Current Students

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.

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.

Detroit Mercy’s University Recreation (URec) 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 2026 intramural programming includes sand volleyball, soccer, indoor volleyball, flag football, ping pong 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.

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 Detroit Mercy community is invited to a special prayer service focused on the health and well‑being of local neighborhoods. This gathering offers an opportunity to come together to pause, share space and lift one another up through prayer and reflection.

The prayer service will take place on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m., at Good Shepard Lutheran Church, located at 16100 Lawton Street in Detroit.

Following the service, attendees are invited to remain for conversation and a shared meal. This is an opportunity to connect, meet new neighbors and build community in a welcoming, relaxed setting. Dinner will be provided through the generosity of the Catholic Foundation of Michigan.

All are welcome, whether familiar with prayer services or attending for the first time. The evening is sponsored by Good Shepard Lutheran Church, Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) and University Ministry.

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.

Students, looking for volunteering opportunities?

Hand out prizes, help students with thank-you notes, run game stations, assist with thank you photos and videos, and more during ‘Thank a Donor Day,’ set for 12:30-2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22 in the Fountain Lounge of the Student Union.

If you need volunteer hours as part of service requirements for your organizations, there is an opportunity to help out with the annual day on the McNichols Campus.

The Annual Giving and Alumni Relations departments host the ‘Thank a Donor Day’ and will have several opportunities to volunteer.

To learn more about the various opportunities and times available for you to fulfill your required hours, visit the link below!

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?

All Detroit Mercy students, alumni, staff, faculty and administrators are encouraged to create an original poem using the magnets on the second-floor lockers of the Briggs Building on the McNichols Campus.

Winning poems will be published in the 34th issue of [sic], UDM’s arts and literary magazine. Students will also receive a magnetic poetry kit.

Each individual may submit a maximum of three poems. Photos of the poems must be high quality and vertically oriented. The deadline is Saturday, Sept. 26.

With any questions or for more information, please contact Director of Creative Writing Stacy Gnall at gnallsc@udmercy.edu.

Kick off the academic year with the College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) at the annual CHASS Welcome Bash, which will be held Thursday, Sept. 10 from 3-4:30 p.m. on the Briggs Building patio.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to gather on the Briggs patio for an afternoon of free food, music, games, giveaways, CHASS swag and community. This year’s event is extra special as we celebrate 150 years of the Liberal Arts at Detroit Mercy.

Come reconnect with friends, meet new members of the CHASS community and celebrate the start of another great year together.

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.