UMRA joins Gold Mind
UMRA is expanding on its partnership with the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA) by offering our webcasts to Gold Mind, UMAA’s expanding library of video presentations curated from 20 University colleges and units.
Because Gold Mind is a listed YouTube channel, accessible to the public, it should make both UMRA and our presentations more visible to the outside world.
The Alumni Association’s academic version of Netflix, Gold Mind is a streaming video service that UMAA promotes as an alternative way for individuals to “access University and expert talks on a variety of topics to expand your knowledge, improve your life, and advance your career.” Presentations are indexed by topic, alphabet, college, and date.
Gold Mind already includes a dozen UMRA videos, each labeled “Presented by the University of Minnesota Retirees Association,” and more are being added monthly.
All UMRA webcasts are also available on UMRA’s unlisted YouTube channel.
You can view the full range of Gold Mind offerings at UMNAlumni.org/GoldMind.
—Will Craig, UMRA Board member and liaison to UMAA
News
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.
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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: