March 2016 Luncheon Speaker
Tue, March 22 2016, 11:30am
Campus Club ABC
The March luncheon speakers will be Lori Sturdevant and Tom Swain. Tom and Lori wrote a book together, Citizen Swain, which is about Tom’s life—as a kid growing up in Minneapolis, as a corporate executive and a University of Minnesota vice president, as an elected official, as staff to a governor, and as a volunteer extraordinaire.
Lori is a longtime editorial writer and columnist for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. Her columns about current legislative issues and issues facing the future of Minnesota appear on the Sunday Opinion page.
Lori has collaborated on many books, including A Man’s Reach by former Minnesota governor Elmer L. Andersen. She is the author of Her Honor: Rosalie Wahl and the Minnesota Women’s Movement and The Pillsburys of Minnesota.
Citizen Swain is another collaboration, and one that can help us, the public, better understand and respect community and public participation in shaping a better Minnesota.
At our luncheon Lori and Tom will engage in a “Q and A” presentation based on the stories Tom relates in Citizen Swain.
Tom’s life and career often brought him to the University of Minnesota, first as a student, then a football fan, and as an employee of the athletic department. After 23 years of work at the St. Paul Companies, he served as a vice president for three University of Minnesota presidents. He has been a champion of the University throughout his career, not only with financial donations, but also in the commitment of his time in mentoring students and U employees.
Tom Swain’s life has been one of government and community service, and Lori helps tell the story in a most entertaining way. They will delight our audience with laughter and with inspiration of what it means to be a citizen activist.
— Donna Peterson, President-elect and Program Committee member
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.