Learning in Retirement Association (LIRA) 2026 Convocation
Cobun Hall.
Please Join us for the LIRA Fall Convocation!
Hear about the Fall Schedule and sign up for classes!
- Wednesday September 9, 2026
- 10 a.m. - noon
- Coburn Hall, Room 255
Free parking will be available for members in the Wilder Street Faculty Staff lot; diagonally across Broadway.
Speaker: Draper Lab, Project IMPACT, Microchip Center, UMass Lowell and the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC).
From the President
Welcome to the start of a new year at LIRA. Whether you are a returning member or new to LIRA, I hope you will be able to join us in-person or via Zoom for the annual Convocation on Wednesday, September 9 from 10 a.m. to noon in Coburn Hall Room 255 on the South Campus. Parking is available at the Wilder Street Staff Parking Lot, adjacent to Coburn Hall.
Convocation is a wonderful time to catch up on summer news, greet new LIRA members, and learn about the exciting learning opportunities LIRA has planned for the Fall Semester. Our guest speakers will be program managers from Draper Labs’ Project IMPACT (Integrated Microelectronics Production & Advanced Chip Technology). They will discuss the construction of a $100 million dollar facility on UMass Lowell’s East Campus as part of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC). We will also introduce the chairs of LIRA’s committees and support teams and hear about the line-up of courses for the Fall Semester. As usual, the Curriculum Committee has developed a wonderful series of learning experiences.
Strong organizations depend on active participation and support from their members. During the break, members can sign up for courses and snacks, and are encouraged to meet with LIRA Committee Chairs to learn about ways to support LIRA’s work.
Convocation is also the time to address some practical matters. UMass Lowell parking hangtags (valid September through June 30, 2027) will be available for purchase. Bring check ($90), car plate#, model, year, and color. Please see the details on parking in this newsletter. “Great Decisions” Foreign Policy Books (2026) will also be available for purchase ($25).
LIRA is a vibrant learning community that seeks to foster curiosity and engage its members through active learning, thoughtful discussions, and social interaction.
I look forward to seeing you at the Fall Convocation on September 9 and at Fall Classes. To borrow travel-writer Rick Steves’ advice of “Keep on Traveling,” I say “Keep on Learning” with LIRA.
Best regards,
David Troughton
Scholarship Fund
The LIRA Scholarship Fund has been a source of pride and connection to the students of UMass Lowell since its beginnings in 1988, but it needs your donations to exist. In the last two years alone, we have awarded scholarships to students such as Sean, who just graduated with a 4.0 in two subjects; Jeremiah, who was awarded a Chancellor’s Medal for Community Service; Rena Jae, who was Recognized for Significant Contributions to the Public Good at commencement; and Hannah, who is teaching in the Lowell Public Schools.
These are students who have an impact on our local community. We need your help to continue this important scholarship that supports these students.
To donate, send a check made out to UMass Lowell with “LIRA Scholarship Fund” in the memo line to Debby Friedman. You can also donate online at the UMass Lowell website. Click “Make a gift” and under “Designations” choose “other” and fill in “LIRA Scholarship Fund”.
Thank you!
LIRA Scholarship Committee:
Debby Friedman, Margie Berenson, Judy Troughton, Marge Nardini, Charlotte Evans, and Donna Sunderland
Newburyport Custom House Maritime Museum
Fourteen LIRA members spent a beautiful summer day visiting the Custom House Maritime Museum in downtown Newburyport, Massachusetts. We were treated to a docent-led tour of the numerous galleries featuring a diverse collection of maritime art, ship models, and other artifacts that told the story of Newburyport’s historic role in shipbuilding, maritime trade, development of the U.S. Coast Guard, and Newburyport’s role in the American Revolution.
LIRA members gathered in front of the Custom House museum.
After the tour, we lunched at the Starboard Restaurant, walked the waterfront promenade, and enjoyed ice cream at Dolce Gelato. This was a really fun trip.
LIRA Members enjoying gelato in Newburyport.
Celtic Art Across the Ages Exhibition Harvard Art Museum July 22
This extensive exhibition covered a period stretching from 800 BCE to the present day and consisted of works of craftsmanship made by multiple civilizations of Celtic-speaking peoples. Some of the twelve LIRA members who attended trace their ancestry back to these cultural groups. We saw many items of practical use, such as coins, cooking and serving items, jewelry, weapons, and probable cult objects, as well as items whose use is uncertain. In many cases, the design of the objects went beyond functional necessity to incorporate intricate and beautiful designs.
Everyone who attended encountered works that appealed to them and piqued their interest in these fascinating societies.
The December 2026 LIRA Newsletter
The next newsletter will be out on December 1, 2026; the deadline for submission of news items is November 15, 2026
Please submit all member news to Laura Boerman.
All other LIRA news items should be emailed to Becky Bronson.
LIRA Holiday Party
Save the Date!
LIRA Holiday Party:
- When: Monday, December 7, 2026, 10 a.m. - noon
- Where: in the Meehan Student Center, Maloney Hall
Details to follow.