titan Spirit every day. They love their school, and they are not afraid to show it. Their pride for their school is demonstrated in their involvement, decisions, actions and even the color scheme of their clothes. This person never waivers when choosing to root for the home team!
• Student Employee of the Year: This award is given to a diligent student who is employed somewhere on campus. This student adds value to the office or department they work in and is dedicated to their role. Without dedicated student employees this campus would not be able to run efficiently. This student is a true model of what it looks like to help keep a workplace moving in a positive direction.
• Student Organization of the Year: This award is given to the registered student organization that has contributed positively to campus all year. They achieve their organization mission while contributing to the University’s overall mission. They are committed to their members and provide opportunities, initiatives and/or events for campus to see their efforts clearly. This group is driven, excited and displays their positive values.
• Program/Event of the Year: This award is given to a student or group of students who has hosted a phenomenal program on campus. This program has given students at Detroit Mercy an opportunity to enjoy each other, learn something new or come together for a common purpose. This event adds value to campus and is a positive addition to the campus culture.

Awards categories for Fraternity and Sorority Leadership and Service Awards include:

• Fraternity Member of the Year: This award is for a member of a fraternity who has demonstrated continued contribution to his chapter, the Greek community and the Detroit Mercy campus. This person understands and models their values daily and is a positive force. This person stands out from the community for how they demonstrate leadership, loyalty and commitment to making the world around them better for all.
• Sorority Member of the Year: This award is for a member of a sorority who has demonstrated continued contribution to her chapter, the Greek community and the Detroit Mercy campus. This person understands and models their values daily and is a positive force. This person stands out from the community for how they demonstrate leadership, loyalty and commitment to making the world around them better for all.
• Chapter President of the Year: This award is given to a person who upheld the values of their own organization and the University. They communicate throughout the community, promote a positive Greek Life experience and uplift their members. This person supports their executive board (if applicable) and completes all duties in a timely and accurate manner. They exemplify what it means to lead by example!
• Outstanding Philanthropic Event or Community Service Project: This award is given to the Greek chapter that conducted an outstanding philanthropic event and/or an outstanding community service project that served to benefit the local/national community. The program should have been in the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Chapter of Excellence Award: This award is given to the Greek Letter organization that has demonstrated excellence in multiple categories, including but not limited to academics, campus programming and highlighting their values. This chapter contributes positively to the Greek Life community, campus community and each other. Even if this group is not wearing their letters, they are consistently demonstrating their values.

The Women’s and Gender Studies Program is accepting submissions for the 2025–26 Undergraduate Writing Competition. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 23.

All current Detroit Mercy undergraduate students are encouraged to submit original work exploring issues related to gender, sexuality and/or feminist thought. Submissions that engage with questions of identity, power, equity and social justice are highly encouraged in the following genres:

• Poetry
• Personal essays
• Short stories
• Academic essays

Total prizes in the amount of $700 will be awarded.

For more information, please email Lee Eshelman at eshelmlr@udmercy.edu or visit the link below.

University Ministry will lead a trip for students to attend Mass and tour the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit on Sunday, March 22.

After Mass, the group will tour the Cathedral and then go out for brunch together for fellowship and reflection. Transportation will be provided.

Participants taking University Ministry provided transportation will meet at the University Ministry Office at 10:15 a.m. Those driving themselves should meet at the Cathedral at 10:45 a.m. Mass begins at 11 a.m. 

For more information or any questions, please email Anna Bryson at lawleran@udmercy.edu.

The 19th Annual Celebration of Scholarly Achievement & Community Engagement (CSACE) is set for Thursday, April 9, from 12-4:30 p.m., in the Whitty Student Fitness Center on the McNichols Campus.

UDM friends and family are invited to join the celebration.

CSACE is a university-wide event showcasing more than 200 research posters and presentations, including artistic displays, robotics, 3D models, lightning talks and more. CSACE highlights exemplary work from across all UDM campuses and serves as an opportunity to celebrate the academic, scholarly and creative accomplishments of our University community throughout the academic year.

Highlights of the event include:

• Research posters & presentations: 12-2 p.m. — Exhibits, models, robotics,  scholarly publications
• Lightning-talk presentations: 2:15-4:30 p.m. — Award-winning research & poetry

A complimentary box lunch from Subway will be provided.

Guest registration and parking pass are required.

This event is sponsored by Delta Dental, Alliance Catholic Credit Union and RIIS

The Detroit Mercy community is invited to the annual Phenomenal Women’s Reception, set for Friday, March 20, at 5 p.m., in the Student Union Ballroom.

The recipient of the award this year is Samerah Saad, associate director of Residence Life.

The reception, hosted by the Student Life Office and the Campus Activity Board, celebrates the lives of women at Detroit Mercy.

The event is free and open to all students, faculty and staff.

Looking to further your education? Make your graduate applications stand out by attending an upcoming Graduate Admission Workshop, hosted by the Center for Career & Professional Development and the Office of Admissions.

Sessions will focus on resume/interview skills, personal statements and letters of recommendation/etiquette. Join us in-person in the Admissions Office in Room 181 of the Student Union or virtually via Teams. Registration is encouraged but not required.

Session dates and topics are as follows:

• Thursday, March 19, at 1 p.m. — Resume/interview skills
• Tuesday, March 31, at 1 p.m. — Personal statements
• Tuesday, April 14, at 1 p.m. — Letters of recommendation/etiquette

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Associate Director for Graduate Admissions Jennifer Goethals at 313-993-3309 or goethajm@udmercy.edu.

The College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) will welcome Alfred Babo, professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Fairfield University, to speak about his experiences as a researcher and teacher living in exile.

The conversation will take place on Thursday, March 26 at 4 p.m., in the Bargman Room of the McNichols Campus Library.

The event will also feature an introduction to Babo’s recently published book, Exiled Scholars in Western Academia: Refugees or Intellectuals?, which presents experiences of scholars residing in exile and how they experience a paradox of inclusion and exclusion.

In his talk, Babo will highlight how academics and intellectuals are often among those who must flee their home countries and are rescued during times of crisis. He will explore how those who seek asylum or exile in the United States face challenges of acceptance in ways that shift their research and practice.

Currently serving on the board of Scholars-at-Risk (SAR), Babo also co-founded the initiative called Share the Platform, which advocates for refugees’ self-representation and expertise. He received the Fairfield University 2023 Martin Luther King Vision Award for his engagement with refugees and vulnerable individuals. Babo is also a member of several professional organizations.

This talk is sponsored by CHASS and African American Studies and is free and open to the public.