Counting her time as a student, Pat Jondahl has been affiliated with the University of Minnesota for nearly 50 years. When she made the decision to retire in 2021, the self-described “people person” knew she needed to stay busy, and she wanted to stay connected to the University. One of her first steps in retirement was to join UMRA, and a quick next step was to look into the activities promoted by UMRA and by the University Retirees Volunteer Center (URVC).

As a child, Jondahl learned the importance of volunteering from parents who believed in helping people. As an adult, she understood that volunteering was a way to connect with others, meet new friends, and try new and different activities. A list of her volunteer experiences ranges from supporting food banks and ensuring school children have meals on the weekend, to helping with a Habitat for Humanity project and making blankets for ill or traumatized children through Project Linus. 

Jondahl has been an avid volunteer with UMRA’s Silver Gopher Service Corps since its inception. “It’s exciting to help guide prospective students into a new chapter in their lives,” she said, describing one project to support the Office of Admissions. And when she talks to students while wearing her Silver Gopher t-shirt, she feels she is renewing her own connection to the University. 

Jondahl retired from the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration as a senior grant and contract administrator. “After devoting so many years of my life to the U and its research mission, it's also great to be able to continue to help promote and participate in research activities. The last research project I participated in was for the Department of Kinesiology and dealt with balance issues that can develop as you get older,” she said. “I greatly appreciate UMRA's and URVC’s hard work at coordinating the volunteer opportunities that allow me to give back to the University during my retirement years.” 

If you'd like to learn more about volunteer opportunities available on campus or in the community, email [email protected] or call 612-625-9016.

—Marjorie Savage