Select a tab to see archives for News, Events, Forums and Living Well Workshops.
Forums Archive
Events Archive
TRAVEL TOURS
AROHE Travel Institute webinarEvent Date:The Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE) is hosting a “Trip Preview Webinar” at 12 noon on September 11 to discuss the new partnership between AROHE and Road Scholar, and share highlights of upcoming trips. More... |
PHOTO CLUB
Sept Photo ClubEvent Date:After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves More... |
|
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
Cabinets of Curiosity: Andersen Library Tour at Minnesota Landscape ArboretumEvent Date:Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm More... |
|
HIKING
Lake Minnetonka HikeEvent Date:Join us near Lake Minnetonka to hike along the Dakota Three Rivers Regional Trail. Access is just a few steps from KaiMay and Joseph Terry home. This will be an easy 3 mile hike on a paved trail and for a wonderful bonus, our hosts will serve a light lunch after the hike. More... |
HIKING
Trail in Two Cities hikeEvent Date:Join us at Longfellow Grill in Minneapolis (the first city of the west) and hike along the Mississippi River crossing over to St. Paul (the last city of the east) to circle back. About 5 miles total along paved paths at a moderate pace. Lunch at the Longfellow Grill! More... |
BOOK CLUB I
The BookbinderEvent Date:Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself. More... |
HIKING
William O'Brien State Park hike (rained out)Event Date:Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park. More... |
|
BOOK CLUB II
In the Garden of BeastsEvent Date:Erik Larson’s non-fiction narrative recounts the struggles of middle-class University of Chicago, Professor William Dodd, was appointed as U.S. ambassador to Germany during the rise of Hitler and the Third Reich. Dodd not only had to deal with the threats to democracy, but his thriftiness was criticized by State Department officials who mainly came from wealthy elite families. In addition, Dodd’s daughter began dating Nazi officials. More... |
|
BOOK CLUB I
How Stella Learned to TalkEvent Date:Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words. More... |
|
HIKING
Bde Maka Ska kayaking hike (cancelled)Event Date:Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental. More... |
BOOK CLUB II
Edith Wharton – The Age of InnocenceEvent Date:Edith Wharton is best known for her stories about upper-class New York society into which she was born. Age of Innocence is her eighth novel, published in 1920 was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1921. More... |
|
PLACE ON HOME
Age-Friendly University DayEvent Date:Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus. More... |
BOOK CLUB I
'Scoop' by Evelyn WaughEvent Date:Diane Madlon-Kay will lead the discussion of Scoop by Evelyn Waugh when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 21. More... |
|
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
UMRA Summer Social and PicnicEvent Date:Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)! More... |
HIKING
Como Lake hikeEvent Date:Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer. More... |
|
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
U of M Day at Target FieldEvent Date:Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m. More... |
HIKING
Monticello hike & picnicEvent Date:We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike. More... |
|
BOOK CLUB II
Fourth Friday Book Club to meet May 24Event Date:UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement. More... |
HIKING
St Croix river hike in StillwaterEvent Date:The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available. More... |
BOOK CLUB I
Book Club I to meet May 17Event Date:Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17. More... |
|
BOOK CLUB I
Book Notes | ‘The Scarlet Letter’Event Date: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... |
|
NEWS
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 More...Published: |
|
PLACE ON HOME
HELLO, my name is Peter MoeMeet 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. More...Published: |
|
VOLUNTEER CENTER
URVC Leadership Council welcomes two new membersThe 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. More...Published: |
|
PLACE ON HOME
Changes to @umn.edu internet identityThe 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. More...Published: |
|
PHOTO CLUB
An overview of the UMRA Photo ClubIf 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. More...Published: |
|
JOIE
Seeking editor-in-chief for JOIELeading 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. More...Published: |
|
NEWS
Renew your UMRA membershipSoon you will receive an email or letter inviting you to renew your UMRA membership for the 2024–25 year. Please renew before you get busy with your summer activities. Your support helps to make our programs and many other member benefits possible! More...Published: |
|
NEWS
Operational needs: Help make UMRA runThis will be a new regular column where you can find organizational tasks that need your help! We are currently looking for help researching a new UMRA Membership Database and URVC volunteer database, and a co-producer for UMRA's Zoom webinars. See more details: More...Published: |
|
BOOK CLUB I
Book Notes | ‘The Other Einstein’Event Date:In 'The Other Einstein,' an historical novel about the life of Albert Einstein’s first wife, Mileva Marić, author Marie Benedict speculates that Marić contributed significantly to the papers and relativity theory that are attributed to Einstein. The book raises several questions. More... |
|
NEWS
HELLO, my name is Millie WoodburyMeet UMRA member Millie Woodbury, a lifelong world traveler whose favorite place on campus is Aisle C, Seat 24, at Northrop Auditorium. More...Published: |
|
GRANTS FOR RETIREES
UMRA grants program announces 2024 awardsEight retirees from the Twin Cities and Morris campuses have been chosen to receive 2024 awards from UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees Program. As in previous years, their projects cover a diverse set of topics, reflecting the breadth of studies and continuing professional activities undertaken by University retirees. More...Published: |
|
PLACE ON HOME
Cyber tips & tricks—changing your U emailMany of us are busy switching from using our UMN email to another email account – or at least contemplating how to go about it. This Tips & Tricks article highlights several key steps you may want to take, or need to take, as you make this change. Instructions are also included for making this change to your UMRA account login and UMRA member communications. More...Published: |
GRANTS FOR RETIREES
2024 PDGR AbstractsThe 2024 PDGR grants have been decided and awarded. Seven grants were awarded to a variety of worthy studies. More...Published: |
|
NEWS
Supporting the U at the LegislatureUMRA’s mission is, in part, that of advocating for the University. There are several ways to show that support to your elected officials, including emails, phone calls, visits to your elected representatives, and rallies coordinated by the U. More...Published: |