Welcome
We welcome all retirees from the University of Minnesota. Learn more about UMRA, and our mission. See who we are and what we do below, in our many vital activities.
Join us -- share with us your own unique take on connect, learn and serve!
Summer Events
Tue, August 18, 2026, at 11am - 1:30pm
10:30 a.m. check in; 10:45 boarding; cruise from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Join UMRA friends and colleagues for a summer cruise and lunch aboard the Paradise Destiny II on beautiful Lake Minnetonka. Paul Maravelas, sailor, historian, and author of The History of Big Island, Lake Minnetonka will join us to share stories from 200+ years of lake-dwellers. Come early or stay after the cruise to explore Excelsior, a charming small town on the big lake.
Ticket price includes lunch: chef's sandwich, garden salad, fruit, chips, and cookies. Coffee, iced tea, and lemonade are complimentary and there will be a cash bar for other beverages. A vegetarian sandwich can be selected during registration.
Upcoming Conferences
Two major conferences, one organized by the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE) and the other by the Big Ten Retirees Association (BTRA), will take place this year. The AROHE conference will be held in Florida and the BTRA conference will be hosted by UMRA on the UMN campus.
The AROHE conference invites all interested retirees and university faculty and staff to reimagine retirement. You are invited to register if interested at https://www.arohe.org/2026-Conference.
The BTRA is being hosted by UMRA this year. Leadership of retiree organizations around the US will convene to share competencies. Attendance is restricted.
Upcoming Events
UMRA Book Club I will discuss The Silent Patient, a psychological thriller and debut novel by Alex Michaelides, when it meets via Zoom on Friday, July 17.
News
Professor Emeritus John Romano is the newest member of the University Retirees Volunteer Center Leadership Council. Throughout his University experience, he has been a leader among those providing mental health support for students on campus.
I grew up surrounded by positive people. My parents both lived to be 98, and I never heard either of them complain as they grew older. In that spirit, I’d like to share with you some thoughts on the advantages of getting older, as I experience it.
From the President
Interest Groups
