College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

'A once in a lifetime experience'

stuxbury — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 21:38:28 +0000

'A once in a lifetime experience' stuxbury Fri, 07/25/2025 - 17:38

Intrigued by movies and books that featured the Eiffel Tower, senior Bryanna Worthy wanted to go to France. Learning more about the country, she saw something special in the architecture, the food and the culture. She started taking language lessons as a high school freshman and continued through college. But she didn’t know if or when she’d ever visit.

Earlier this year, thanks to ��-Dearborn’s faculty-led “France Sites of Memory” Study Abroad experience, Worthy spent a week traveling the country while earning course credit. She saw castles, World War II sites, famous paintings and — of course — the Eiffel Tower.

Director of Global Engagement Scott Riggs said the university wants any student who wishes to study in another country to have that opportunity. There are both exchange programs and faculty-led study abroad programs available for interested students on the M-Navigator website. Upcoming experiences include travel to Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

Scholarships help students afford the travel — and the sooner students apply, the earlier they can learn about covered costs. “Applying does not mean you are committed to going — but it does start the process of seeing what scholarships and funding you qualify for,” Riggs said. “Last academic year, about $60,000 in aid for study abroad was given to 22 students. So it is not an insignificant amount.” A signature scholarship is the Go Global Guarantee, which is need-based support of up to $4,000. Interested in ��-Dearborn’s Study Abroad programs? Reach out with questions.

Bryanna Worthy, right, got to see the Eiffel Tower with her ��-Dearborn friends.

Worthy, who had her trip partially funded through the Go Global Guarantee, said her time in France was “a once in a lifetime experience.” And the communications major wanted to share it with readers in her words. Worthy is a blogger for the ��-Dearborn Admissions’ student blog. Below is an entry she wrote about her time in France, which is lightly edited for style and to add details.

Nothing is better than falling in love with a country after spending years learning the language. Over spring break, I had the opportunity to attend the France Sites of Memory 2025 study abroad. This experience was life-changing. I was able to connect with my professors, students and even the locals. As a student with eight years of experience learning French, here's a day-by-day rundown of how my journey went.

Day One: Bonjour, Paris
Our first day in Paris was short, but fun. We landed at the Charles de Gaulle airport around seven in the morning. Afterward, we headed straight for the hotel. Once we arrived, the rooms were not ready yet, so we headed to a nearby café, Le Bistro, for a coffee and lunch. I ordered a BLT with fries and everything was so fresh and amazing. After our petit lunch, we headed to see an antique chapel, Parisse Saint Merry, that was quite extraordinary,and went to Père Lachaise Cemetery where some of the most prominent French writers were buried. To top the night off, we headed to a quaint restaurant that had the best French onion soup I’ve ever tasted in my life. It was warm, rich and delicious.

The students explored the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles.

Day Two: Bienvenue au palais de Versailles
During our trip to Versailles, we learned a lot about why the palace is built the way it is. Although the palace is 356 years old, it still holds its glory today. With an astonishing 357 mirrors in the hall of mirrors alone, the Sun King, Louis XIV, created a space that resembled the true French identity. For the duration of my visit, each and every corner of the palais left me in awe. From the jardins (gardens) to the private estates, Versailles won my heart. With the Greek and Roman influences, the palace has such a rich historical connection and display. King Louis XIV really demonstrated his power and achievements through the 357 mirrors in the “salle de glace” — hall of mirrors — which reflected the painted walls that displayed his achievements through Greek, Roman and Christian references. One day was not enough to see everything that Versailles had to offer.

The students saw art, like the Mona Lisa, while on a guided tour at the Louvre.

Day Three: Paris, Je t’aime toujours
Our third day in Paris was magical. We started our morning with the most perfect petit déjeuner (breakfast) that had croissants, fromage (cheese) and assorted fruits. In one word, it was parfait! After breakfast, we headed to Le Louvre, which had so much art history about France and other countries. Our guided tour provided stories behind these great works of art, one of which was the Mona Lisa. Leonardo da Vinci created it between 1503 and 1517 — and it was stolen from Le Louvre in 1911, returning a couple years later. Before leaving Le Louvre, we were able to stop at the iconic Laduree Patisserie, which had the best macarons and cutesy gift items a person could imagine. After our trip to Le Louvre, we visited an area in Paris not far from Notre Dame that had small cafés, shopping and plenty of sightseeing. We also had a movie-esque outdoor lunch with a view of the quaint streets of Paris. Once we finished our lunch, we headed to the Latin Quarter, where students of Paris have studied for many years. In this part of the voyage, we were able to witness beautiful architecture that was hundreds of years old. Afterward, we had dinner at Les Noces de Jeannette (the Weddings of Jeannette). This restaurant has every bit of elegance and composure that one could have imagined. The restaurant, located near the Opera, had timeless decor that brought the scenery to life. When our night came to an end, we took the metro to the Eiffel Tower. The tower is embedded with approximately 20,000 lights that sparkle over Paris. Every student that attended this part of the trip was blown away. We were taken aback by its beauty, by its culture and by its history. All in all, day three was most definitely my favorite!

When in Tours, the students visited several castles, including Château de Chambord.

Day Four: Les Châteaux
Day four was a sweet memory as well. Monday morning, we woke up early and headed to Tours, France, where we went to tour the castles. Upon arrival, Provost (now Chancellor) Gabriella Scarlatta gave us the historical background of the castle we visited. After the guided tour of Château de Chambord, we had lunch right on the premises. Then once we were finished, we headed to our second castle, Château D'amboise, which was — in one word — magnifique! It had the most gorgeous small chapel on its grounds, as well as a beautiful view from the top of the castle that overlooked the town and river. For dinner, we went to a fun and elegant restaurant called Bistro Rossini, where I ate a chicken and potatoes dish that went along with a tomato sauce on top. When the day came to an end, we headed to our hotel, aptly named Le Grande Hotel De Tours. A hotel that was, in fact, grand.

Bryanna Worthy saw the sea for the first time when at the Gulf of Saint-Malo.

Day Five: St. Malo
Day five is another one of my favorites. We started the day early and took a walk around the city of Tours, where we saw ancient buildings, many from the medieval period, that were still intact. Then, after visiting a few hidden gems, we visited our last castle, Château d'Azay- le-Rideau, which was one of my favorites. It had a beautiful, serene stream running through it and a gorgeous, petite garden all around. The castle itself was small, but had a demanding presence. After our tour (which had a guided speaker phone), we headed to St. Malo, which is where we saw the sea. This was my first time seeing the sea, and I have to say, it was magnificent. As the day was winding to a close and the sun was setting on the horizon, it was a moment I will never forget.

Students took photos as they approached Mont St. Michel.

Day Six: Mont Saint-Michel
Day six was probably one of our busiest days. We headed to the tidal island of Mont St. Michel, located off the coast of Normandy, to visit the monastery, which is hundreds of years old. The monastery was massive and currently houses 10 monks and 10 nuns. The building has had many uses since it was first built, including its original purpose as a monastery and as a prison cell in the 17th century. This gothic site of memory left many students astonished. Also, in order to visit the monastery, you must walk up the steps to the top and, once you leave, you have to pay to return. Although this site involved a lot of cardio, it was still a cool experience. To end the evening, we had dinner in an old farmhouse that’s now a restaurant, La Ferme Saint-Michel, and finished off our feast with a game of Uno.

Day Seven: Bayeux
For day seven, we made our way to the Utah Beaches located in Normandy, where WWII took place. Here we had a tour guide who took us through the Utah Beach Landing Museum and gave us a historic lesson on what happened during WWII, and the Utah Beaches, specifically. Our tour guide even gave us time to look inside the building, which had various WWII machinery and artifacts. We also had a chance to visit the beaches themselves, which were gorgeous. After our trip there, we took our bus to Bayeux. Since we only had the chance to spend half a day and the night in Bayeux, we stayed in this beautiful hotel called Lion d’Or (which several celebrities stayed at). After we received our rooms, we headed out for lunch and went to visit this very ancient cathedral, the Notre Dame de Bayeux (during Lent). The cathedral there was one of my favorites because it was so dark and medieval, yet it still had so much history behind it. To end the night, we separated into three main groups. Those who were tired could rest at the hotel, those who wanted to visit more historical sites, and those who wanted to go shopping. I was in the shopping group and got a purse, shirt and a dress.

Day Eight: Au revoir à France
Our final day in Paris was divided up between travel and exploring. We took a bus from Normandy, France, down to Paris. We arrived around noon and strolled the streets of Paris and ate lunch near the Eiffel Tower. After our lunch, we headed to the Catacombs of Paris. Although the experience as a whole was quite intriguing, it was probably my least favorite. We walked 100 steps underground to reach the catacombs. It's so far down that it is underneath the metro. You also can't return the way you came in, you must continue straight out of the underground. Since the last day was unlike the rest, we did have more time to go shopping in Paris, where we went to the Opera shopping district, which was exhilarating. Finally, to end the night, we had an “Au revoir” dinner at this amazing Italian restaurant, Les Rupins, and we watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle one last time.

Story by Bryanna Worthy and Sarah Tuxbury. Photos courtesy of Bryanna Worthy.

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Communications senior Bryanna Worthy, who traveled to France for a 2025 Study Abroad program, shares what it was like to explore a country that she's always wanted to see.

In spring 2025, ��-Dearborn students — including Bryanna Worthy, third from right — experienced France through a Study Abroad excursion.

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Summer program connects girls to STEM education

stuxbury — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:49:59 +0000

Summer program connects girls to STEM education stuxbury Mon, 07/14/2025 - 09:49

��-Dearborn senior Ayah Bazzi walked around a College of Arts, Sciences and Letters classroom showing high school students how to use math to change the color in digital images, crack codes and create algorithms during a recent June afternoon. It’s apparent that the Mathematics major is dedicated to the subject with every ‘a-ha’ moment the students had. But it wasn’t always that way, Bazzi said. And that’s why she wanted to help mentor students at ��-Dearborn’s GirlsGetMath summer camp, a free weeklong mathematics program that took place in June. In its fifth year, the camp’s goal is to help increase the number of women in STEM fields.

“There is a thought that women may not have many opportunities in the STEM field, when in reality there are a plethora. It’s a subliminal message we get while growing up because we don’t often see as many women in STEM roles. Based on my past experiences in math courses, I also used to believe that mathematics was difficult to master due to my struggles to grasp concepts quickly and perform well on exams,” said Bazzi, who plans to become a math teacher. “When I took a calculus class at ��-Dearborn, I had a teacher who helped change my mindset. The professor gave us an article to read as an assignment. It said anyone could do math, as long as a student is taught the right technique, the right strategy and is shown the tools. I’ve found that to be true and want to spread that message.”

GirlsGetMath — organized by Mathematics and Statistics associate professors Yulia Hristova, Hyejin Kim and Aditya Viswanathan — offers interactive guest lectures, activities and computer lab sessions surrounding mathematics for high school students. In addition to Bazzi, ��-Dearborn students Melia Conners and Tanya Danial assisted with running the program this year.

According to the National Science Foundation the number and percentage of women in STEM occupations has shown modest improvement — between 2011 and 2021, the percentage of women working in STEM increased from 15% to 18%.

��-Dearborn senior Ayah Bazzi, standing, mentors high school students — from right, Emil Abner III, Evangeline York and Ryan Sullivan— during the GirlsGetMath summer camp.

Hristova said when she first started at ��-Dearborn more than a decade ago, she noticed the more advanced the math classes were, the less women took them. “In any field, if half the population doesn’t participate, you lose a lot. I wanted to find ways to reach girls at a young age, help them feel empowered and see that math leads to interesting career paths,” said Hristova, noting that there are only five female students in her 31-member Discrete Mathematics course this summer. The course is often taken by computer engineering and electrical engineering majors. ” The number of women in my advanced math courses is better than it used to be, but it’s still a concern.”

The 21 GirlsGetMath participants discussed how algorithms — for example, what Amazon suggests to you — work, saw the role mathematics plays in image processing, completed a treasure hunt to learn how to decode messages and more. They also learned the programming language MATLAB, which is used by engineers and scientists to analyze data and develop algorithms.

The program, which was open to all high school students across southeast Michigan, was free to attend, thanks to a grant from the Mathematical Association of America’s Tensor Foundation. It included instruction, guest speakers, lunch and all materials for participants.

Detroit resident Sena Segbefia, who will be a high school junior in the fall, wants to be an engineer because it combines her interests of creating and problem-solving. She found the camp after seeking out STEM opportunities at U-M.

“The Michigan name let me know that it would be a good learning experience, but GirlsGetMath has exceeded any expectations that I had,” Segbefia said. “A lot of engineers use programs like Python and MATLAB and this gave me my introduction to these. I don’t have the money to pay for a class to learn how to use these programming languages — but now I have some experience programming and coding. I liked it and am now confident using it in the future. I feel like I have a head start.”

Dearborn resident Raheel Khaled, who will be a high school senior in the fall, wants to be a gynecologist and obstetrician. She knows that STEM education is crucial for her future pre-med path and wanted to find ways to expand her knowledge during the summer.

“Math sometimes feels like a chore. I’m going to need to continue learning math in my studies, so I thought I should do this program to help me take a look at math through a different lens,” Khaled said. “This camp has been so much fun. It’s collaborative, not competitive. The professors are interactive. They put math in real world situations so we can apply it, see it and understand it better. If math was taught this way in a supportive environment regularly, I think there would be more girls interested in STEM fields.”

GirlsGetMath ��-Dearborn student mentors, from left, Tanya Danial, Ayah Bazzi and Melia Conners.

Conners said she wishes there had been a program like GirlsGetMath when she was in high school. The Applied Statistics major said a few great mentors — including her ��-Dearborn professors — helped her realize her love of the subject and her ability to achieve within it.

“At some point, someone tells us along the way that we're not good at math or that we may not succeed in math. I had that in middle school,” she said. “Having professors and teachers along the way who encourage you and show you that math is more than memorization changes everything. My professors have shown me that math is a deep understanding of the world around us. So just because you weren’t great at fractions in third grade, does not mean that you cannot be an engineer one day. Math is much bigger than that — and I hope that’s a lesson these students take with them.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury

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Mon, 07/14/2025 - 13:48

GirlsGetMath introduces teen girls to programming, coding, algorithms and more. It’s in its fifth year.

High School students Camille Gray, left, and Sena Segbefia work on image processing during a GirlsGetMath lesson. Photos by Annie Barker

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‘I’m here to build pathways to justice’

stuxbury — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:16:42 +0000

‘I’m here to build pathways to justice’ stuxbury Mon, 06/23/2025 - 10:16

Working at Henry Ford Health System, Teaira Ross helps homeless patients find places to live, connects people in need with food resources and shares information on other service programs relating to health care, mental health and more with community members.

A patient resource coordinator and early intervention specialist for the Detroit-based hospital system, Ross blends advocacy, case management and patient education to help people with chronic conditions like HIV find what they need to improve their health and quality of life.

Ross, a sociology major who graduated this past spring, has wanted to do advocacy work since she was young. After all, she saw the impact it made for her. “Supportive people and services really helped to change my life and save me,” Ross says. “I know what it’s like to grow up poor in Detroit. My mother raised three girls by herself. I realized how important help is to address barriers from the time I was small. I wanted to put my cape on and save the world.”

To achieve that dream, Ross says she needed to go to college. “I just wasn’t sure how to do it at the time,” she says. She ultimately started at ��-Dearborn in her 30s. “I’ll forever be grateful for this university helping me get to where I am today,” she reflects. Before starting college, however, she had some challenges to face.

As a child, Ross lived with a grandmother who struggled with mental illness. “There wasn’t adequate mental health support to help her at that time. Even as a family, we didn’t really know how to respond when she’d have a manic episode,” Ross, who is African American, says. “Mental illness is not something that’s often openly discussed in the Black community.”

Ross got pregnant at 16. “I was so scared to tell my mom. I told her right before school. She didn’t get angry like I thought she would. Instead, she acknowledged what I said and then told me to get my bookbag,” Ross says. “That one conversation shifted my perspective to realizing it wasn’t the end of the world. Life will keep moving forward — and so will I.” Ross finished high school in 2007 as a mother of a toddler.

After high school, she moved out, worked long hours at a fast food chain, among other places, and still couldn’t get ahead. She lost her home. “I had to live in my car for a summer. One of the reasons I worked so much is so that I’d have a place to go at night,” says Ross, noting that her young daughter stayed with a favorite aunt during that summer. “I needed to move beyond what I knew and get out of survival jobs. To reach my dreams, I needed to trust myself and take chances. I knew where I was at. I knew where I had come from and I knew where I wanted my daughter T’Kari and I to go. A degree was key in making that happen.”

Ross then sought out job opportunities and state resource programs. She landed an office job at an accounting firm where she got on-the-job training, saved up and found a two-bedroom apartment. “It was the first time my daughter had her own room. I decorated her room before she saw it and put her name on the wall and everything,” Ross says. “I will always remember the excitement in her face when she saw it.”

Ross also enrolled in the Wayne County Community College District. She inspired her mother to enroll too — and they both graduated from WCCCD in 2015. “I want people who are thinking about returning to school to know you can do it. It just might take you some time — I call that building capacity,” Ross says. “As a single mom who was in the working world, I didn’t know how I’d perform in a space with just-graduated high school students who are fluent in Spanish and are great with long division. But once I got there, I could see how my experiences fit in too. There’s enough space for us to learn from each other.”

After earning an associate degree in liberal arts, Ross set her sights on a bachelor’s. As Ross’ daughter started high school in 2020, Ross had a new school too: ��-Dearborn. In addition to liking the program offerings, the friendliness of the campus and smaller class sizes, Ross discovered that she had an opportunity to get a scholarship through the ��-Dearborn’s SOAR Program, which supports returning adult students who are parents, veterans or ages 25 and older seeking their first bachelor’s degree.

Ross says ��-Dearborn did more than provide access to education, it also helped her find the right career focus — for example, lessons in Associate Professor of Anthropology Rose Wellman’s Contemporary Issues in Anthropology course prompted Ross to reflect on her experiences. “The class helped me to understand my own positionality and what that means in the world that I live in and, most importantly, what that means for the people that I serve,” she says. “My family had a lot of help from support services, but no one looked like me. I noticed that, even as a kid. If I wanted to change that, I figured I’d better start with me. I can be the person that I wanted to see.”

While at ��-Dearborn, Ross did casework for the nonprofit UNIFIED-HIV Health and Beyond. She stressed to her clients that they were not defined by their diagnosis. “You're not living with HIV. HIV is living with you. You're a person above everything else,” she says. “We all have our struggles. We all need support to handle our challenges. We should not be defined by what we face — we are all much more than that.”

A year before her April 2025 graduation, Ross landed her current role at Henry Ford Health System. She meets with patients and compassionately listens. After assessing what services may help them, she offers to make phone calls, to provide resource lists and to make sure people have the care they need. “I’m here to build pathways to justice and belonging for underserved populations. People don't really need to be fixed — they need options or tools to get better or to do better. Sometimes they just want to be understood and know that someone cares.”

Looking at the path she’s traveled to improve life for her family, Ross sees how it all comes together. T’Kari, who is now 19 and a college student, is considering attending ��-Dearborn in the fall. Ross, who has a career that she’s passionate about, is looking into earning a Master of Public Health — ideally at U-M. And she’s assisting underserved populations in the city where she was born and raised.

“Purpose is all about helping people turn what is into what could be,” Ross says. “I saw how it worked for my family and now, with my education, I’m able to do it for others.”

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

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Teaira Ross, ’25 CASL grad, says ��-Dearborn helped her go from surviving to thriving. Now she’s working at Henry Ford Health System to do the same for others.

Photo courtesy Teaira Ross

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Five fun things to do this summer

stuxbury — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 02:47:43 +0000

Five fun things to do this summer stuxbury Sun, 06/15/2025 - 22:47

��-Dearborn has more than classes — it’s full of enjoyable activities and unique experiences. And the summer, a quieter season on campus, is a great time to visit the university.

Check out these five fun things (most are free!) to do at ��-Dearborn this summer.

Get out and play some games.

Photo by Annie Barker

On a nice sunny day, head to a grassy area with a giant Jenga or ladder golf — or, on a rainy one, play some checkers or Uno in the newly renovated area of the Renick University Center.

The Office of Student Life has many games the university has for students, faculty or staff to check out for the day. There are nearly 20 board games and five yard games to choose from. There are also waterproof picnic blankets available for checkout. “We offer this for something fun to do while on campus, as a way to connect with others, and as an activity for student organizations hosting events,” says Student Life Director Alex Bakhaus.

Interested? Go to the Campus Involvement Hub (RUC 2190) with your MCard to check out the games. Games are available on a first-come first-served basis. For student organizations or departments interested in checking things out ahead of time for an event, there’s a request form.

For a game that’s not quite as leisurely, consider pickleball — a popular sport that combines aspects of tennis, badminton and pingpong. There are a couple courts behind the Fieldhouse in parking Lot F. Want to play, but need equipment? The ball and paddles can be checked out at the Fieldhouse. Go to the lower level with your MCard.

See a starry, starry night at the observatory.

Photo courtesy of the ��-Dearborn Observatory

People can stargaze through the telescopes on the observing deck of the Science Learning Research Center this summer. ��-Dearborn’s annual “Public Nights at the Observatory” events start on Friday, June 20 at the ��-Dearborn Observatory. Additional summer dates are June 27, July 18, July 25, Aug. 1, Aug. 15 and Aug. 25. For times, directions and future dates, go to the observatory’s website.

“During the summer, you can see stars, globular clusters and nebulae. Some of the prominent constellations of the summer sky are Lyra, Cygnus and Aquila, which are home to the three bright stars that make up the ‘Summer Triangle’ — Vega, Deneb and Altair respectively,” says retired Physics and Astronomy Lecturer Carrie Swift, who runs the observatory’s public events. “And, of course, if it’s up, you can observe the craters and maria of the Moon through a telescope. For many people, that is a highlight of their experience at the observatory.”

If staff levels permit, participants may take a brief tour of the observatory’s dome, which houses the observatory’s .4-meter telescope and learn more about how modern astronomical observations are made.

People are also encouraged to ask questions if they see anything interesting. Swift says educational outreach is a goal of the program. Observatory nights are free and open to the public. These events only take place if the sky conditions are favorable. Please check the website before coming to campus.

View art on campus.

Photo by Annie Barker

The Stamelos Gallery Center is located at the center of campus, right on the first floor of the Mardigian Library. This summer there’s an exhibition by a 2011 ��-Ann Arbor grad: “Laura Cavanagh: Perchance to Dream” runs through Aug. 10.

The exhibit features two bodies of work from Cavanagh. In one, she creates artworks of imagined women in a collage-style that’s heavily influenced by portraiture from the Renaissance Era. In the other, she fabricates mid-20th century interior and exterior spaces that are inspired from Cavanagh’s personal memories of watching older films and television shows.

Art Curator and Gallery Manager Laura Cotton notes that the artist wants to take viewers on a visual odyssey, either to a time in history that they can recall firsthand or to a time they can only imagine. See Stamelos Gallery Center hours.

If you want to explore university art outdoors, there are sculptures displayed across campus grounds. In addition to planning exhibitions, Cotton is working with ��-Dearborn student interns in the university’s Art Collection and Exhibitions Department to research and gather information about these large artworks for future plaques. “Most of these sculptures had no information in our files and we've had to do a lot of digging and contact artists to find information on them,” Cotton says.

So far, they’ve learned that the welded bronze and copper tree-like sculpture outside of the ELB doors, “Nexus,” was a 1961 gift to campus from the Class of 1924 ��-Ann Arbor engineers. They also discovered that "10 Stories," a tall rust-colored welded steel sculpture near the Social Sciences Building, was once at Chicago’s Navy Pier. That sculpture’s artist, Michigan Hot Glass Workshop founder Albert Young, wanted to merge shapes found in nature — like in honeycombs or flowers — with industrial materials. If you have information about campus sculptures that you’d like to share, reach out to Cotton.

Photos courtesy of Laura Cotton are "Nexus," left, and "Ten Stories," right

Explore nature trails.

Photo by Sarah Tuxbury

Don’t be a bump on the log — but see some wildlife friends who are when you walk the trails at the Environmental Interpretive Center.

EIC Naturalist Mike Solomon says it’s the time of year when turtles are often seen basking in the sun on the logs in the middle of Fair Lane Lake. “There’s always something new to see with the changing seasons. Right now, you can hear the frogs and see the turtles. The turtles are relaxing in the sun, just like I’d like to be,” he says.

Photo by Mike Solomon

In addition to wildlife — which include a variety of birds that migrated to the EIC for the summer from locations around the world — walking the trails offers pretty sights like blooming flowers, along with fresh air and exercise. “For long weekends, people pack up and drive a few hours to go up north for what you can get right here,” Environmental Studies Area Manager Rick Simek says.

Anyone can walk the trails on their own from sunrise to sunset, but there are also opportunities for guided trail walks. Solomon is leading one later this month: “Photography in Nature Walk” will take place from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. June 26. He’ll point out interesting scenery, plants and wildlife to photograph. It’s BYOC — bring your own camera — and it’s OK to use your phone. Fancy equipment is not required. Register here. If you photograph a butterfly, bee or other pollinating insect, consider entering the EIC’s Pollinator Photo Contest. Submit photos here. Entries are accepted until Sept. 30, with winners announced by the end of October. Winners will receive EIC-made maple syrup.

If you want to walk the trails on your own, the EIC front desk has trail maps. You can also check out these articles highlighting sights along the campus trail around the lake and near the Henry Ford Estate.

Grab a meal at the Canteen.

Photo by Annie Barker

Right across from the university — it’s visible from the path near the CASL Building that takes main campus’ walkers and bikers across Evergreen Road — is a lunchtime spot that has picnic tables, an airy atmosphere with a canopy of outdoor lights, and a variety of food trucks. The Canteen at Midtown is about a 10-minute walk from the university.

Marketing and Digital Strategy Director Bailey Ayers-Korpal says it’s a new favorite meet-up spot of hers. “The Canteen is a close-to-campus fun place with lots of food options for lunch with a colleague or to meet up with family and friends after work for dinner,” she says. “My personal favorite is a sandwich from The Terry Melt food truck.” Vendor food offerings currently include burgers and fries, shawarma, sushi, pasta bowls and desserts. If you don’t want to sit outside, there is also an indoor food hall.

In addition to good eats, a vibrant Dearborn mural is perfect for photos. There are also a variety of table games to borrow while you wait. If you are particularly good at chess, show off your gaming skills during a work-time break. Here’s a tip to know if you go: They don’t take plastic credit or debit cards. They accept cash at the food trucks or you can use tap-to-pay, like Venmo or ApplePay, through a QR code.

If you want to go for a longer walk, there are many restaurants in downtown west Dearborn — including Buddy’s Pizza, Ford's Garage and Paris Baguette, which took over the old Andiamo location — that you can get to by traveling the Rouge River Gateway Trail. There’s a sign that marks the trail, which can be accessed off Fair Lane Road between the Henry Ford Estate and the backside of the Fieldhouse.

Article by Sarah Tuxbury

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Mon, 06/16/2025 - 02:46

��-Dearborn offers more than a career pathway — while on campus, you can also play games, walk nature trails, stargaze and more.

Stephanie and Kenzie Warneck — children of 2006 alums Rachel and Brian Warneck — play a giant Jenga game at last summer's Alumni Picnic. Photo by Sarah Tuxbury

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A 30-year family story continues on campus

stuxbury — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 18:16:09 +0000

A 30-year family story continues on campus stuxbury Wed, 06/04/2025 - 14:16

This Father’s Day will be Security Officer Stephen Sersen’s first since retiring from ��-Dearborn. He gave 35 years of service to the university — and, in return, ��-Dearborn became a big part of the Sersen family story.

“This place is my home away from home. I worked with some of the finest officers in public safety, I had a fulfilling career and I watched my daughter grow up here,” said Stephen, who retired in summer 2024. “What’s not to love?”

His daughter Julianne attended the Early Childhood Education Center when it was in the Henry Ford Estate cottages in the 1990s. As Stephen went about his workday, he’d see her playing on campus or getting pulled in a wagon while on walks.

“I have these memories seeing their faces peeking over the side of a wagon with their class. It was pretty incredible that I got to experience that while at work,” he said. After a pause, Stephen continued with a smile, “But I’d have to be careful when I was patrolling that Julianne didn’t see me. If she did, she'd want to come with me.”

While sitting next to her dad at the Renick University Center recently, 2019 alum Julianne added: “I’ve always been a bit of a daddy’s girl. I’m glad that we got the chance to work on campus together before he retired.” Julianne is a ��-Dearborn student enrollment services coordinator.

Shortly before Father’s Day, the father-daughter duo — who worked at the university together before Stephen’s retirement — met up on campus. Stephen saw his daughter’s renovated office area in the Renick University Center. The day of the visit also happened to be his 60th birthday. “I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday, I’m at a place that I called home for over 35 years and with my daughter,” he said.

Inspired by her dad’s stories of campus, Julianne said working at ��-Dearborn was a goal of hers. When she was younger, she recalled her dad coming home from work and talking fondly about the people he met on campus. He’d share stories about helping students walk safely to their cars and the friendships he made with the people he worked with, and talk about how both diversity of thought and respect for one another coexisted on campus.

“I love this place. There are so many points of view here,” Stephen said. “We learn so much from each other. Even with different thoughts, cultures and religions, everybody treats each other with respect. I know from being a security officer how safe it is. We all peacefully coexist at ��-Dearborn. There are important lessons that people in power could learn from the students, faculty and staff here. It really is a special place and it really does shape you as an individual.”

Julianne said in addition to her dad’s words and life lessons, she also had many happy memories of heading to A&W for a root beer with her dad, taking walks on EIC trails or having lunch together in the RUC cafeteria. Stephen often chose the pepperoni pizza, while Julianne went for a sandwich and soup combination, especially when the soup du jour was chicken tortilla. And, when off campus, they often attend concerts and sporting events together — U2 is a family favorite — and cheer for the home teams. They plan to watch the Tigers play the Reds on Father’s Day.

Stephen’s wife of 36 years, Patricia, was his original ��-Dearborn connection. “Patricia and I were high school sweethearts at Thurston (in Redford). She is the one who really introduced me to ��-Dearborn. I’d visit her on campus when she was an education student. I’ve been on campus pretty regularly since the early ’80s,” he said. “After we got married in 1989, Patricia saw there was a posting for a security officer on campus. I applied and the rest became a part of my family’s history.”

Julianne said her preschool years and their overlapping work years weren’t the only time she and her father spent time together on campus. In grade school, Julianne and her older sister Rachel attended many Bring Your Child to Work Day events with their dad. And, after high school, Julianne enrolled at ��-Dearborn, graduated, and is currently pursuing her MBA. Prior to starting her job at ��-Dearborn in 2023, Julianne worked at ��-Ann Arbor as a community center manager.

“I couldn’t be more proud of her. I’m proud of both of my daughters,” said Stephen, noting that Julianne helps connect students to college opportunities and Rachel, who graduated from Schoolcraft College, works in special education. “Both of them have careers where they are helping others.”

It’s been nearly 30 years since Julianne held her dad’s hand while walking into preschool on campus. She thinks about his impact on her life regularly. And she credits him with her love for her career and her connection to the university.

“My dad has been my rock, my superhero,” Julianne said. “Throughout life, he has been there every step of the way. Every heartbreak, every celebration. I hope to be just like him.”

After a pause, he replied, “You are like me — only better.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury

Faculty and Staff

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Public Safety (Police)

Staff Senate

Tue, 06/10/2025 - 18:13

Retired Security Officer Stephen Sersen and daughter Julianne’s ��-Dearborn connection has spanned decades — from his 35-year job at the university to hers today.

Father-daughter duo Julianne Sersen and Stephen Sersen are pictured in the Renick University Center. Photo by Annie Barker

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President Trump's first 100 days extreme, but not surprising

stuxbury — Mon, 19 May 2025 12:55:27 +0000

President Trump's first 100 days extreme, but not surprising stuxbury Mon, 05/19/2025 - 08:55

President Donald Trump used executive power expansively during his first 100 days in office, but there is little he has done that wasn’t foreshadowed during his first term, observed ��-Dearborn Professor of Political Science Mitchel Sollenberger.

In the below Q&A, conducted on April 30, 2025, Sollenberger discusses what has been predictable — and what has actually defied expectation — in the president’s nascent second term.

Sollenberger is the author of four books examining the reach and limits of executive powers: The Unitary Executive Theory: A Danger to Constitutional Government (with Jeffrey Crouch and Mark J. Rozell), The President’s Czars: Undermining Congress and the Constitution (with Mark J. Rozell), Judicial Appointments and Democratic Controls and The President Shall Nominate: How Congress Trumps Executive Power.

Because you have studied the expansion of executive powers so extensively, you are probably less surprised than many at some of President Trump’s actions in his first 100 days in office. So let’s start with what hasn’t surprised you.

What has not surprised me is the use of unilateral executive action. I think Trump's experience during his first term has pushed him even more in this direction. His instincts, I think, have always leaned toward acting alone, and he did that with the travel ban early in his first term. That move drew significant pushback from the federal courts, which helps shed some light on the Trump administration’s hostility to the courts currently.

I think, especially during the last two years of his first term — when he faced a Democratic Congress — Trump saw enemies in all corners of government. That perception helped drive his doubling down on unilateral action, particularly in his efforts to root out what his administration calls the “deep state.” Whether it’s acting through the Department of Government Efficiency, or the removal and firing of officials, these moves seem designed to clear obstacles and smooth the way for implementing the policies he believes that he was elected to achieve.

Whether you like it or not, there's truth to “small d” democracy when it comes to “elections have consequences” and what Trump is currently doing are the consequences. I can't think of anything that he's done that wasn't necessarily hinted at or explicitly stated during his campaign. For example, he was clear where he was going to go with immigration, and while he took aggressive action on it during his first term, it was understood that he would double down, if given the chance.

So, has there been anything that has surprised you?

If there’s one surprise, it's how much more strategic and deliberate the Trump administration has been to achieving policy aims. I assign an article in my presidency class titled “The Random Walk Presidency,” which characterizes Trump’s first term as chaotic and incoherent — a shoot from the hip administration with no plan. That description nicely captures Trump 1.0.

This time, though, there seems to be a more structured approach. You might not like it, but certainly putting forward a border czar, the executive orders framing immigration as an “invasion,” and invoking the Alien Enemies Act — all point to a coordinated effort. Notably, this is the first time a president has used that law in a non-war setting. These moves appear calculated to lay the legal and rhetorical groundwork for the use of more aggressive and controversial forms of executive actions with the full anticipation of challenges in federal courts. And I think that's to me a level of sophistication that you didn't quite see with Trump 1.0.”

Is there anything else that surprised you?

What surprises me is the sheer scale of Trump’s actions, particularly his use of tariffs. While he deployed tariffs during his first term, what we are seeing now is more like “shock and awe,” to borrow a phrase from the Bush era. Previously, tariffs were aimed primarily at our economic rivals like China. Now, Trump is imposing them unilaterally and broadly against our allies. That’s nearly unprecedented in modern U.S. history. You have to go back to Richard Nixon for a president to blanket unilaterally impose a tariff, and Nixon did it for about a year, and then he rescinded it because, as a policy measure, it was ineffective and ultimately harmed the U.S. economy.

I have always understood Trump to be a protectionist president, but I'm surprised by just how far he's taken it. This area of policy, more than any other, could have far-reaching consequences. Since World War II, the United States has led the global economic order on trade. And now we are experiencing this dramatic shift — a U.S. president imposing tariffs on virtually everyone which is forcing allies to rethink their economic strategies. If our allies readjust to a world without the U.S. leading and they decide to come together themselves in different ways, it could have profound implications for not only the U.S. when it comes to trade policy, economic policy, but in international affairs more broadly.

To be fair, there is a valid policy debate about whether our allies have become too reliant on the United States. But Trump’s approach — using confrontation and unilateralism — marks a sharp departure from the post-WWII consensus of diplomacy and engagement. It’s more a “shoot first and ask questions later” approach and seems to signal a fundamental shift in how America engages with the rest of the world.

Many observers have been talking about the risk of a constitutional crisis. Are we on the verge of tipping that far?

Republicans seemed to have largely closed ranks around Trump, effectively shielding his left flank from any sort of legislative-type challenge. So what about his right flank? I think there you have the judiciary as the key point of resistance and a possible place where a constitutional crisis occurs. In Trump’s first term, the legal flashpoint was the travel ban order – this time it’s shaping up to be the deportation cases. We have already seen several rulings and remands from the Supreme Court to the district courts which have pushed back against some of the Trump administration’s actions. This has given the lower courts additional support to not only question the Trump administration’s actions but stop deportations from proceeding. The real crisis would come if the Supreme Court issues a definitive ruling and the president defies it. We are not there yet but we are edging closer to that moment.

Interestingly, the federal courts — including the Supreme Court — have been more willing to push back against presidential power than I expected. One major development has been that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear an emergency appeal on the legality of nationwide injunctions. At least three justices appear skeptical of nationwide injunctions.

This is not some esoteric matter. If the Supreme Court rules that federal judges can only issue injunctions within their own jurisdictions, it could severely limit the ability of the courts to halt executive actions nationwide. That would have major implications, even if Trump’s actions are later found to have been unlawful, because the administration will be able to continue implementing them for weeks or months before a final ruling takes effect. Such a decision would significantly tip the balance of power toward the executive branch by greatly limiting what has become an effective tool of the judiciary to challenge presidential power assertions.

Interview by Kristin Palm

Faculty Research

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Social Sciences

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Mon, 05/19/2025 - 12:54

Professor of Political Science Mitchel Sollenberger, an expert in executive privilege, weighs in on what he's seen so far with the new administration.

��-Dearborn Professor of Political Science Mitchel Sollenberger. Photo by Annie Barker

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‘Persistence is what brought us here’

stuxbury — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 17:54:27 +0000

‘Persistence is what brought us here’ stuxbury Sat, 04/26/2025 - 13:54

“Go Blue! Go Dearborn!” pride filled the ��-Dearborn Fieldhouse over the weekend. At the Class of Spring 2025 Commencement, families cheered as the university’s newest alums walked across the stage. Newly conferred graduates held up decorated graduation caps. And young children clapped for their parents.

On Saturday, April 26, 1,056 Dearborn Wolverines celebrated 1,074 earned degrees over three 90-minute ceremonies. Two undergraduate ceremonies took place at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., and a graduate ceremony was held at 5 p.m. — 687 undergraduate, 378 graduate and nine doctoral degrees were awarded.

Graduates spanned generations, with the youngest aged 17 and the oldest nearing 70. When addressing the graduates at the three ceremonies, Chancellor Domenico Grasso applauded the pursuit of knowledge and encouraged students to continue it beyond graduation day. “We do not stop being curious because we grow old, we grow old because we stop being curious,” he said.

Beyond age range, ��-Dearborn’s diversity encompassed many geographic locations and cultural heritages. Reflecting this, undergraduate student speaker Asil Khanafer’s family is from Lebanon. Alum and undergraduate ceremony keynote speaker James Scapa is the son of Greek immigrants who moved to New York City.

Undergraduate keynote speaker James Scapa

Scapa spoke about how he’s descended from Holocaust survivors and grew up in a “humble upbringing” where his parents – who spoke Greek, French, Italian and Judeo-Spanish, but struggled with English – worked hard to make ends meet. A determined risk-taker, Scapa went to Columbia University, worked at Ford Motor Company after graduation, completed his MBA at ��-Dearborn and — a couple years after that graduation — founded his own dream business, Altair, in 1985 with $1500. He recently sold the software and technology company, after 40 years, for $11 billion. Speaking to the undergraduates, Scapa shared how he sets and achieves goals, which include developing a vision and refining it each year, sticking to set values, making decisions through envisioning the future and embracing diversity. “Life is short and much more interesting if you are learning from people who come from different places physically and intellectually,” he said.

Khanafer, who earned a Bachelor of Science in behavioral and biological sciences, focused on not letting disappointment, loss and failures become defining moments. To illustrate that point, she talked about how her father, who grew up in Lebanon, had a prized coin as a boy and dreamed about what he could use it for. But, while holding it, he tripped, dropped it in the street and couldn’t find it despite extensive searching.

Undergraduate student speaker Asil Khanafer

“There will always be moments when we trip, when we lose something valuable, when we feel like we’re searching for something we’ll never find,” said Khanafer, noting that her father is very successful, despite this frustrating moment in his childhood. “But we are not defined by what we lose. We are defined by what we do next.” Reflecting on her years at ��-Dearborn, Khanafer said to the graduates, “We didn’t let our failures define us. We kept going — driven by determination, a little bit of luck and countless hours spent on the second floor of the library. Whether we were studying late into the night or just catching our breath after the chaos of first-week parking, we were pushing forward. And today that persistence is what brought us here — to this moment, this achievement and to this new beginning.”

Speaking of new beginnings, there was also an important first at the ceremonies. Regent Carl Meyers — the first U-M regent from ��-Dearborn, who was elected in November 2024 — congratulated the graduating class of his alma mater for the first time. “It feels good to be home . . . I hope you remember the lessons Michigan has instilled in you, including searching for the potential in every opportunity and working to overcome roadblocks that may arise along the way,” said Meyers, a 1979 alum.

At the doctoral and graduate ceremony, student speaker Mohsen Chaaban — who earned his Master of Science in cybersecurity and information assurance — acknowledged the Class of Spring 2025’s resilience. He described students who worked long hours while also going to school, who took care of children when they barely had enough energy for themselves, who battled illnesses, who overcame doubt. “This diploma isn’t just a piece of paper — it’s proof that we kept going. It represents every obstacle we faced, every moment of doubt we conquered, and every time we chose to rise instead of retreat,” he said. “The future is ours to shape. Some of us will write the next great innovation. Some of us will build businesses that change lives. Some of us will become leaders, educators, artists or world-changers. And some of us — let’s be honest — will take a very well-earned nap before figuring out what’s next. And that’s OK, too.”

Doctoral and graduate ceremony student speaker Mohsen Chaaban

Graduate ceremony keynote speaker Timothy Yerdon, a College of Engineering and Computer Science alum, has helped shape an era of innovation as executive leader of SAE Industry Technologies Consortia. Looking back at his decades of work, he offered guidance through a “seven-point manifesto to my future self.” Referencing it, Yerdon encouraged ��-Dearborn graduates to keep up with technological advances, learn from the leaders they encounter, find opportunities in moments of crises and problem-solve.

Graduate ceremony keynote speaker Timothy Yerdon

“Graduates, in this era of rapid technology change, remember this: Your uniquely human capacity to think critically and act decisively remains your ultimate compass and the truest measure of your future success. Chart your course with vigor, intellect and intention. Stay true to your personal values. As you progress in your careers, I hope each of you will compile your own manifesto, from your own experiences, to help those coming behind you find purpose and success,” he said. “Congratulations, Class of 2025.”

See more photos from the big day.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

Commencement

Student Success

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

College of Business

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

College of Engineering and Computer Science

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Sat, 04/26/2025 - 17:47

��-Dearborn awarded 1,074 degrees during three commencement ceremonies on April 26.

��-Dearborn's newest graduates celebrated at the April 26 commencement ceremonies. Photos by Matthew Stephens/Michigan Photography

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‘Forever built-in best friends’

stuxbury — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 13:02:53 +0000

‘Forever built-in best friends’ stuxbury Wed, 04/09/2025 - 09:02

Quadruplets Elizabeth, Catherine, Gabrielle and Colin Sethi — born in that order — are often in sync. They are all Dearborn Wolverines. They are all in the Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity. They are all creative. “If you follow astrology, that’s the Pisces in us,” says Elizabeth, noting that she enjoys fashion design and Catherine likes crafting, while Gabrielle journals and Colin draws.

But there are times where the four fraternal quadruplets may not be aligned — like when they order pizza from the Renick University Center’s cafeteria. “When we’d be on campus together all day, we’d get lunch. Since there are four of us, we’d get a specialty pizza to share. Except we couldn’t always agree on toppings — so we’d put some things on one half and other toppings on the other half. I think the people at the pizza counter hated to see us coming,” says Elizabeth, laughing.

The four siblings gathered for an afternoon Zoom call in their West Bloomfield home right before April 10’s National Siblings Day — Elizabeth, the oldest, coordinated getting four busy people all together in the same place — to discuss campus life and reflect on what next year might look like with two of them graduating this semester.

Elizabeth says it is rare that they are home together from class, internships, work and study groups before 9 p.m. Congregated in the kitchen, Catherine is making chai. Gabrielle is grabbing Oreos. And Colin is working on homework on his laptop.

"Gabrielle is the person that, if you're having a bad day, you want to go to her because she's just super bubbly and makes you happy. Colin's the funniest and has a sarcastic sense of humor. Catherine's the most athletic and independent. She inspires us to be open to new experiences,” Elizabeth says. “I like to express myself through fashion. And I'd definitely say that I'm the most serious and like to keep everything organized. They like to remind me that I’m not mom.”

Elizabeth, a digital marketing major, and Gabrielle, a psychology major, will celebrate their graduation from the College of Business and the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters at the same ceremony on April 26. Both sisters plan to move out of state to continue their education. Elizabeth will attend graduate school at LIM College in Manhattan for fashion merchandising and retail management and Gabrielle was accepted to a master’s program in social work at Columbia University.

“When we were in high school, we toured universities like Duke and the University of North Carolina, but we weren’t quite ready to leave home. ��-Dearborn is a good school that’s close to home — we all decided to go there together,” Elizabeth says. “It’s going to be a little weird not to be the four of us, but I’m ready to make a big move.” Colin, a finance and supply chain double major, expects to graduate in Fall 2025 and Catherine, a premed major, plans to graduate the semester after Colin.

But, before graduation, they have a couple more Alpha Kappa Psi meetings to attend together. Colin and Elizabeth, who are College of Business students, joined first. Then, after hearing how beneficial the fraternity was with networking and job-skill honing, Catherine and Gabrielle joined.

Even though they do a lot together, people often don’t confuse them — anymore. Elizabeth is 5’2” with curly hair and Catherine is 5’7” with straight hair. However, in grade school, they’d often have to remind their teachers who is who. “We didn’t look alike then either, but I think having us in a class together can be confusing at first,” Elizabeth says. “That hasn’t been a problem at ��-Dearborn.”

Each agreed that their time at ��-Dearborn has helped them further develop their own career interests and make new friends separate from one another. But they also continue to find ways to spend time together. For example, they regularly try new restaurants in downtown Dearborn since it is so close to campus. A current favorite is The Great Commoner on Michigan Avenue.

They were raised to be individuals by their parents — fun fact: mom Carol is a ��-Dearborn alum — and they will continue to grow in their own directions while also sharing their successes with each other.

“We have all different mindsets and perspectives on things, but we all agree that we have a special bond and will be there for each other no matter where we end up in the future,” Elizabeth says. “I am so grateful to have three forever built-in best friends.”

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

College of Business

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Wed, 04/09/2025 - 13:02

Quadruplets Elizabeth, Catherine, Gabrielle and Colin Sethi will begin to travel different paths after graduation — but they know their bond will continue.

Catherine, Elizabeth, Gabrielle and Colin Sethi — pictured in that order — decided to become Dearborn Wolverines together. Photo courtesy of Sethi family

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