News

The Best of Portugal: From the Age of Discovery to Today

Spain at a Slower Pace: The Best of Barcelona and Madrid

Spend eight nights in Madrid and Barcelona in 2025. Express your interest by June 7, 2024.

The Best of the Canadian Maritimes

Independent City Discoveries: Québec City

Spend four nights in Québec City in 2025. Express your interest by June 7, 2024.

Discoveries Along the Douro: Portugal’s Best-Kept Secrets

Spend 9 nights on the Douro River in Portugal in 2025. Express your interest by June 7, 2024.

Mexico City: History, Art, Culture and Politics

Signature City St. Augustine

Book Notes | ‘The Scarlet Letter’

Set in the 1600s in a small town in Puritan New England, 'The Scarlet Letter' by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story of sin, cowardice, and survival. Members of the UMRA Book Club found the writing to be laborious, riddled with many words no longer in use, and wondered why the novel was on high school reading lists. More...

Election of UMRA’s 2024–25 leaders to be held online

The election of UMRA officers and new board members for 2024–25 will be conducted via an online poll from May 13 to 19, with the results to be announced at our annual meeting on May 21. Look for the ballot in your email inbox on May 13. Diane Young has been nominated to be president-elect.

Our journey with Alzheimer’s

“I convinced myself I could handle this problem without support groups or doing additional research, but that’s only because I didn’t want to make it any more real than it already was. Denial comes in many forms, and one is to avoid thinking about the problem any more than need be.” —Alice A. Larson

HELLO, my name is Peter Moe

Meet UMRA member Peter Moe. He retired in 2023 after a career that spanned nearly half a century at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and is credited with developing the “Arb” into one of the few in the U.S. with world-class fruit and landscape breeding programs.

URVC Leadership Council welcomes two new members

The University Retirees Volunteer Center (URVC) has welcomed two new members with valuable skills and experience to the URVC Leadership Council: Lynn Slifer and Jeanne Jacobson.

Changes to @umn.edu internet identity

The University plans to remove retirees from the @umn.edu internet identity domain on December 7. UMRA has advocated for ensuring continued access to this identity (including email, Google Workspace, and associated services), citing University retirees’ enduring contributions to and engagement with the University. Thus far, our efforts have not prompted any change of plans. 

An overview of the UMRA Photo Club

If you’re looking for an opportunity to explore your photographic interests, hone your photographic skills, and hear what other retirees are up to, the UMRA Photo Club is a great place to be. We have fun! And whatever your skill level, there is room for everybody. 

Seeking editor-in-chief for JOIE

Leading the online Journal of Opinions, Ideas & Essays has been a labor of love for Kris Bettin. Alas, a change in family needs has necessitated her retirement. So, JOIE is seeking a new leader to join a savvy editorial committee of five and bring fresh ideas for continued development of the UMRA-sponsored journal.