Oakland University to welcome Ross Gay for basketball-themed poetry reading April 14
Poetry and basketball will take center court when Oakland University welcomes acclaimed poet and essayist Ross Gay for its 2026 Maurice Brown Memorial Poetry Reading. Now in its 38th year, the series is named for Maurice Brown, a beloved OU English professor, and supported by his family. This year’s event, “Poetry Month Madness: Celebrating Poems and Basketball,” will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, at the OU Recreation Center basketball courts. The event is free and open to the
OU’s Master of Science in Finance program earns STEM designation
Students pursuing a Master of Science in Finance at the Oakland University School of Business will now benefit from a STEM-designated program that reflects the growing role of analytics and data-driven decision making in modern finance. The designation strengthens the program’s ability to prepare graduates for careers that require both financial expertise and advanced analytical skills, including roles in investment analysis, corporate finance, financial technology and data-driven financial
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine celebrates Match Day milestone
On Match Day, OUWB students learned where they will continue their medical training. Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB) celebrated a defining milestone for its Class of 2026 during Match Day on Friday, March 20, in the Oakland Center Founders Ballroom on Oakland University’s campus. The annual event brought together students, families, faculty, and mentors to share in the excitement as future physicians learned where they will continue their medical training. Following a morning
OU earns top honors at North American Model UN Conference
OU's Model UN team captured top honors at the North American Model UN Conference in Toronto. Oakland University’s Model United Nations team continued its winning ways at the North American Model United Nations 2026 Conference, bringing home three individual awards, including the Best Delegate Award, the conference’s highest honor. OU Model UN President Jan Kuehnke received the Best Delegate Award for his representation of the United States on the UN Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee. In
OU's Steve Waterfield named 2025-26 NACDA Athletics Director of the Year
Oakland University Director of Athletics Steve Waterfield has been named a recipient of the 2025-26 Division I-AAA Athletic Director of the Year Award by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the organization announced Monday. The NACDA Athletic Director of the Year Award highlights outstanding athletics directors who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, program development and commitment to student-athlete success. “I am honored to be selected as one of the 2025-26
Oakland University recognized for promoting nonpartisan civic engagement
Oakland University is among 129 college campuses to receive the 2026 Highly Established Action Plan Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. The seal recognizes higher education institutions with strong action plans to increase nonpartisan civic engagement by promoting civic learning, political engagement and college student voter participation. As part of the ALL IN program, campuses create and implement a nonpartisan democratic engagement action plan every two years. OU’s current action plan
OU’s Yejie Lee named among Detroit’s top career coaches by Influence Digest
Yejie Lee, a member of the dedicated team at Oakland University’s Career and Life Design Center, was recently named one of the top 15 career coaches in Detroit. The recognition came from Influence Digest, an online publication that conducts an extensive search to identify coaches with strong professional coaching backgrounds. Their evaluation was based on factors such as LinkedIn profiles, professional websites, certifications, testimonials and overall reach, including audience demographics and
Pontiac mayor, OU alumnus Mike McGuinness to keynote 7th annual Tim Larrabee Memorial Lecture
Mike McGuinness, mayor of the City of Pontiac and a former Oakland University student body president, will be the featured speaker at Oakland University’s 7th annual Tim Larrabee Memorial Lecture from 5-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, in 159 North Foundation Hall. McGuinness made history when he was elected Pontiac’s first openly gay mayor in November 2025. Prior to becoming mayor, he served as president of the Pontiac City Council from 2022-2026, president of the Pontiac Board of Education from
Governor Whitmer appoints two new members to Oakland University’s Board of Trustees
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has made two new appointments to the Oakland University Board of Trustees. These appointments are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. The first appointee is Nate Engle of Lansing, who will serve a term from March 5, 2026 through August 11, 2028. He succeeds Joe Jones, who resigned from the board last month. Nate Engle Engle currently serves as director of community engagement for the Michigan Department of Agriculture. His professional background includes
