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University of Detroit Mercy

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University of Detroit Mercy is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic university located in Detroit, Michigan, USA. It was founded in 1877 as the University of Detroit by the Society of Jesus. In 1990, it merged with Mercy College of Detroit, which had been established in 1941 by the Sisters of Mercy. It is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. UDM is renowned in dentistry, polymer engineering, architecture, and several allied health professions. Athletically, it is known for its fine basketball teams.

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Mission, vision and philosophy

The merger of the two colleges in 1990 presented unique challenges; though both were Catholic colleges, U of D was associated with the Jesuit order, and Mercy College was associated with the Sisters of Mercy. These two traditional Catholic religious orders stress different goals and views at times. The following are UDM's mission and vision statements.

Mission Statement:The University of Detroit Mercy, a Catholic university in the Jesuit and Mercy traditions, exists to provide excellent student-centered undergraduate and graduate education in an urban context. A UDM education seeks to integrate the intellectual, spiritual, ethical and social development of our students.

Vision Statement: The University of Detroit Mercy will be recognized as a premier private university in the Great Lakes region, distinguished by graduates who lead and serve in their communities.

UDM is committed to quality education, service of faith, promotion of justice and compassionate service to persons in need. Accordingly, the university and its students, staff and administration take an active role in strengthening Detroit, through community outreach and partnership with like-minded organizations.

Colleges and campuses

UDM is comprised of eight colleges: the School of Architecture, College of Business Administration, School of Dentistry, College of Engineering and Science, College of Health Professions, School of Law, College of Liberal Arts and Education, McAuley School of Nursing.

The main campus is located on the southeast corner of McNichols and Livernois, at 4001 West McNichols; it opened in 1928 and is marked architecturally by the University Clock Tower, a structure built as a memorial to U of D students lost in World War I. Calihan Hall, home of the UDM Titans women’s and men’s basketball teams, as well as student residences are located on this campus. The UDM School of Law campus is located in downtown Detroit at 651 East Jefferson across from the Renaissance Center. The McNichols campus is located in a well established residential section of Detroit and provides on campus housing in Shiple Hall, Holden Hall, Reno Hall, and the four Quad buildings. Detroit’s downtown, Cultural Center and New Center areas are a 15 minute drive away. Suburban communities to the north of Detroit like Ferndale, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Southfield and Troy are also easily accessible and rich in shopping and entertainment options. Public transit is limited; albeit, SMART buses connect UDM to suburban communities and DDOT buses travel throughout the city of Detroit.

The Jefferson campus is the original campus of the University of Detroit, and there is currently ongoing construction to expand it by building a $100 million tower that will contain several stories of parking decks, residence, and the new library. The Outer Drive Campus is the original Mercy College campus and is located at 8200 West Outer Drive only a short drive from McNichols. It is the location of the School of Dentistry, and UDM Conference Centre.

The Outer Drive Campus was sold to Wayne County Community College in 2002, and since then the University has been moving Colleges and programs to the McNichols campus, including the College of Health Professions, Counseling & Addiction Studies Department, Education Department, Language & Cultural Training Center, Psychology Department & Clinic, UDM Theatre Program and the Career Education Center. The College of Dentistry remains at the Outer Drive campus, with plans to relocate before 2008.

Athletics

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UDM sports teams are nicknamed the Titans and the school competes in the Horizon League, where it is perennially a contender for the conference title in men's basketball. Men's Coach Perry Watson is a respected figure in Detroit basketball and he has developed strong recruiting ties with players from Detroit Public Schools. Dick Vitale, most famous as the color voice for ABC and ESPN college basketball, coached at UD in the 1970s, before the school's merger with Mercy College. The 2009 NCAA Final Four will be held at Ford Field in downtown Detroit; UDM is the official host institution for the national Championship.

Detroit was once renowned in football (the school's nickname, "Titans," comes from the size of its football players), but the high costs of major college football forced it to drop the sport in 1964. On June 24th, 2004, the school announced it was canceling its baseball program effective immediately. Once again, the high cost of the program was cited as the reason for eliminating the sport. Remaining sports include golf, track and field, fencing, soccer, tennis and softball.

Notable alumni

External links

 

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