Volunteer spotlight | Keeping it real
During the more than 40 years Leslie Koidahl worked in the Controller’s Office—auditing travel documents, as the administrator of the purchasing card, and as a business analyst—she learned to recognize hundreds of names: names of professors, department heads, directors, vice presidents, even the names of presidents.
Born and raised in Duluth, Koidahl “fell into” the University of Minnesota Duluth, mostly because it was nearby. She majored in sociology and psychology, and survived some impactful deaths: her dad, her boyfriend (in the Vietnam War), and her brother’s wife. “That kind of made me a realist. Life is what it is,” she says.
She came to the Twin Cities in 1976, applied for a job in the central business office, and stayed her entire career. “Even when I took time off to have my kids, I was so lucky; they always hired me back.” She processed travel documents (in those days, by hand), and worked on financial system projects including CUFS and PeopleSoft.
Today, Koidahl loves taking care of her grandchildren, traveling, gardening, and—most recently—becoming an activist. Along with her son, she has joined Indivisible Twin Cities, a group of volunteers committed to civic engagement. They envision, and actively work toward, a just, equitable, thriving, and connected community.
When she retired in 2018, Koidahl became secretary of the University Retirees Volunteer Center. She found it interesting that while UVRC was trying to recruit “illustrious” board members, they still needed someone to take meeting minutes. Turns out Koidahl was just the right fit for the job!
Koidahl is a regular attendee at UMRA forums. She finds the topics and the speakers interesting, and says, “The people are fascinating. It goes back to where I saw people’s names for 40 years, and now I see them in person. I don’t know how to describe it, but I just love it.”
—Peggy Mann Rinehart
News
Declining government funding, inflation, loss of purchasing power, low birthrates, and lack of trust in the nation’s institutions have combined to create a confidence crisis in higher education not seen for decades. Minnesota is no exception.
Since its inception 40 years ago, the University Retirees Volunteer Center has focused on identifying where help is needed within the University community and has provided opportunities for thousands of retirees to use their skills, experience, and interests to help address those needs.
Meet UMRA member Nancy Carpenter. She grew up in the American heartland; nevertheless, she was surprised by the frigid, snow-covered landscape when she visited Minnesota for the first tine to interview for a job teaching chemistry at UMN Morris.
UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees are intended to support projects related to University of Minnesota retirees' research, instructional or work history, or new scholarly interests that contribute to the academic reputation of the University.
After working decades in communications for the U’s Center for Transportation Studies, Pam Snople perks up whenever she sees transportation news. It’s usually the salacious stuff that makes the headlines. But, behind the scenes, vehicle automation research keeps rolling along — including key work by UMN researchers.
Renée Good was killed in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, during Operation Metro Surge. One month later, a community memorial to mourn her death and celebrate her life was held. Susan Ranney attended the ceremony and wrote an evocative essay on the service, which was published recently in UMRA’s Journal of Opinions, Ideas & Essays.
Professor Emeritus Alan Kagan has played many roles in his nearly 30 years of service with the University Retirees Volunteer Center. From assisting with phone calls to becoming office manager and eventually serving on and chairing the Volunteer Center’s board, Kagan helped build the organization into the robust operation it is today.
We’re already getting organized to identify and recruit members to step into leadership roles in 2027. As a well-informed and engaged UMRA member, you are invited to play a role in the process.
I’ve been an UMRA member for more than a decade and each year I’m impressed anew by the energy and dedication of the volunteers who do the work of the organization. I invite you to join in their efforts. But if that’s not possible, there’s something else you can do to help support UMRA: Renew your membership.
You don’t have to go far, and you don’t have to drink coffee. It’s the conversation that matters. It’s a new, experimental effort being organized by the wizards of UMRA; a meet-up of members who live in the same zip code.
UMRA will be collecting hats, mittens, and scarves at our November 17 Luncheon Forum to help keep Minnesota kids warm this winter.