University of Minnesota Retirees Association

At our March forum, Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice (and U of M alumna) Lorie Gildea offered a comprehensive and compelling review of the state judicial system. 

Educated, Tara Westover’s story of her journey from a childhood spent in an Idaho junkyard to higher education at Cambridge University, is an unsettling read for some.

Both the new Bell Museum and the Festival of Nations, the longest-running multicultural festival in the Midwest, are accepting applications for volunteers.

The new website will serve as the front door to an online volunteer management system powered by Better Impact.

For John Anderson, the fun of interacting with young people who are enthusiastic about joining the U of M community has not changed since his retirement.

Meet UMRA member Virgil Larson, who grew up on a farm, loves the outdoors, and has a Ph.D. in low temperature physics.

University retirees associated with the Law School, Medical School, Carlson School, College of Liberal Arts, and Libraries have been awarded 2019-20 grants from the PRDG program.

At our March workshop, sleep expert Muna Irfan, M.D., offered an enlightening and useful presentation on sleep, sleep disorders, and ways to improve sleep.

2019 Awards. In March 2019, a subcommittee of the UMRA Grants Committee reviewed 6 applications for the Professional Development Grants for Retirees and recommended that 5 be approved and 1 be asked to resubmit. In March Allen Levine, Vice President for Research announced the recipients of the 2019 Professional Development Grants for Retirees . The recipients represented CLA, CSOM, MED, Law Clinic and University Libraries. The abstracts of the grants are listed on the 2019 PDGR Abstracts page.

Athletic Director Mark Coyle provided an engaging and candid presentation on the direction and accomplishments of the U’s Athletics department.

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore is a compelling book on a repeating theme: dangers in the workplace or community that take too long to be recognized.

A new online bulletin board and discussion area for members of UMRA will soon debut on the UMRA website.

Claudia Parliament explains how returning to synchronized swimming after a 32-year hiatus has significantly altered her life.

The Bakken Museum in Minneapolis nurtures enthusiasm for science with a special emphasis on electricity and medicine.

Meet UMRA member Camilla Reiersgord, who worked in Dr. Ancel Keyes’ lab in the 1950s and is a founding member of Minnesota Women Lawyers.

Representatives from the Office of Human Resources gave an update on a pending change in vendor for the U’s pension plan.

An audio recording and slides of UMRA’s February forum are now available on UMRA’s website. 

We hope the Legislature will elect regents who will help foster the U in all its missions and preserve it as an educational and economic engine of the State. 

This commentary was published in the Star Tribune editorial pages on February 18, 2019.