School News Archive

A mural on a long wall depicts passengers getting on a train, in Detroit.

Detroit Mercy alumna Bethany Howard '21 runs the impactful City Walls program, which was launched by the City of Detroit in 2017 and has turned nearly 300 walls across the Motor City into beautiful works of art.

Dozens of students walk on the McNichols Campus during the first day of classes.

For a sixth year in a row, University of Detroit Mercy was ranked among the top national universities by U.S. News & World Report in its Best Colleges 2025 edition.

McNichols Campus at sunset includes clocktower

The 2025 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranking has put UDM at No. 43 in the nation, nine places higher than it ranked the University last year.

Dozens of people wearing red UDM t-shirts and others stand and pose for a Class of 2028 photo outdoors in front of Holden Hall and the TITANS signage.

New Titans took part in move-in day to Shiple Hall, First-year Convocation, PTV and more to help kick-off their college careers.

SACD 30 - 45- 60 events see below

University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture + Community Development is celebrating three major milestones: 30th anniversary of the Detroit Collaborative Design Center, 45th anniversary of our Warsaw, Poland exchange program and 60th anniversary of the School of Architecture & Community Development

Suchi Reddy stands in front of her me + you installation inside of the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

Suchi Reddy, a 1991 graduate from the School of Architecture & Community Development, will debut a new iteration of her "me + you" design for the reopening, set for June 6-16 in Detroit.

Students and scholarship donors sit around a table and mingle at a reception event.

Scholarships are a way to make education accessible to all, and University of Detroit Mercy is no stranger to granting scholarships to a wide array of students. Through the generosity of private donors and philanthropic organizations, the University gives Titans the chance to pursue the education of their dreams.

Three photos feature graduates during commencement ceremonies inside of Calihan Hall.

The world welcomed new Titans with more than 1,000 University of Detroit Mercy graduates receiving their diplomas across four Commencement ceremonies May 10-11 on the McNichols Campus.

Iryna Olkhovetska poses in front of her thesis presentation, titled "Paradigm Shift: Rethinking the Notion of Detroit's Suburban Neighborhoods by Exploring European-Inspired Design Strategies."

Iryna Olkhovetska made the difficult decision with her family to leave their home in Ukraine and move to the United States in search of a brighter future six years ago. Today, she is proud to be an American citizen, embracing her identity as both a Ukrainian and American and striving to honor her roots while building a future in the land of opportunity.

A student studies at a desk in the library.

The new partnership aims to improve matriculation to graduate and professional schools, improve professional licensing passage rates, and improve employability for graduates.

The McNichols Campus is covered in snow during the winter as seen through this aerial drone photo.

Beginning with the 2024-25 academic year, Detroit Mercy will offer free tuition to first-year students who meet certain eligibility requirements. They may renew Titan Edge for up to four years total.

UDM to celebrate student, faculty research projects

Detroit Mercy will recognize the academic work of students, staff and faculty at the 16th annual Celebration of Scholarly Achievement (CSA). This University-wide event will feature traditional research posters, artistic displays, performances, lightning talks, a keynote address by an internationally known speaker and more.

Models of buildings are positioned on a desk.

Scores of UDM students and faculty will help nonprofits in Detroit and southeast Michigan reduce their carbon footprint as part of a $3.79-million grant award to support energy efficiency.

An aerial photograph of Detroit Mercy's McNichols Campus.

University of Detroit Mercy has recently received more than $2 million in grants to help educate students and their work in the community. 

Three students who are members of The League pose for a photo on the left side. On the right side, members of The League talk amongst each other.

The League is a learning community for Black male students, faculty and staff on University of Detroit Mercy's McNichols Campus. It aims to foster mentorship and enrich the lives of Black male students.

A professor stands and talks to three students sitting in a business classroom. Other students sit in chairs nearby.

Detroit Mercy ranks No. 455 out of 4,500 colleges and universities nationwide for salary earned over the 40-year length of a career according to research published by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce in 2022.

An outdoor photo of the McNichols Campus on a sunny day with students walking on campus amongst trees, buildings and a clock tower.

Detroit Mercy was ranked among the top national universities by U.S. News & World Report for a fifth year in a row, earning a No. 185 rank in the National Universities category.

A rendering of Timber Integrative Means + Biophilic Resilience, showing its building and neighboring areas in Detroit's Rivertown district, including the General Motors Renaissance Center in the far background.

A project that started out with a simple L-shaped building led to international recognition for three Detroit Mercy students in the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment (AIA COTE) Top Ten for Students Competition. 

Students and others during the 2022 Bioneers conference, working outside on logs.

Detroit Mercy will host the 18th annual Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit Conference on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 12-13. The theme of this year’s conference is “Revolution from the Heart of Nature: Take Action in Detroit.”

An outdoor photo on the McNichols Campus, featuring students sitting on benches, the Memorial clock tower, water fountain, trees, flowers and buildings during a sunny summer day.

Detroit Mercy was ranked No. 52 nationally and second in Michigan, according to results released Sept. 6 by WSJ/College Pulse. UDM was the third-highest ranked Jesuit university and only Mercy institution ranked.

Two photos of students outdoors, on the left two students push carts past the Shiple Hall sign and on the right, three students wearing red University of Detroit Mercy t-shirts pose and smile in front of a colorful brick wall.

Students from Detroit Mercy's largest freshman class on the McNichols Campus in 14 years participated in Prologues, Transitions and Viewpoints (PTV) during the final part of orientation, Aug. 22-25.

Dan Pitera poses for a portrait.

UDM School of Architecture & Community Development Dean Dan Pitera was recently awarded with what is considered to be AIA Detroit’s highest honor.

A graphic featuring the text 2023 Alumni Achievement Awards, with photos of the seven winners and their names below.

Each year, Detroit Mercy honors an alumnus from each of its seven schools or colleges for the way they have excelled in their professions and demonstrated leadership and service to the larger community.

top exterior of supreme court building

As many of you know, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn affirmative action on June 29, 2023, will have a significant impact on institutions of higher education throughout our country. We pray for all of our friends and member institutions who will experience an array of challenges due to this decision, but most importantly for all students who will be directly affected by the court’s actions.

Students sit inside of a classroom and listen to a teacher who sits on a higher chair, with three television screens around them.

For more than a decade, the Leadership minor has been an important part of the college education for hundreds of UDM graduates. More than 500 students are enrolled in the minor each semester.

Graduates walk outdoors on the McNichols Campus near the Jesus statue.

More than 1,000 graduates participated in four ceremonies during 2023 Commencement at University of Detroit Mercy on Friday and Saturday, May 12-13.

Angel Mangham wears a graduation cap and gown and speaks from a podium inside of a classroom.

Angel Mangham has made her mark at Detroit Mercy and within the School of Architecture & Community Development. As president of the school’s chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students, she works to amplify the voices of Black architects.

Michael Ford stands outdoors in front of an iconic statue in downtown Detroit, surrounded by more than a dozen children in sweatshirts and coats.

Michael Ford’s love for music and community inspired him to found The Hip-Hop Architecture Camp, which blends his passions, while also empowering underrepresented youth to explore architecture.

January 2023 Letter from the Dean

Building on our 58-year heritage and our unique relationship with Detroit, we have completed a major transition. Beginning in the 2021-22 academic year, we are now known as the: School of Architecture + Community Development (SACD). But this is more than a name change.