Volunteer Opportunity  

Volunteers (700) are needed to COACH potential first generation college students. Targeted high school students in the Memphis area have been designated by tnAchieves, a Shelby County organization, to receive coaches to assist in helping them to make the college experience positive. The Volunteer Coaches form the community will attend three, hour-long training sessions (September 2013, with team meetings in January and March, 2014) and agree to contact their High School student every two weeks helping to keep them on-track with deadlines, answer questions, and other supporting tactics. If interested, call Kaci Murley 258-2177 or kaci@tnAchieves.org for more information. 


Upcoming Events

UMAR Mix 'n Match
Friday, June 14, 10 am, Collierville Library
Listen to a riverboat captain speak about ‘life on the river’ followed by lunch at Frank Grisanti’s. A journey to Morton Museum will follow lunch for a look at the latest exhibits. Please contact Alumni Coordinator Brandon Hoyer at bhoyer@memphis.edu or 901/678-1333 to RSVP by June 11.

Locavore Festival
Friday, June 21, 10:00 am
Celebrate the Summer Solstice with UMAR, locavore-style!
The day will begin with a coffee tasting at McCarter Coffee Co. followed by a wine tasting at Old Millington Vineyard & Winery. For lunch, Ms. Jones at Jones Orchard will offer a plate with sandwich, side, drink and dessert. Lastly, UMAR will visit Harris Organic Farms where produce can be purchased. Please RSVP by June 17.
Cost per activity varies at guest's own expense.
To carpool: Meet at the Alumni Center at 8:30 am for an
8:45 am departure.

Garden Club
Tuesday, June 25th, 10:00 am 
Home of Bill Crump-RSVP for directions 
Carl Wayne Hardeman will speak about vegetable gardening. A potluck luncheon will follow. Contact Bill Crump at 853-0958 for more information or to RSVP by June 24. This group meets the fourth Tuesday of every other month. 

UMAR Mix & Match
Friday, July 26, 10:00 am Collierville Library
UMAR will listen to Riverboat Captain Jim Turner speak
about life on the river! Lunch will be on your own following
at Ronnie Grisanti's. Members will then visit the latest
exhibit at the Morton Museum of Collierville History.
Please RSVP by July 22. 
To carpool: Meet at the Alumni Center at 8:30 am for an
8:45 am departure.

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Get Involved!

The University of Memphis Association of Retirees (UMAR) is an active organization of retired professors, administrators and staff. Its mission, consistent with that of the national organization in higher education, is “to advocate, to educate, and to serve.” UMAR conducts a variety of activities focused on meeting the social and networking needs of its members through special event luncheons, dinners, tours and trips, as well as helping to coordinate various volunteer activities within the University. With support from the Alumni Association, UMAR hopes to pursue programming that will provide educational opportunities for its members, support for the University and opportunities to be heard on  major community issues. UMAR is a constituent organization of the University of Memphis Alumni Association, and members are entitled to the same benefits and privileges as all Alumni Association members. Click here for a membership application and click here to view all benefits and services.

For more information about UMAR or any upcoming events contact Alumni Coordinator Brandon Hoyer at bhoyer@memphis.edu or 901/678-1333.

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U of M Parking Hangtags

If you need to renew your parking hangtag, contact Parking Services at 678-2122. They can mail the hangtag to you.

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Traces Award

Each year UMAR presents the Traces Award to a University retiree chosen by the three most recent winners for exemplifying the concept of remaining active in scholarly and/or civic pursuits into retirement. The award metaphorically refers to “remaining in the traces,” a concept dating to farm days. The 2012 Traces Award was presented to Edward and Eunice Ordman at the Holiday Brunch in December. Congratulations to the Ordmans!

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Spring 2013 Newsletter

Click here to read the Spring 2013 Newsletter.
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UMAR Scholarship

UMAR is now accepting applications for its 2013-2014 scholarship. The one-time award of $1,000 for the academic year is presented to a full-time undergraduate enrolled at the University that has completed at least two full years of study with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25. Click here to download an application. The deadline for submissions is Monday, April 15.

The UMAR Scholarship has reached endowment status! Our new goal is to increase the amount of the scholarship given, so we must continue to raise money. Please help make this possible by donating to the University of Memphis Foundation here. For further information about the UMAR Scholarship, please contact Bob Boone, UMAR Scholarship Coordinator, at 901/757.5733.

Congratulations to Valerie Pylant, recipient of the 2012-13 UMAR Scholarship. Valerie is a junior majoring in foreign languages (Spanish and German). Valerie works at the Educational Support Program and is a private tutor of Spanish. She is scheduled to graduate in December 2013.

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UMAR Recent Events

UMAR Breakfast Bunch
UMAR members recently held their monthly breakfast event at Perkins Restaurant. Breakfast Bunch events are held on the first Tuesday of each month. 

UMAR May Picnic
UMAR members recently attended a picnic lunch complete with a wine tasting, horse shoes, and a drawing of donated items, which benefitted the UMAR Scholarship Fund. Click here to view photos from the event. 

Wolf River Dayz
UMAR members recently celebrated Arbor Day at the Wolf River Conservancy. After finishing a walk along the Rossville, TN Boardwalk, they enjoyed lunch at Wolf River Cafe.

Garden Club
UMAR members recently listened to Master Gardener Jessica Morris speak about exotic plants. Attendees also enjoyed a nice lunch at Wisteria Tea Room. 

Calvary Lenten Preaching Series
UMAR members attended the annual Calvary Lenten Preaching Series to hear who Newsweek states is one of America’s 50 most influential rabbis, Rabbi Micah Greenstein, speak followed by lunch at the Waffle Shop.

UMAR Mix & Match
Participants enjoyed a brief presentation by June West, Executive Director of the Memphis Heritage Foundation, on the history of the Foundation and many historic sites of Memphis followed by lunch at the Trolley Stop Market.

Holiday Brunch & Silent Auction
On Tuesday, December 11, UMAR held its annual meeting, holiday brunch, awards presentation and silent auction. The program featured entertainment by the Campus School Children. Silent auction proceeds benefit the UMAR Memorial Scholarship fund. Click here to view photos from the event.

Coffee and Conversation
Guests met at the home of President Shirley Raines in September and enjoyed featured speaker Dr. Dipankar Dasgupta, professor of computer science, internationally known expert in cyber security and 2012 Recipient of the Willard R. Sparks Eminent Faculty Award. Click here to view photos from the event.

UMAR Centennial Reunion
Retired faculty and staff from across the campus gathered at the University Center during the Alumni Association's Centennial Reunion Weekend. Guests enjoyed a buffet and a readers' theater production.  Click here to view photos from the evening.

Garden Club
The UMAR Garden Club meets the 4th Tuesday of every other month. In February, the group met to learn more about seed planting and house plants at the home of the Ordmans. Lunch followed at New Nam King Chinese buffet.For more information about the Garden Club, please contact Sheryl Maxwell at smaxwell@memphis.edu



Book Club

UMAR hosts a book club discussion on the 4th Tuesday of every other month. The latest book read was The Great Pearl Heist by Molly Caldwell Crosby. Visit this web site again soon for upcoming book titles and meeting dates.

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Officers and
Board Members, 2012-13

Executive Committee
President: Sheryl Maxwell, smaxwell@memphis.edu
President Elect: Ginny Reed, vreed@memphis.edu
Treasurer: Diane Cooper, dwcooper@memphis.edu
Secretary: Jane Hooker, jrhooker@memphis.edu
Immediate Past President: Mary Ellen Pitts, drpme@comcast.net

Members-at-Large
Faculty: Ramona Mahood, hmahood0121@comcast.net
             James (Jim) Dorman, dormanj@comcast.net
Staff:    James (Jim) Hellums, jhellums@memphis.edu
             Margery Stover, mstoever@memphis.edu

Standing Committee Chairpersons
Caring: Bonita Lyons, blyons@memphis.edu
Heritage Room Liason: Lewis O'Kelly, lokelly1@memphis.edu
Historian:Susanne Darnell, sdar431@att.net
Newsletter:  Janell Rudolph (BA '70, MA '72), nrudolph@memphis.edu
Program: Bill Crump (ME '71)
Scholarship & Memorial:  Bob Boone, pboone@memphis.edu