Event Summary

Meet Regent Janie S. Mayeron

Regent Janie S. Mayeron will be our special guest on Monday, December 9, at an informal meeting to be held in the University of Minnesota Foundation large conference room on the fifth floor of the McNamara Alumni Center from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. 

UMRA has arranged this meeting (the second of four) for our members to get acquainted with the four individuals elected to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents in May.

Internment of Japanese Americans during WWII - a personal story

Nearly 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated in concentration camps in the western interior of the United States during World War II. Sixty-two percent of the internees were U.S. citizens, including the parents of John H. Suzukida, our guest speaker for UMRA’s January Forum. 

January 2020 workshop: Understanding hearing loss

Peggy Nelson, PhD, (pictured) and Liz Anderson, PhD, from the U’s Center for Applied and Translational Sensory Science, will present a one-hour workshop on the latest findings regarding aging and hearing loss and what we should all know.

December Holiday Party

Join the fun as UMRA hosts its very first Holiday Party on Tuesday, December 17, in the Campus Club West Wing Dining Room. The festivities will begin with an appetizer buffet and cash bar and will feature a performance by members of 7Days A Cappella (pictured above), a U of M student choir.

Tickets for the event are $25 per person.

Book notes: Sinclair Lewis classic is still interesting, but a slow read

Event Date: November 15, 2019, at 2:00 PM

Common themes expressed in Sinclair Lewis’s satirical portrait of small-town America continue to be relevant today: women’s roles, anti-immigration attitudes, hints of labor unrest, and socialism.

UMRA welcomes President Joan Gabel to our November forum

We are honored to welcome President Joan Gabel to speak at our November forum. It will be a unique opportunity to learn about her vision and goals for the University. and some ways in which we can support her.

November workshop: How to keep our brains healthy

Joseph E. Gaugler, PhD, director of the Center on Aging in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, will talk about aging-related brain changes and brain health at UMRA’s Living Well Workshop in November.

Book Notes: Quirky characters bring WWII WASPs to life

Event Date: October 8, 2019, at 2:00 PM

Author Fanny Flagg intertwines history with fictional characters and family identity to deftly describe an organization of brave, patriotic women who served during World War II.

Author Jack Zipes will introduce us to "the forgotten folklorist"

Luncheon menu
Pan-seared chicken breast with Cornercopia cherry tomatoes and basil over brown rice, with seasonal vegetables. GF, DF.

Award-winning author and PDGR grant tecipient Jack Zipes will introduce us to Charles Godfrey Leland, "the forgotten folklorist" of the 19th century.

Current cancer research at the U and 'personalized medicine'

Douglas Yee, MD, director of the U of M Masonic Cancer Center, will discuss current cancer research at the U and issues regarding "personalized" medicine, including the potential costs, when he addresses UMRA's October luncheon meeting.

October workshop will feature OHR's annual benefits update

Our October Living Well Workshop will be the annual overview of retiree health benefits by the Office of Human Resources, plus an update on changes in the retirement investment system to be implemented next spring.

The workshop will be held in the West Wing Dining Room to accommodate the large attendance we anticipate.

Back to school: opportunities for retirees at the U of M

Our September workshop will showcase opportunities for UMRA members to continue their education at the University, with representatives from LearningLife, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and the Senior Citizen Education Program.

Book Notes: The Great Gatsby is considered F. Scott Fitzgerald’s greatest work

Event Date: May 17, 2019, at 2:00 PM

Published in 1925, the novel depicts a summer of selfishness and momentary happiness on Long Island.

Regent Chair to keynote UMRA’s Annual Meeting

Regent Chair David McMillan will speak about his extensive experience as a regent, including the selection of the University’s new president.

Book Notes: a positive portrayal of the immigrant experience

Event Date: April 19, 2019, at 2:00 PM

The Shoemaker’s Wife is a fictional story based on the author’s own grandparents’ experience.