Alumni

Alumni News

Ishwhale
Monday, May 08, 2023


The whale residing in Oakland University’s Kresge Library is the brain child of students in English Professor Jeffrey Insko’s Literature and the Environment class. 


Anna Spagnuolo
Friday, April 14, 2023


Oakland University Professor Anna Spagnuolo has been recognized as one of the state's three recipients of the 2023 Michigan Distinguished Professor of the Year award, which recognizes the outstanding contributions and dedication exhibited by the faculty from Michigan’s 15 public universities to the education of undergraduate students. The awards are presented annually by the Michigan Association of State Universities. 


KCACTF award winners
Thursday, March 23, 2023


The Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), which took place Jan. 11-15 at the University of Michigan-Flint, featured the work of 48 students from the Department of Theatre in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance. You can read more about their accomplishments here.


Photographing War event graphic
Thursday, March 16, 2023


Oakland University will offer an insightful discussion about documenting war and its impact on individuals and communities during a virtual event on Wednesday, March 22 from noon-1 p.m. The Zoom link to attend the event is here. 


Campus in winter
Wednesday, February 01, 2023


Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced the appointments of Colleen Ochoa Peters, of Bloomfield Hills, and Stefen J. Welch, of Detroit, to the Oakland University Board of Trustees. Both were appointed to eight-year terms that will run through August 2030. They replace Melissa Stolicker and W. David Tull whose terms have expired. 


South Africa/America Music Exchange Festival
Friday, January 27, 2023


Oakland University Professor of Music Mark Stone recently traveled to South Africa for the South Africa/America Music Exchange (SAME) Festival, which featured 190 local and international musicians on a single stage.


Toronto International Film Festival
Wednesday, November 09, 2022


Twenty-six Oakland University students and alumni recently immersed themselves in the world of global cinema at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the largest festival of its kind in North America. 


Elizabeth Parkinson
Thursday, September 15, 2022


Elizabeth Parkinson, a doctoral student in Oakland University’s Department of Biological Sciences, has been awarded a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation. The fellowship supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees with a focus on NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. 


Michaela Messing
Monday, August 15, 2022


Michaela Messing, a student in Oakland University’s Master of Accounting program, was recently selected to receive a $10,000 scholarship from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a nonprofit corporation created by Congress to oversee audits of public companies. 


Pippin
Friday, August 12, 2022


The 2021-22 performance season concluded in the spring with a jazz and world music residency at the Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts in Pontiac March 30 - April 2, including four concerts and a community workshop with faculty, students and artist-in-residence Regina Carter; the Department of Theatre’s production of Pippin, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, from March 30 - April 3 in Varner Studio Theatre; a series of Young Choreographers Forum and Senior Dance Concert performances at Detroit Country Day School in April; an Oakland Symphony Orchestra and Oakland University Symphony Chorus performance on April 14 at Orchestra Hall in Detroit; and the Department of Music’s reimagined version of Handel’s opera, Acis and Galatea, from May 5 -  8 and May 12 – 15 in the Varner Studio Theatre.


Mitchell Aiello
Friday, August 12, 2022


Since earning his degree in musical theatre, Oakland University alum Mitchell Aiello (BFA ’16) has been busy performing as a professional singer and actor in regional theatres and on national tours across the U.S.


David Douglass and Ellen Hargis
Wednesday, July 20, 2022


Oakland University alumni Ellen Hargis and David Douglass, the husband-and-wife team who stepped down recently after many years of serving as the co-artistic directors of The Newberry Consort in Chicago, have been selected to receive the 2022 Howard Mayer Brown Award for lifetime achievement from Early Music America, the leading organization in their field, for their pioneering work in uncovering and performing rarely heard music.


PUB scholars and mentors
Monday, July 11, 2022


After a highly competitive application process, Oakland University’s Project Upward Bound (PUB) College Prep Academy has secured a five-year, $3.5 million federal grant that will enable the program to continue its mission of helping participants graduate high school and successfully pursue postsecondary education. 


Chiaoning Su
Friday, May 27, 2022


Oakland University has named Chiaoning Su as director of its Barry M. Klein Center for Culture and Globalization. 


Laurie Hernandez
Tuesday, April 12, 2022


The Oakland University Student Life Lecture Board will present “An Evening with Laurie Hernandez” on Monday, April 18, at 7 p.m., in the Oakland Center Founders Ballrooms. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. 


Nightingale Awards
Tuesday, April 05, 2022


Oakland University’s School of Nursing and its Board of Visitors have announced the 2022 Nightingale Award winners and runners-up. This year’s top nurses in Michigan come from a variety of clinical positions and settings and are recognized as exceptional in their areas of nursing. 


OU students in Ghana
Thursday, March 10, 2022


SMTD Professors Mark Stone and Jeremy Barnett led a global arts study abroad trip to Ghana, West Africa during the recent winter break.


Tom Raffel and Jason Sckrabulis
Friday, February 18, 2022


Researchers in Oakland University’s Department of Biological Sciences have published a study that employs statistical models to analyze host-parasite relationships – in this case between tadpoles (hosts) and flatworms (parasites). The study, published in The American Naturalist, one of the world’s leading peer-reviewed publications in ecology, evolution and behavior research, uses the Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE) to describe the role temperature plays in that relationship. 



Wednesday, February 16, 2022


A research study conducted by Oakland University and Beaumont Research Institute is providing new insights that could lead to more effective treatment in lung cancer patients. 


Matt Bell
Wednesday, February 02, 2022


Oakland University’s Creative Writing Program will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a fiction reading by author Matt Bell, whose most recent book, “Appleseed” was recognized by The New York Times. The OU alumnus will share his work during a campus event at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 10 in Oakland Center Banquet Room A. In-person attendees will be required to complete OU’s Daily Health Screening Form. The reading will also be streamed via Zoom.  


OU graduates
Thursday, January 06, 2022


Oakland University has introduced a new web tool that provides information on the career and educational pursuits of OU students following graduation. 


Michael Kenny
Monday, December 20, 2021


In recognition of his exceptional leadership, service, and accomplishments, Oakland University alum Michael Kenny (CAS ’78) has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts degree. The degree was presented on Friday, Dec. 17 during the university’s fall commencement ceremony.


Andrew Barikmo and Jackie Gubow
Thursday, December 02, 2021


Whether it’s on stage or in front of the camera, Oakland University alumni Andrew Barikmo (BFA ’18) and Jackie Gubow (BM & BFA ’14) have a talent for helping others find the roles that are right for them.


Esau Pritchett
Thursday, December 02, 2021


Theatre alumnus Esau Pritchett has joined the cast of Keenan Scott II's Thoughts of a Colored Man on Broadway. The production began performances at Broadway's Golden Theatre on October 1, ahead of an official opening on October 31. Natasha Ashey with Broadway World has called Thoughts of a Colored Man “a jaw-dropping, thought-provoking, incredibly real production that is not to be missed,” and Pritchett’s performance has been praised by The New York Times.


Alyssa Lalko
Tuesday, October 19, 2021


Recent Oakland University graduate Alyssa Lalko is working on research to develop a laser-based sensor that can detect toxins in the atmosphere. 


Christopher Delgado
Thursday, September 23, 2021


Through its graduate programs, Oakland University’s School of Education and Human Services (SEHS) empowers teachers and administrators to enhance their communities, shape the future of their professions and touch the lives of thousands of learners.


Matt Bell
Monday, September 20, 2021


Matt Bell, a 2006 graduate of Oakland University’s English program, recently released his novel “Appleseed” to critical acclaim. The book traces three storylines across a thousand years, including a mythological retelling of the Johnny Appleseed folktale, a harrowing struggle against climate change-driven corporate control and the travails of a bioengineered creature searching for the last vestiges of civilization. 


Sarah Denha
Thursday, September 09, 2021


Oakland University doctoral student Sarah Denha traveled to the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts this summer to take part in a neurobiology course that introduced her to cutting-edge research techniques taught by leading experts in the field. 


A headshot of Rebecca Ramirez.
Monday, July 19, 2021


Originally from a small village in Germany, the opportunity to study business through a three-year apprenticeship at Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG whet Rebecca Ramirez’s, MBA ’14, appetite for the prospects a career in the automotive industry could offer.



Wednesday, July 14, 2021


Oakland University’s School of Nursing and its Board of Visitors have announced the 2021 Nightingale Award winners and runners-up. This year’s top nurses in Michigan come from a variety of clinical roles and settings and are recognized as exceptional in their various nursing roles.


ReciproCity
Thursday, July 01, 2021


ReciproCity Apps, a Pontiac-based company co-founded by Oakland University alumni Cam Underdown, Chris Powers and Josh Linneburg, has been using technology to build public goods and help better connect communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Dog with book
Thursday, May 27, 2021


As colleges and universities look to address the growing mental health crisis on campuses across the nation, a new book is touting the benefits of the human-animal bond. Published by Purdue University Press, “The Canine-Campus Connection: Roles for Dogs in the Lives of College Students” provides evidence-based guidance on bringing college students and canines together in mutually beneficial ways. 


Recreation Center
Tuesday, May 25, 2021


As part of an effort to help students achieve greater physical, mental and emotional well-being, OU’s Department of Recreation and Well-Being is offering continuing students free summer access to the Recreation Center on campus. 


OU Community Music Virtual Summer Camps
Wednesday, May 19, 2021


From Shakespeare on Zoom to the history of jazz, Oakland University Community Music’s virtual and in-person Summer Camps will offer something for everyone.


Noah Canales
Wednesday, May 19, 2021


Noah Canales, junior musical theatre major, has been named the “First Place Male Singer” in the fourth annual “NextGen National: Finding the Voices of Tomorrow” competition, which featured vocal performers from colleges and universities from across the United States.


Sarah Bussineau
Wednesday, April 21, 2021


Oakland University alumna Sarah Bussineau (BM ’20) has won the Michigan Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) Secondary Grades Student Teacher of the Year Award for 2020.


Michele and Karl Plattenberger
Wednesday, February 10, 2021


If you want to change your life and the way you see the world – study abroad. 


Shreyas Gavit
Friday, January 08, 2021


Recent Oakland University graduate Shreyas Gavit was part of an innovative team that won the Salesforce Career Journey with Deloitte, a case study competition in which college students were tasked with helping a fictional online retailer meet recruiting and hiring challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. 


John Stoll
Tuesday, December 01, 2020


In a video on Oakland University’s YouTube channel, former Wall Street Journal business columnist John Stoll shared how a degree in history from Oakland University helped him stand out among his peers.


Mark Stone
Wednesday, November 18, 2020


Oakland University percussion students, faculty, and alumni participated in the annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), which took place Nov. 13-14.


Bodies in Protest
Wednesday, November 18, 2020


FALL EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:Our fall performance season kicked off with Mark Stone’s annual Peace Day concert on Sept. 20. The event happened live in the Varner Hall Courtyard and was livestreamed on the SMTD Facebook page. Professor Stone was interviewed by Civic Center TV, during which he discussed the return to campus and the Peace Day concert.


Brain and Double Helix Graphic
Tuesday, November 10, 2020


Adam Avery, an assistant professor of biochemistry, has been awarded a three-year, $400,000 grant to research gene mutations associated with Spinocerebellar Ataxia, a degenerative brain disorder that affects motor skills, including balance, coordination and speech. 


Annie Fuelle
Friday, September 18, 2020


Annie Fuelle, an alumna of Oakland University’s Honors College, has been selected as the recipient of the inaugural Honors College Humanitarian Award, which was established to recognize students who have demonstrated “sustained humanitarian involvement” during their time at OU.


Urinetown
Wednesday, September 02, 2020


Oakland University alum Matthew Carlsen recently won the 2020 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) National Award for Costume Design for his presentation/costume design work on OU’s fall 2019 production of Urinetown.


Candlelight vigil
Wednesday, August 26, 2020


Oakland University's Department of Theatre hosted “A Candlelight Vigil to Honor the Lives of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Countless Others” on June 7 at The Elliott Tower at Oakland University. About 100 people attended the vigil, which was featured in an article in The Detroit News. “The diversity of our department is our greatest strength,” said professor Anthony Guest, chair of the Department of Theatre. “Something like this (event) is important. We are storytellers, and if we are not telling stories that represent all of humanity, then we are not doing our job.”


OU Summer Masterclass Series - Broadway
Wednesday, August 26, 2020


When the lights went dark in theatres across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakland University Assistant Professor and Tony Award nominee Josh Young reached out to some of Broadway’s top talent and helped them connect virtually with OU’s musical theatre students as part of an innovative Summer Masterclass Series.


Jodie Madeja
Friday, August 21, 2020


Jodie Madeja, a recent OU graduate and current student in the university’s Master of Accounting program, has been awarded a $10,000 scholarship from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. 


Salazar family
Wednesday, August 05, 2020


Oakland University’s Environmental Health and Safety program helped Chase and Jessica Salazar transform their shared passion for helping others into successful careers as EHS professionals.