Creating a Meaningful Retirement

ADVANCE recognizes that retirement, while meant to be exciting, also means stepping away from the work that has shaped your daily life for many years, which is daunting for lots of faculty. To help think more intentionally about this life transition, ADVANCE brought together a group of U-M faculty who are currently navigating the path of retirement to share their candid reflections and practical insights. 

We were joined by Amy Stillman, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of American Culture ad Musicology, Avery Demond, Professor Emerita of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ken Powell, Arthur F Thurnau Professor Emeritus of Aerospace Engineering, and Terry McDonald, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of History.  

This incredible group of panelists shared how retirement offers an opportunity to rediscover parts of yourself beyond your professional identity, explore new interests, and build connections you may not have previously had the time for. They encouraged attendees to not be afraid of this unknown level of freedom, but to embrace the full control of your own time. 

We wanted to share some key takeaways from this panel:

Begin thinking early about how you want your retirement to look. Meet with a financial planner and start exploring your own interests you may want to pursue before your retirement officially begins. 

“It is important to start developing whatever interests you are going to be pursuing when you are a full time retiree…and start experimenting now before you retire to see what you might want to pursue once you retire” – Avery Demond

Be open to trying new things, even if they may not always go as planned. 

“I did treat [retirement] as adaptive…undercommitted for a while, then overcommitted for a while. I don’t necessarily regret that, but it is part of the process of finding a balance” – Ken Powell

Time is limited and never promised, so do not fear retirement, enjoy the time you have worked so hard for. 

“Nobody knows when our time is up, so it’s important to think about what your retirement is going to look like and what are you going to do. Have a plan, and plan on things to explore” – Amy Stillman

Embrace disconnection. Stepping away completely is more freeing than you may think. If you plan on a phased retirement, use this to practice disconnection rather than as a tool to remain connected to the work. 

“One thing I heard from every single person that retired, they never regretted it, regardless when they did and what they decided to do.” – Terry McDonald

Our panelists also shared some books they found to be helpful:

• Die with Zero, Bill Perkins (Recommended by Amy Stillman)
• Meditation for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman (Recommended by Avery Demond)
• Keep it Moving: Lessons for the Rest of your Life, Twyla Tharp (Recommended by Avery Demond)

We hope you are able to join us for future iterations of this event. Be sure to add yourself to the ADVANCE Program mailing list to stay up to date on when this event will be offered. 

Birding

• Washtenaw Birds and Nature Alliance
• City of Ann Arbor: Birds of Ann Arbor
• The Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary (for Sandhill Cranes)

Sports & Exercise

• Wolverine Pickleball – Enjoy drinks, play pickleball, volleyball, bocce ball and more!
• Ann Arbor Tennis Courts – a2gov.org/parks-and-recreation/activities/tennis/
• Meri Lou Murray Recreation Center

Hiking & Biking

• Gallup Park
• Barton Nature Area
• Argo Nature Area
• Bandemer Nature Area
• Border to Border Trail (B2B Trail)
• Walking Washtenaw – Discover some of the best walking trails in the area walkingwashtenaw.com/best-nature-hikes-ann-arbor
• Check out even more on the Washtenaw Parks and Recreation website! washtenaw.org/288/Parks-Recreation

Outdoor Recreation

• Tube down the Huron River
• Kayak at Argo Park
• Go Fishing in the River – annarbor.org/things-to-do/recreation-outdoors/fishing
• Take a Local Camping Trip – annarbor.org/places-to-stay/camping-rv
• Explore other recreation activities on the Destination Ann Arbor website! – annarbor.org/things-to-do/recreation-outdoors
• City of Ann Arbor Indoor and Outdoor Skating – a2gov.org/parks-and-recreation/activities/ice-skate-and-play-hockey

Other Opportunities

• Detroit Observatory
• Lowbrow Astronomy Club
• Ann Arbor Storytellers Guild
• Ann Arbor Wine Club (Monthly events)

Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra offers opportunities to usher, aid with admin projects, and support their education programs. Contact Jaxon Williams at [email protected] to learn more about volunteering and join their mailing list.

The Ark downtown Ann Arbor relies on volunteers, and offers opportunities for ushering, ticket and concession sales, show tech, stage set up, and equipment loading. Contact Volunteer & Front of House Manager Michael Lippert at [email protected]

The Michigan Theater and State Theatre is looking for volunteers for ushering, ticket sales and scanning, guest services, special event support, membership support, and more. Learn more about volunteering on their website: marquee-arts.org/volunteer/

Creative Washtenaw serves as the arts and creative industries authority in Washtenaw County, advocating for and supporting artists, creative workers, organizations, businesses, educators, and municipalities. Volunteer with them to support future advocacy and outreach events. Learn more on their website: creativewashtenaw.org/

Michigan Athletics Event Team is responsible for ensuring guests of Michigan Athletics feel welcome and that all policies and procedures are being followed. There are several positions you can apply for and applications are being accepted through the beginning of April. Apply for a position on their website: eventteam.ath.umich.edu