Professional Development Grants for Retirees- a program worthy of your support
Established in 2007 by the Office of the Provost, Office of the Vice President for Research, and the U of M Retirees Association, the PDGR program annually awards grants, up to $5,000, to help retirees pursue projects related to their scholarly and/or creative interests.
This program is supported with an allotment of $45,000 per year from the provost’s office and funds raised by UMRA. Currently, we have the assurance of one or two more years of funding from the University. In addition, we have about $25,000 in the UMRA account with the University of Minnesota Foundation. This includes an initial investment of $10,000 by the UMRA board plus individual contributions from UMRA members that may be applied to the PDGR program. However, because we want to continue awarding 10 or more grants each year, we must prepare for the possibility of a future funding shortfall.
We encourage UMRA members who have not yet made a contribution to this program to do so and, for those of you who have already made a contribution or pledge, to please consider adding to it. You may give by credit card online at give.umn.edu/giveto/SeptUMRA or by check payable to the University of Minnesota Foundation, P.O. Box 860266, Minneapolis MN 55486-0266. Be sure to indicate UMRA Fund 4867. You can also support this fund with a gift in your will or trust. For more information or if you have questions, please contact Lynn Praska, senior planned giving officer, University of Minnesota Foundation, at 612-624-4158 or LP[email protected].
We hope you will join us in supporting this program by making a tax-deductible gift.
Information about applying for a 2018-19 grant will be posted on the UMRA website in the coming months. In the meantime, if you have any questions about this program, please contact Dick Poppele, chair of UMRA’s PDGR Committee, at [email protected].
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: