People who care
“UMRA can ensure that when you have given your life's work to the U, that you continue as a valued member of the U community.” —Kathleen O’Brien
There are some very special UMRA volunteers who reach out to contact individual members and/or our families with personal notes in times of grief and loss. They are the members of the UMRA Cares Committee, and for the past five years Kathleen O’Brien has led this important work with exceptional dedication and grace in her role as committee chair, from which she will be stepping down at the end of May.
About her work with the committee, Kathleen told me recently: “Over 50 years ago, I joined the U community as a grad student in history. Because of my education, work assignments, and friendships in our community, I have had professional career and personal experiences that I could never have imagined. My assignment in the UMRA Cares Committee has given me the opportunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues, to support them during difficult times and life transitions, and to honor our UMN colleagues when they passed. For me this has been compelling work and gratifying service.”
Kathleen retired from the University in 2012. Her tenure at the U included serving as vice president for University Services (2002–12) and chief of staff to President Nils Hasselmo (1989–94). Prior to her work at the U, she was elected three times to represent the University and its communities on the Minneapolis City Council (1982–89) and served for eight years as chief administrator for Minneapolis (1994–02). She remains deeply engaged in civic affairs and is currently co-chairing the work group helping Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey weigh options for the city’s new form of government.
“The Cares Committee regularly hears from U retirees and/or their families who express their gratitude for UMRA's recognition of their loved one's service to the U; they value UMRA's personal support at this time of loss. For many retirees, their work for the U was a central part of their lives. I have heard from some people that when they retired, they never heard from the U again."
Serving together, sharing a commitment
The committee was created in 2013 by UMRA members Earl Nolting and the late Van Linck. The members learned from each other and from University of Minnesota experts about the phases of aging. Eventually, the committee’s work inspired the monthly programs, known as Living Well Workshops, that are now a regular feature of UMRA.
In addition to reaching out to UMRA members and families in times of grief and loss, the committee also facilitates modest contributions from UMRA to the memorials chosen by bereaved families, and the chair writes the monthly “In remembrance” article published in the UMRA News.
Helen Carlson is another of the founding members of the committee. For her, it has been satisfying to develop ideas and plan for workshops and to learn about caregiving and preparing for grief—something that became especially relevant when her spouse died after becoming gravely ill. Today, she appreciates the opportunity to connect with other UMRA members, and to honor the memory of the deceased through contact with their families. She enjoys being able to do her committee work from home.
For Nancy Helmich, the satisfaction from her work on the committee comes from providing notes of comfort to families and acknowledging their losses.
All three members also find satisfaction in serving together and sharing a commitment to the assignment.
We owe Kathleen O’Brien a big thanks for leading this important work for UMRA. She has generously offered to be available to orient whoever succeeds her as chair. Both Helen Carlson and Nancy Helmich, fortunately for us, are committed to continuing their work on the committee.
If you are interested in serving on the UMRA Cares Committee as a member or its chair, I would like to hear from you. It’s a special assignment, and our organization is full of people who care.
—Jan Morlock, UMRA president, [email protected]
News
Declining government funding, inflation, loss of purchasing power, low birthrates, and lack of trust in the nation’s institutions have combined to create a confidence crisis in higher education not seen for decades. Minnesota is no exception.
Since its inception 40 years ago, the University Retirees Volunteer Center has focused on identifying where help is needed within the University community and has provided opportunities for thousands of retirees to use their skills, experience, and interests to help address those needs.
Meet UMRA member Nancy Carpenter. She grew up in the American heartland; nevertheless, she was surprised by the frigid, snow-covered landscape when she visited Minnesota for the first tine to interview for a job teaching chemistry at UMN Morris.
UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees are intended to support projects related to University of Minnesota retirees' research, instructional or work history, or new scholarly interests that contribute to the academic reputation of the University.
After working decades in communications for the U’s Center for Transportation Studies, Pam Snople perks up whenever she sees transportation news. It’s usually the salacious stuff that makes the headlines. But, behind the scenes, vehicle automation research keeps rolling along — including key work by UMN researchers.
Renée Good was killed in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, during Operation Metro Surge. One month later, a community memorial to mourn her death and celebrate her life was held. Susan Ranney attended the ceremony and wrote an evocative essay on the service, which was published recently in UMRA’s Journal of Opinions, Ideas & Essays.
Professor Emeritus Alan Kagan has played many roles in his nearly 30 years of service with the University Retirees Volunteer Center. From assisting with phone calls to becoming office manager and eventually serving on and chairing the Volunteer Center’s board, Kagan helped build the organization into the robust operation it is today.
We’re already getting organized to identify and recruit members to step into leadership roles in 2027. As a well-informed and engaged UMRA member, you are invited to play a role in the process.
I’ve been an UMRA member for more than a decade and each year I’m impressed anew by the energy and dedication of the volunteers who do the work of the organization. I invite you to join in their efforts. But if that’s not possible, there’s something else you can do to help support UMRA: Renew your membership.
You don’t have to go far, and you don’t have to drink coffee. It’s the conversation that matters. It’s a new, experimental effort being organized by the wizards of UMRA; a meet-up of members who live in the same zip code.
Beginning January 1, 2027, the University of Minnesota is making updates to medical plans, the pharmacy vendor, and the Wellbeing Program incentive that apply to retirees and dependents enrolled in these plans.
The University of Minnesota has had a presence at the Great Minnesota Get-Together for 167 years. And on September 3, 2026, UMRA made its Minnesota State Fair debut to talk with fairgoers (on Seniors Day) about retirement and to promote opportunities to volunteer through our University Retirees Volunteer Center.
Like all of us, UMRA member Barbara Heinemann has been reflecting on 9/11 and life in the 25 years since then, with mixed feelings.
December 31 is the application deadline for UMRA’s 2027 Professional Development Grants for Retirees competition. Retirees from all five University of Minnesota campuses are eligible to apply. We invited Brad Hokanson, professor emeritus, UMN Department of Design Innovation, to tell us about the work supported by his 2026 grant to promote teaching creativity in high schools.
Meet UMRA member and volunteer extraordinaire Kay Louis. She devoted her career as an Extension educator — “bringing the University to the people” — to developing and providing programming for adults and youth.
The UMRA membership year runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. If you haven’t yet renewed your membership for 2027, it’s definitely time to do so!
UMRA has a Facebook group that is open to UMN retirees and others with close ties to the University, for posting messages about anything University- or retiree-related. Learn more.
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: