Alumni News
Thursday, March 07, 2019
On Wednesday, April 3, Oakland University will welcome Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter to campus. Her talk will spotlight her remarkable career in Hollywood, and will take place at 7 p.m. in the Oakland Center Founders Ballrooms.
Friday, March 01, 2019
Following a search, Dawn Aubry, of Oakland Township, has been selected to become Oakland University’s associate vice president for Enrollment Management. Her new role is effective March 1.
Friday, February 22, 2019
Each year, Oakland University’s Young Alumni Chapter sponsors the 10 Within 10 Awards, which recognize young alumni who have made an exceptional impact within their professions and throughout their communities.
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Marking its 35th year, Oakland University’s Women and Gender Studies Film Festival will present Challenging Femmephobia: Breaking the Gender Binary in Queer Communities. This year’s festival features screenings of the films “Making Masculine” and “The Same Difference.” The screenings, and a panel discussion, will take place from noon-3 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, in room 1050 of the Human Health Building on OU’s Rochester campus.
Thursday, February 14, 2019
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, alumni of Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance are sharing their stories of finding love in OU’s Varner Hall.
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Native Howl, a “thrash grass” band consisting of OU alumni Alex Holycross and Mark Chandler, as well as Josh LeMieux and Jake Sawicki, recently headlined a show at Saint Andrews Hall in Detroit and will be joining rock legends Roger Daltrey, Kansas, Buddy Guy, 38 Special, Dave Davies, Foghat, The Outlaws, Nazareth, and more for the “Rock Legends Cruise VII” from Feb. 14-18.
Monday, February 11, 2019
Join the Oakland University Center for Civic Engagement for a conversation about how Michigan moves forward after the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Friday, February 08, 2019
Oakland University’s Kristin Rohrbeck, director of the Joanne & Ted Lindsay Foundation Autism Outreach Services (OUCARES), has been named the overall winner of the Oakland County Executive’s Elite 40 Under 40 Class of 2019.
Thursday, February 07, 2019
With an electrical engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology in hand, Akash Maheshwari launched his career as drive graduate trainee at Continental.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Actor, producer, writer and OU alum Curtis Armstrong, a 1975 graduate of Oakland University’s Academy of Dramatic Art, will be back on campus on Thursday, February 7 for “An Evening with Curtis Armstrong.” It will be a public speaking engagement for the community highlighting his acting career and his Oakland University memories. He will also host a book signing.
Friday, January 18, 2019
Two charter class members, Laura (Diffenderfer) Ortiz, M.D., and Lucy Boekelheide, M.D., have returned to OUWB as faculty members and physicians at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak.
Wednesday, January 02, 2019
Subscription services have evolved into one of the hottest trends. Forbes reports the market has more than doubled each year for the past five years. After successfully breaking into the market targeting a new niche, one company is also working to improve the industry.
Friday, December 21, 2018
Oakland University recently earned three awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), an international association of education advancement officers, who include alumni administrators, fund raisers, public relations managers, publications editors, and government relations officers.
Monday, December 17, 2018
During the week of October 15, music faculty members Drake Dantzler and Victoria Shively visited Tulane University and the University of Texas to give recitals of 21st century art songs. Professor Dantzler also gave masterclasses for the voice students.
Friday, November 30, 2018
The Office of Public School Academies hosted it annual Fall PSA Alumni Scholarship Luncheon to celebrate the success of our scholarship recipients.
Friday, November 30, 2018
If you want to experience Oakland University’s history through the eyes of hundreds of student journalists, you no longer have to visit University Archives to do so. Thanks to a generous gift from the family of a former OU library professor – and collective efforts of dedicated library employees – you can access digital issues of the university’s student newspaper dating back to its inaugural issue, published on October 23, 1959.
Monday, November 19, 2018
On Saturday, November 17, Oakland University staff, faculty and supporters gathered in the Founders Ballrooms of the Oakland Center to celebrate the public launch of the university’s largest-ever comprehensive campaign, “Aspire. Advance. Achieve.”
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
While delivering the 2018 State of the University Address on Tuesday, Nov. 13, Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D., highlighted several accomplishments and points of pride from around campus, and provided an update on the university’s strategic goals.
Thursday, November 01, 2018
OUWB charter class member Kimberly Lemkin, M.D., stands out as a leader in two departments in her psychiatry residency at Tufts Medical Center.
Friday, September 28, 2018
Theatre alums Gabrielle Minchella and Lester Finley, who are living and working in New York City, ran into actresses Kate Flannery, best known for playing Meredith Palmer on the NBC series The Office, and Jane Lynch, best known for her role as Sue Sylvester in the musical television series Glee, while riding the subway.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
OUWB graduate Florence Doo, M.D., Class of 2017, just finished the first phase of her residency in Internal Medicine at Yale-Waterbury, where she received the Intern of the Year honor. Now, she is starting the last phase of her residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Mt. Sinai-West.
Monday, September 10, 2018
This month, Oakland University’s Department of Recreation and Well-Being (OU Rec Well) will celebrate 20 years of getting students staff, faculty, and community members to move their minds and bodies.
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Before she became the chief operating officer (COO) and co-owner of one of the largest restaurant groups in the state, Oakland University’s School of Education and Human Services helped Rosalie Vicari discover her passion for teaching.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Whether they’re pursuing a master’s degree or a Ph.D., alumni of Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance are making their mark at prestigious graduate schools across the nation and around the world, thanks to the education and support they received at OU.
Monday, July 02, 2018
Nicole (Beattie) Kampe, OU class of 2006, has been in love with writing from an early age.
Friday, June 01, 2018
Oakland University alumna Dolores Catherino (BM ’86) was recently awarded an $18,000 music composition fellowship from the Anchorage, Alaska-based Rasmuson Foundation.
Tuesday, May 08, 2018
For some people, going “off-grid” means taking a voluntary respite from phone and email. But for countless others around the world, off-grid means routinely having to go without electricity for days, weeks or longer.
Tuesday, May 01, 2018
Cheryl (Bartlebaugh) Boodram, MKT ’17, focuses on the future. As vice president of sales and marketing for Chief Financial Credit Union, she prides herself on developing innovative products that help her customers and community.
Friday, April 27, 2018
Luciana Piazza (BFA ‘15) and Amanda Rae Evans (BFA ‘14) recently completed a successful run in Seussical the Musical at the Riverbank Theatre in Marine City. Piazza was one of The Bird Girls and Amanda, “who commands such energy and grace throughout the show” (Encore Michigan) was Mayzie LaBird. Next up — Piazza is starting rehearsals for Big Fish at The Encore Musical Theatre Company in Dexter. The show runs from April 26-May 20.
Thursday, March 01, 2018
Gary and Elspeth Coats know numbers. They know profit and loss, the power of big data and just how much a scholarship can do for a hardworking student. That understanding led to the couple’s generous establishment of the Gary and Elspeth Coats Student Involvement Scholarship.
Executive MBA puts research physician on new path
Thursday, March 01, 2018
Physicians spend their days in a state of urgency, treating patients, strategizing with colleagues, keeping informed on the latest breakthroughs. When Tonya Corbin, M.D., decided to transition into health care administration after 10 years as a clinical research physician, she needed a program that would allow her to keep that strenuous pace, while still challenging her academically and professionally.
Thursday, February 01, 2018
Not many investor analysts can boast of an undergraduate degree in zoology. For Kevin Pratt, MBA ’14, though, the leap from endangered amphibians to the world of finance was a positive one, thanks to the MBA program at the OU School of Business Administration.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Jennifer Lucarelli, associate professor and chair of the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences program at Oakland University, has been named to the Oakland County Executive’s Elite 40 Under 40 Class of 2018. The initiative honors exceptional individuals under the age of 40 who excel in their field and improve the quality of life in Oakland County.
Friday, January 05, 2018
Two OUWB graduates, Dr. Chris Jaeger and Dr. Laurie Bossory, both currently working their residencies at The Ohio State University Wexner School of Medicine, received annual housestaff awards celebrating their collegiality and humanistic spirit.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Back on November 18, more than 275 Oakland University students, staff and alumni participated in the Macomb County Santa Parade, an event that also marked the start of the group’s annual food drive to support the Macomb Food Program. The drive got off to an auspicious start with more than 800 pounds of food donated on the first day.
Tuesday, November 07, 2017
As Oakland University focuses on keeping students on a firm path to graduation, recent data from the university’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) shows that Oakland’s four- and five-year graduation rates have reached new records and the 2016 entering class boasts the highest percentage of students who are “on track,” to graduate.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
The Oakland University Alumni Association recently added to its Prominent Alumni list, which spotlights individuals who’ve reached the pinnacle of their careers or attained positions of influence or high visibility.
Monday, October 16, 2017
Looking back on his four years at Oakland University, Wesley Brown remembers the rigors of life as a student athlete.
Thursday, October 05, 2017
When a multinational company sends employees to work in other countries, the labyrinth of rules and regulations can be difficult to navigate. Laureen Berti, a graduate of Oakland University’s paralegal certificate program, helps companies tackle this challenge with confidence.
Wednesday, October 04, 2017
As part of its annual Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, Oakland University will recognize alumni and friends who have achieved success in business, community services, volunteerism and other areas on Friday, Oct. 13 at the 23rd annual Alumni Awards Banquet.
Monday, October 02, 2017
Oakland University’s Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, a two-day celebration featuring a variety of family-friendly activities, will kick off at noon on Friday, Oct. 13 with a special event honoring the 134th birthday of OU’s founder, Matilda Dodge Wilson.
Wednesday, September 06, 2017
Elise Eden (BM ‘16) is beginning the second year of her MM in vocal performance at the University of Michigan, and she’s doing it in style. She will sing the lead role of Millicent Jordan in the fall opera, Dinner at Eight, based on the 1933 movie, which has only been produced once before.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Chelsea Criger, a theatre design and technology major who will be a senior in the fall, spent two months of the summer as artist in residence at the Fish Factory Art Center in Stöðvarfjörður, Iceland.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
If you want to keep up with Tramale Turner, you’ll need a dose of caffeine and your running shoes. “I like to live my life staying engaged in every moment and ready for any new opportunities,” says Turner (MIS ’00, MBA ’01).
Friday, July 07, 2017
Literature buffs, take note. Oakland University is the second-best college in Michigan for English majors.
Thursday, July 06, 2017
S Alex Ruthmann (MM '02; PhD '06) was recently promoted to the post of Director of Music Education at New York University's Steinhardt School where he is associate professor of Music Education and Music Technology.
