Faculty & Staff

Fifteen Oakland University vocalists were recognized on Nov. 2, 2024 at the National Associationof Teachers of Singing Michigan Chapter Student Auditions. The students, who excelled in the Classical Voice, Musical Theatre, and Contemporary Music categories, included: Aidan Laidlaw, Sarah Lawlis, Carys Rees-Baker, David Glazkov, Philip Lupas, Maximillian Ulrich, Mila Pitman, Andrea Valenzuela-Lazcano, Kaelyn Parker, Cayla Stus, Yeshua Hardy, Trinity Green-Conner, Ava Ward, Austin Klotz, and Markwon Blocker.

SBA Associate Professor Seong Yeon Cho, Ph.D., is also sharing his accounting and technology experience and expertise with his community church.

The Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) and Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) will co-host a student panel event on facilitating challenging, yet essential classroom conversations between students and faculty. 

Award-winning jazz bassist and Oakland University faculty member Marion Hayden has been named as the 2025 Kresge Eminent Artist. This prestigious honor includes a $100,000 prize and is presented annually to artists in recognition of a lifetime of dedication to their field and the community.

In 2024, a shared vision between Oakland University’s Professional and Continuing Education (OU PACE) division and Jewish Senior Life of Metropolitan Detroit (JSL) was realized.

Oakland University Professor Aldona Pobutsky will be appearing on the March 10 and May 5 episodes of History’s Greatest Mysteries, a popular documentary series hosted by Laurence Fishburne that airs on The History Channel and examines the top theories surrounding the world’s most enigmatic unsolved mysteries.

As the political and social climate continues to shift, the needs of trans and gender expansive individuals are evolving, requiring more thoughtful and informed support from counselors and mental health professionals.

During times of political turmoil, many individuals experience heightened feelings of insecurity and a weakened sense of personal identity. This emotional distress can be particularly pronounced during the holiday season when family gatherings, often intended as joyful reunions, can quickly escalate into tense discussions. Political differences have long been a source of friction, but in today’s climate, debates can become especially heated, leaving some individuals feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or even alienated.

On December 6th, Universal Academy held its annual ‘Thanksgiving Celebration Luncheon’. It was a wonderful celebration by administrators and Principal Uzma Anjum, honoring the impact and importance of staff and members of the community.

The week leading up to holiday break was filled with festive celebrations at the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences. On December 19, DAAS Pre-K students, staff and volunteers from a local church enjoyed a day of holiday themed activities, offering something special and memorable for every scholar. 

Caniff Liberty Academy has been recognized as one of the top elementary and middle schools in the United States by U.S. News and World Report, the leading publication in education rankings.

The idea that ‘no one should die alone’ compels Abram Brummett, Ph.D., assistant professor in foundational medical studies at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, past his classroom philosophies.

A new master's program is set to launch in fall 2025. The Master of Science in Bioengineering (MSBE) program is a forward-thinking initiative designed to meet the growing demands of industry and research in the evolving field of bioengineering. 

Oakland University Interim Provost Dr. Kevin Corcoran and School of Education and Human Services Dean Dr. Jon Margerum-Leys joined Dr. Latacha King and Sukie Gruesbeck from the OU Public School Academies Office on an insightful visit to Universal Academy on November 19th, 2024.

The Oakland University community is invited to participate in OU’s Neurodiversity in the Classroom series, which offers videos, podcasts and workshops highlighting experiences of neurodivergent students, along with insights on how to promote inclusive learning across academic disciplines. 

In a landmark decision aimed at fostering greater equity in the college admissions process, the University Senate has permanently approved a shift to test-optional admission for incoming first-year students, starting with applications for the winter semester of 2026. This change follows a period of temporary test-optional admission that was implemented in fall 2020 in response to the disruptions to standardized testing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oakland University Libraries has digitized a portion of its Pontiac Press newspaper archive, which is now freely available online. 

Penny Vigneau, MSW, MBA, senior business manager for Finance and Administration at Oakland University, has been selected as one of 15 university leaders to take part in the 2025 P3•EDU Fellowship program. 

Researchers from Oakland University have made a significant breakthrough in the field of optical materials, unveiling the exceptional capabilities of Ba₃(ZnB₅O₁₀)PO₄ (BZBP). Although this transparent crystal closely resembles ordinary window glass, it exhibits extraordinary properties that set it apart from others.

Oakland University founder and philanthropist Matilda Dodge Wilson hosted the original Meadow Brook Seminars participants in 1958-59 to help create a direction for Oakland County’s first four-year university as it turned from an idea into a reality.

OU is debuting a series of stories about contributions that Oakland University faculty are making in the community called Centered in Community. Most people know the outstanding education they provide in the classrooms, but may not know all of the good they are doing outside of the classroom with various community organizations. Look for new feature stories online and in social media every two weeks this semester.

Beginning January 16, the Oakland University Art Gallery will present “Nightshade: The World in the Evening,” an exhibition that invites viewers to contemplate the feelings of mystery, awe and fear that emerge when daylight fades. 

Students presented in-depth research on the politics of military coups in Africa's Sahel region to U.S. diplomats and other foreign services specialists as part of a Diplomacy Lab partnership with the U.S. State Department. A team of Oakland University students who spent the semester researching the politics of military coups in West and Central Africa recently presented their findings to State Department officials tasked with shaping U.S. foreign policy in those regions. 

School of Education and Human Services’ professor of Organizational Leadership David Strubler,  Ph.D., often asks his Oakland University doctoral students, professionals working in many sectors of the economy, if “good politics” exist.

Oakland University has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. 

From left, Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, OU president, is pictured with Ted Lindsay Foundation leaders Lynn LaPaugh (secretary) and Lew LaPaugh (president) at a celebration marking the foundation's fulfillment of its $1 million pledge to OU. The Ted Lindsay Foundation celebrated the fulfillment of its $1 million pledge to Oakland University with the presentation of a $40,000 check during the foundation’s annual golf outing in September.

The Campus Student Organic Farm (CSOF) recently dedicated their newest hoophouse, known as the Salad Palace, with a ribbon-cutting by representatives of key stakeholders. This hoophouse, the latest addition to the farm, was funded by Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) and was built earlier in the summer, in part by students. 

Anika Noni RoseTony Award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose will be the keynote speaker at Oakland University’s 33rd annual Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Awards Celebration. 

 It is almost the most wonder-filled time of year! The Holidays at Meadow Brook will bring a dazzling array of events, activities and opportunities for merry-making. 

At its most recent meeting, the Black Faculty Association (BFA) of Oakland University welcomed new members, celebrated current faculty members' promotions and research achievements, and introduced this year’s class of Legacy Award recipients, Dr. Rose Cooper and Dr. Frances Jackson.

Those interested in learning about transferring to Oakland University are invited to attend OU’s Transfer Student Open House from 4-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23, in the Oakland Center on OU’s campus. 

Oakland University’s new Master of Science in Energy Engineering degree program will prepare students for advanced-level energy engineering roles in areas including power generation, energy generation, conversion, distribution and storage, fuels, transportation,  energy efficiency, and sustainable energy solutions. 

Oakland University and Ascension Providence Rochester Foundation have partnered to offer Mental Health First Aid trainings throughout the month of October. 

Alumni Reunion Weekend is a time for OU alumni to reconnect with old classmates and friends, to revisit old memories and to make new ones. 

Each year, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning works with OU Student Congress to host a student-led panel discussion on connecting student experience with teaching practices. These efforts helped inspire the creation of the Pedagogical Partnerships Program. Pictured from left are OU students Lance Markowitz, Andrew Cadotte, Mena Hannakachl and Clarence Sanders. Oakland University’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) is launching a new program that will empower students to help create high-quality, engaging learning experiences in collaboration with faculty. 

The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) has awarded Oakland University gold status, the highest rating possible, on its 2024 list of veteran-friendly schools. 

Oakland University Professor of Political Science Terri Towner, Ph.D. was elected the 46th President of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society.

A new transfer articulation agreement will help qualified students in the Associate of Applied Science in Education: Early Childhood Studies program at Macomb Community College transition to Oakland University to complete a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. 

OU student Eli D'Souza uses the newly created Time Management Tool.Oakland University has launched a new tool to help students balance the demands of college life. Accessible on the Academic Success Center (ASC) web section, the Time Management Tool empowers students to understand how they are using their time and make adjustments to optimize productivity. 

Shamiah Woods (left) and Mae Dennis, assistant director of Orientation and New Student Programs, chat in OU's First Year Advising Center. Shamiah Woods remembers the pressures, doubts and fears she faced while preparing to embark on her freshman year at Oakland University. As a first-generation college student, the Detroit native wasn’t sure how to navigate her college journey, from picking a major, to managing her course load, to integrating work and social life. She also questioned how she would fund her education without taking on too much debt. 

Dr. Christina Papadimitriou, professor of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences (School of Health Sciences) and Sociology (College of Arts and Sciences) at Oakland University, has been selected as a 2024 Fellow by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM). The designation recognizes active ACRM members with an outstanding record of professional service to ACRM who have also made contributions of national significance to the field of medical rehabilitation.

Pictured from left: Kenya Beard, Ed.D., president of the National Black Nurses Association’s Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing; Christopher Coleman, dean of Oakland University's School of Nursing; and Sheldon Fields, president and CEO of the National Black Nurses Association, at the 52nd Annual Institute and Conference of the National Black Nurses Association. Christopher Lance Coleman, Ph.D., dean of Oakland University’s School of Nursing, was recently honored with the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) Trailblazer Award at the 52nd Annual NBNA Institute and Conference, in San Francisco.  

From left: Rachel Partin (TLF Hope Center), Lew LaPaugh (TLF), Lynn LaPaugh (TLF), Alicia Garcia (OUCARES), Aimee Halonen (GFS) and Rachel Morawski (GFS) are pictured with donations that will benefit OUCARES programming for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Thanks to a collaboration with the Ted Lindsay Foundation (TLF), Corewell Health Ted Lindsay Foundation Hope Center and Gordon Food Service (GFS) Brighton store, Oakland University’s Joanne and Ted Lindsay Foundation Autism Outreach Services (OUCARES) received generous donations that will benefit programs for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

Two professors from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine have each achieved the faculty rank of Dean’s Distinguished Professor. 

Dr. Toni Glover, an associate professor in the School of Nursing at Oakland University, has been selected as a 2024 Fellow by the American Academy of Nursing in recognition of her substantial and sustained impact on health and health care.

Dr. Alycen Wiacek, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Bioengineering at Oakland University, has been awarded the prestigious Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) grant for $200,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her project to develop a wireless 3D breast ultrasound imaging system for low-resource settings.

Marlene McKean first set foot on Oakland University's campus as a temporary employee in June 1985. She worked in numerous campus offices until joining the Meadow Brook Health Enhancement Institute full time at its inception in February 1986. Her journey with the School of Engineering and Computer Science began in July 1989 when she transferred to the Advising Office. 

Professor Kerro Knox and Distinguished Professor Karen Sheridan teamed up to give a very informal "Last Lecture" on April 15. Both are retiring after decades of service and teaching in Oakland University's School of Music, Theatre and Dance. You can read more here.