Hometown: St. Paul. I was a third-generation East Sider and the product of what was then considered something of a mixed marriage (Swedish dad, Norwegian mom).

When did you become a member of UMRA? Immediately upon retiring in January 2012.
What was your first job? Your best job? First: I began snow-shoveling work with neighbors when I was still in grade school; I continued until I was well into college. Best: Peace Corps volunteer in Venezuela.

What was your occupation when you retired from FT work? Study abroad administrator in the U of M Learning Abroad Center.

Where were you when you learned of Watergate? St. Paul. I recall more vividly, though, Nixon’s ultimate downfall. My wife, Rosa María, and I were doing research in Pasto, Colombia. In that pre-internet world, we largely depended on one local Peace Corps volunteer’s subscription to Time magazine for updates. We could scarcely bear the waiting until the next issue arrived with the latest news on the collapsing house of cards in Washington.

Describe an unforgettable event in your life: Early in my study abroad career, I was aboard a plane that crashed in Spain, taking some 50 lives. The photos I snapped after escaping from the burning wreckage subsequently appeared in Newsweek, Paris Match, Maclean’s, Der Spiegel, the inaugural issue of USA Today, and many other publications. Proceeds from the photo sales generated the down payment on the St. Paul house where Rosa María and I still live.

Do you have a favorite place on the U of M campus? Cooke Hall, in whose pool I spent some 20 hours a week working out during the U of M swimming team’s season in my undergraduate years.

What is something you currently enjoy doing with your time? Travel, photography (the UMRA Photo Club is a great source of joy), and providing child care for our three grandchildren.

What is a fun fact about you we might not know? Rosa María and I spent our honeymoon hitchhiking from Mexico to Panama. Altogether in my younger days, I hitchhiked some 100,000 miles, including through every mainland country in the Americas.