HELLO, my name is Chip Peterson
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.
News
Make your own discoveries in Portugal in 2025 on this journey to medieval monasteries, fertile vineyards and cities that are equal parts history and modern energy. Deadline to express an interest is Friday June 7, 2024.
Spend eight nights in Madrid and Barcelona in 2025. Express your interest by June 7, 2024.
Embrace the colorful history of the Canadian Maritime provinces for 11 nights in 2025. Express your interest by June 7, 2024.
Spend four nights in Québec City in 2025. Express your interest by June 7, 2024.
Spend 9 nights on the Douro River in Portugal in 2025. Express your interest by June 7, 2024.
Embrace and explore Mexico City as it showcases all facets of Mexico’s national character in 2025. Deadline to express an interest is Friday, June 7, 2024.
Bright and bold living history awaits you in beautiful St. Augustine, Florida in 2025. Express your interest by June 7, 2024.
The election of UMRA officers and new board members for 2024–25 will be conducted via an online poll from May 13 to 19, with the results to be announced at our annual meeting on May 21. Look for the ballot in your email inbox on May 13. Diane Young has been nominated to be president-elect.
“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
Meet 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.
The 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.
The 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.
Leading 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.
If 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.
Soon 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!
This 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: