On-campus learning opportunities for retirees abound
Workshop presenters (from left) Julie Selander, Anastasia Faunce, and Sandra Krebs Hirsch describe the abundance of learning opportunities at the U for retirees.
We began the 2019–20 Living Well Workshop series with a presentation on educational opportunities for retirees at the U of M, and we learned that there is a wonderful array of possibilities!
First, we heard from Anastasia Faunce, director of LearningLife in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS). LearningLife offers a wide-ranging portfolio of noncredit short courses, seminars, and immersions taught by University faculty and experts from the community. The short courses and seminars range in cost from $55 to $165. UMRA members receive a 10 percent discount.
Another signature LearningLife program is Headliners, a series of single-session lectures on current events by University scholars. The cost is $20 per session or $90 for the series of seven.
LearningLife also hosts Encore Transitions, a series of one-day immersions to help people prepare for retirement. Courses focus on how to achieve personal fulfillment and deal with practical issues while pursuing purpose-driven, post-career engagement.
We then heard from Sandra Krebs Hirsh, vice president of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), a membership organization (also in CCAPS) that offers more than 300 courses, discounted trips in the U.S. and abroad, and opportunities to participate in more than 30 special interest groups. Courses are taught by volunteers and are held in locations across the Twin Cities. Annual membership costs $240.
Finally, we heard from Julie Selander, director of One Stop Student Services in the Office of the Registrar, who spoke about the Senior Citizen Education Program, which allows state residents age 62 or older to take courses in the regular curriculum, for $10 per credit or audit for free.
Registration can be done online or in person at a One Stop location on campus (Bruininks Hall, West Bank Skyway, or Coffey Hall). Seniors may register for any available course, subject to the same rules for prerequisites as other students.
—Ron Matross, chair, Workshop Committee
Back to school: opportunities for retirees at the U of M
Tue, September 24 2019, 1:30pm
Dale Shephard Room, Coffman Memorial Union
September is back-to-school month, so our September workshop will be all about how UMRA members can continue their education by taking courses at the U of M. We will have representatives from three University programs talk about the opportunities their programs offer.
Anastasia Faunce, director of LearningLife in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS), will discuss the noncredit seminars, courses, and immersions that LearningLife offers to the general public. Sandra Krebs Hirsh, vice president of the board of the Osher Life Long Learning Institute(OLLI), will discuss the extensive array of courses and seminars for seniors offered by OLLI, which is also in CCAPS. Julie Selander, director of One Stop Services in the Office of the Registrar, will discuss the Senior Citizen Education Program, which allows retirees to take courses at low cost in the regular curriculum, either for credit or for audit.
Each presenter will briefly describe the nature of their program, how to access it, where classes are held, and how much they cost. As time permits, they may highlight some of their offerings for the 2019–20 academic year. They will also offer brochures on their programs and answer questions.
Please join us following the UMRA luncheon on Tuesday, September 24, for this workshop starting at 1:30 p.m. in the Dale Shephard Room.
—Ron Matross, chair, Workshop Committee
Upcoming Events
We are fortunate to have UMRA member and former Minnesota Landscape Arboretum director Peter Moe to lead this approximately 3.7-mile hike at the Arboretum on Monday, May 6. Plan to have lunch together after the hike at the Eatery café inside the Oswald Visitor Center.
This session will continue the discussion begun in the May 8, 2023 session. See that article for details.
If you currently live in your own home or apartment, have you looked ahead to when you might want to consider a senior living option? Do you have any idea what those options might be? How much they cost? What they provide? UMRA’s May 14 workshop will provide an overview of the world of senior living and the basic information you need.
You’re invited to join the final Family History Interest Group meeting for 2023–24. This will be an opportunity to ask questions related to family history, share insights, talk about recent projects, and suggest topics for next year.
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.
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.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)!
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.