VOLUNTEER CENTER

URVC—Making a difference

More than 500 U of M retirees, spouses, partners, and friends currently participate in virtual or on-site volunteer opportunities—on the Twin Cities campus or in the metro area—offered through the University Retirees Volunteer Center (URVC).  Working with U of M units and community agencies, the all-volunteer URVC project team facilitates the development of these volunteer opportunities and the recruitment of participants. 

A sampling of current and upcoming volunteer opportunities includes:

Future City Competition seeking judges
The Future City Competition engages more than 45,000 middle school students each year throughout the United States and abroad. Students attest that the program increases their motivation and excitement about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and teachers report a marked improvement in students’ 21st century skills. 

“A Waste-Free Future” is the theme for the 2021–22 competition. Engineers, surveyors, architects, city planners, scientists, and other STEM professionals are needed to volunteer as judges to evaluate the students’ work.

Afghan refugee resettlement 

Since September, more than 100 Afghan families have arrived in Minnesota after fleeing their country under extreme circumstances. One of the Minnesota agencies providing volunteers to assist with services for those arrivals is the Salvation Army Northern Division Emergency Disaster Services. 

Working alongside Hennepin Country Human Services site managers, volunteers help with immediate needs for the evacuees—bringing meals, sorting donations, having fun with the kids!—at a temporary shelter in a metro-area hotel. 

To find the registration links for both these activities, log on to the URVC volunteer site and click on the Projects tab at the top of home page. Or you may contact URVC by email (preferred) at [email protected] or by phone at 612-625-8016.

Literacy Mentors needed for East Side Learning Center

A key aspect of the tutoring and mentoring programs at the East Side Learning Center (ESLC) in St. Paul is the one-on-one time students have with a caring adult. For this Literacy Mentors program, volunteers will work with preK to third grade students who are not yet at age-appropriate reading level and will benefit from one-on-one, in-person, or virtual tutoring. 

ESCL is an affiliate host of the national, intergenerational tutoring program, AARP Foundation Experience Corps.

Interested volunteers please contact ESLC Volunteer Coordinator Shoua Khang at [email protected] or 651-504-4888 or URVC at [email protected] or 612-625-8016.

—Deanne Magnusson, URVC vice chair and project director


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News

Meet UMRA member Millie Woodbury, a lifelong world traveler whose favorite place on campus is Aisle C, Seat 24, at Northrop Auditorium. 

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Eight retirees from the Twin Cities and Morris campuses have been chosen to receive 2024 awards from UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees Program. As in previous years, their projects cover a diverse set of topics, reflecting the breadth of studies and continuing professional activities undertaken by University retirees. 

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Many of us are busy switching from using our UMN email to another email account – or at least contemplating how to go about it. This Tips & Tricks article highlights several key steps you may want to take, or need to take, as you make this change. Instructions are also included for making this change to your UMRA account login and UMRA member communications.

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The 2024 PDGR grants have been decided and awarded.  Seven grants were awarded to a variety of worthy studies.

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UMRA’s mission is, in part, that of advocating for the University. There are several ways to show that support to your elected officials, including emails, phone calls, visits to your elected representatives, and rallies coordinated by the U.  

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Meet UMRA member Julie Westlund. She retired as the director of UMD Career and Internship Services, a position she enjoyed for 30-plus years—serving students and doing meaningful work to make a difference in their lives.  

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The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is offering a free, online lecture series this spring to showcase work and research taking place at the U, with topics ranging from cancer treatment to awesome apples and design in everyday objects.

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Working with Great River Greening, the Silver Gopher Service Corps is recruiting volunteers to photograph plants, insects, and critters and then crowdsource species identification with the iNaturalist app.

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UMRA members now have two convenient online giving options for making donations to support UMRA programs and activities.

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UMRA runs on volunteers. The Program Committee is a great way to have an impact with a very reasonable time commitment. 

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The Nominating Committee invites you to contribute to UMRA by volunteering to run for election to serve on UMRA’s Board of Directors or by nominating someone else who would add value and perspective to our organization.

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