Professional Development Grants for Retirees—2018 update
Ten applications were submitted by the December deadline for the 2018 Professional Development Grants for Retirees (PDGR) program. This is below the average of 16 applications per year, perhaps because of the new online-only application process introduced this year. Despite that complexity the process went smoothly, due in no small measure to Marci Freundschu in the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) and system analyst Francine Anderson, who were most helpful to applicants.
If any of you did not feel comfortable applying because of this new process, we would like to hear about your concerns. Please email me at [email protected].
The approved proposals will be announced in March. The new grants will start on April 1 and extend to June 30, 2019.
Looking ahead, the committee is concentrating on the funding of this program for 2019 and beyond. Although UMRA is not officially part of the University, most of the funding for this program since its inception in 2009 has come from the University through the Provost and OVPR. As we work with the University to continue this arrangement, it is important to demonstrate UMRA’s commitment to the program.
One way to show that commitment is through financial contributions from UMRA members. In 2011 UMRA established a fund at the University of Minnesota Foundation specifically to receive donations for the PDGR program. Since then, the fund has received many contributions from retirees, including six recent gifts made since the November UMRA luncheon. The value of the fund now exceeds $26,000, and we hope to continue building this endowment to help supplement our University funding and to demonstrate UMRA’s commitment. More about this in coming months.
— Dick Poppele, PDGR Committee chair
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.
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.
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.
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: