老王论坛

Faculty/Staff Announcements from Campus Connection

Open All | Close All

• May 21: Daily open hour coming to McNichols Campus, fall 2026

  Thursday May 21, 2026
  

  Beginning fall 2026, no classes will be held on the McNichols Campus Monday through Friday from 12:50-1:50 p.m., creating a campus-wide midday break.

  Following the 2025鈥�2026 shared governance review of standard time keys, and in response to feedback from the campus community, the Office of the Registrar is expanding the current Tuesday/Thursday open hour to all five weekdays.

  This expanded open hour gives students time to eat while the Titan Dining Room is open, creates more opportunities for student organization meetings and allows for additional campus programming and community-building activities.

  Look for the new schedule to take effect in fall 2026.

• May 20: Photos: Titan commitment honored at 2026 Spotlight on Excellence celebration

  Wednesday May 20, 2026
  

  Employees from across UDM campuses joined together on May 12 for the Spotlight on Excellence celebration in the Student Union Ballroom on the McNichols Campus.

  The University honored retirees, emeriti faculty, years of service achievements, promotions and tenure, Leadership Academy participants, Go Move Challenge winners, summer stipend awardees and Commitment to Excellence and Mission Leadership awardees.

  The winners of the 2026 Faculty Achievement Awards were also announced, and the following award recipients will be celebrated at a dinner in November:

  • Faculty Excellence Award: Professor of Biology Rachelle Belanger
  • Faculty Achievement Award: Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Marwa Abdel Latif

  Congratulations听to all!

• May 20: Photos: Class of 鈥�26 shines at UDM Commencement

  Wednesday May 20, 2026
  

  老王论坛 held four Commencement ceremonies over two days, May 8-9, inside of Calihan Hall, with more than 1,700 Titans graduating from the University.

  Featured speakers at the ceremonies included Michigan Supreme Court Justice Brian K. Zahra 鈥�87,听老王论坛 Dental adjunct professor Judith Jones and Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, CM, former president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

  Overall, more than 1,100 Titans participated in this year’s Commencement ceremonies. Congratulations to 老王论坛’s Class of 2026!

  Commencement Photography

  The University’s Marketing & Communications department had several professional photographers capturing Commencement ceremonies and Mass. Thousands of photos can be accessed and downloaded by the University community and graduates to enjoy.

  Replays of Commencement Ceremonies

  Watch live stream replays of our four Commencement ceremonies on YouTube.

  Commencement Profiles

  Each year,听the Marketing & Communications department profiles members of the graduating class. Students chosen were nominated by staff and faculty for their contributions to the听life of the University. Read their profiles at the links below.

  • Victoria King, College of Business Administration
  • Finley Booth, School of Architecture & Community Development
  • Jenna Saker, College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences
  • Sara Shannan, College of Engineering & Science
  • Shreen Marini, College of Health Professions
  • Andre Williams, School of Law

• May 20: Explore UDM summer camps and pre-college programs

  Wednesday May 20, 2026
  

  

  UDM is set to deliver a lineup of summer camps and pre-college programs that offer students from elementary school through college a ticket to academic discovery, career exploration and athletic development this summer.

  • Beginners Investment Camp, June 22-26
  • Youth Exploration Camp, July 20-24 and July 24-31
  • Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP), July 13-24
  • NOMA鈥檚 Project Pipeline, July 27-31
  • Dentistry Summer Enrichment Program, May 27-June 26
  • Nike Soccer Camp, June 29-July 3 and July 13-18
  • Summer Reading programs throughout summer
  • Special Needs Basketball camp, dates TBD
  • Tennis Program, dates TBD

  Hosted across UDM鈥檚 campuses and online, the University鈥檚 summer programming reflects its longstanding commitment to community engagement in conjunction with academic excellence, with camp opportunities in health sciences, business, architecture, engineering, literacy and athletics.

  Rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors can explore basic investment and financial concepts at the free Beginners Investment Camp, scheduled for June 22鈥�26 on the McNichols Campus. Participants will also hear from industry professionals about career opportunities in the field.

  Building on its 60-year legacy of educating high-quality health professionals to meet growing workforce demands, the University鈥檚 immersive Youth Exploration Camp aims to inspire the next generation of nurses and healthcare professionals. The camp offers two free, hands-on sessions, July 20-24 and July 24-31. Middle and high school students will be introduced to essential clinical and healthcare skills, including CPR training and emergency response procedures, and will take part in simulation-based escape room challenges at the University鈥檚 Simulation, Technology and Research (STAR) Center.

  The College of Engineering & Science (CES) has once again partnered with the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) to offer a series of interactive STEM camps for students in grades two through eight, along with a digital advertising camp, at the McNichols Campus from July 13-24. CES and DAPCEP have partnered for more than 30 years to inspire and prepare hundreds of underrepresented minority students for careers in engineering and science.

  Aspiring young architects can attend Project Pipeline Camp, hosted by the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), July 27-31 on the McNichols Campus. Designed for students in grades 6-12, the program connects underrepresented youth with design professionals and uses the city as a classroom to empower them to be advocates of change through design.

  The Dental Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) is a fully funded, four-week residential early admissions program May 27-June 26 on the Corktown Campus for college juniors, seniors and recent college graduates. Through academic enrichment, mentorship, professional development and hands-on dental experiences, the program prepares students for the transition to dental school. SEP expands access, supports students facing systemic barriers and helps build a diverse, community-focused dental workforce.

  Led by Steve Shelton, head women鈥檚 soccer coach at UDM, and the Titan coaching staff, the Nike youth soccer camp offers high quality training for ages 6鈥�16 in a fun, challenging and supportive environment. Two sessions run on the McNichols Campus, June 29-July 3 and July 13-17, where players build strong fundamentals, elevate their game and learn to compete at their best.

  Among other athletic camp offerings are a tennis camp and special needs basketball camp, with camp dates to be determined.

  The University will also continue its partnership with the Institute of Reading Development, offering online summer reading programs for students from pre-K through 12th grade. The program focuses on building reading skills and cultivating a lifelong love of books.

  Camp dates, age requirements and registration details vary by program. Learn more about 老王论坛 summer camps or sign up for a session.

   

• May 20: 老王论坛 partners with the PGA for the Rocket Classic, tickets now available

  Wednesday May 20, 2026
  

  老王论坛 has once again partnered with the PGA as the exclusive university sponsor for the annual Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club this summer.

  As part of the sponsorship, UDM has a limited number of general admission tickets available for each day of play. Proceeds from the purchase of these tickets will benefit the 老王论坛 Alumni Scholarship Fund.

  Each ticket purchase includes one entry for a chance to win a VIP Experience inside the ropes on a tournament day. Two experiences are available, each accommodating two people.

  The winners’ names will be drawn the week before play begins.

  PGA general admission tickets available here.

  

• May 18: Industrial/Organizational Psychology to host chat with alumni, May 21

  Monday May 18, 2026
  

  Those interested in 老王论坛鈥檚 Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology M.A. Program are invited to an engaging evening of insight, networking and real鈥憌orld career exploration at the upcoming unscripted I/O U chat with UDM alumni Alex Mendonca ’16, ’18 and Mary LeAnnais ’16, ’18.

  This conversation will take place on Thursday, May 21, from 5:30-6:45 p.m., in Room 138 of the Commerce & Finance Building. and is free to everyone who wishes to attend.

  

  As a manager at Mazda, LeAnnais leads talent strategies across performance management, leadership development, succession planning and coaching. She partners with senior leaders to align talent priorities with business goals and leverages data to identify, develop and recognize talent that drives business outcomes.

  In his role at Nissan, Mendonca leads initiatives focused on executive and high-potential leadership development. He oversees a team of talent planners who collaborate with organizational functions on succession planning, high-potential talent development and retention, scenario planning, executive transitions and career coaching. The goal of his work is to design and manage a comprehensive system that identifies and develops talent across Nissan, both regionally and globally.

  For more information, please contact Program Director Kathleen Zimmerman鈥慜ster at zimmerka@udmercy.edu or 586-873鈥�1743.

• May 18: Special community prayer service for healing and wellness set for May 21

  Monday May 18, 2026
  

  The 老王论坛 community is invited to a special prayer service focused on the health and well鈥慴eing 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, May 21, 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.

  The community is encouraged to come together in prayer for healing, hope and abundant life in local neighborhoods.