Events

The Towson University Retiree Association (TURA) offers many events throughout the year for the enjoyment, engagement and continued edification of members. 

dan rodricks speaking
Dan Rodricks speaking at a TURA Fall Forum event.

Event Information 

TURA events are wide ranging and include such things as: timely talks on current affairs, social get-togethers, informative talks by invited speakers and by members on their areas of expertise, virtual and live tours of both on-campus and off-campus facilities, conversations with university administrators and project directors, film discussions, non-fiction book group discussions, bicycle rides and many other types of events.

Events are open to all members and typically are held all year long. Upcoming events are posted below. Event announcements and details are also sent to members via email. Frequently, members are invited to bring guests.

Both TURA members and non-members interested in attending additional events on campus are encouraged to explore Calendars & Events,  Department of Music’s Events Calendar,  College of Liberal Arts Events and TU Today.

TURA has a special relationship with the Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning at Towson. Osher offers discounted membership and tuition fees for TURA members giving discounted access to classes, lectures, trips and special events.

Members are encouraged to make suggestions for events or to create interest groups. Have an idea for an event?  Email the TURA President to share your suggestion.

Upcoming Events

Join us for a lively discussion of the book – Bitch: On the Female of the Species by Lucy Cooke.  (Pub. 2022, 400 pp.). This scientific manifesto challenges the sexist bias in evolutionary biology by detailing the aggressive, dominant, and dynamic behaviors of female animals, earning acclaim as a "Best Book of the Year" by publications such as The Telegraph and The Guardian.

Zoom link

For more information contact .

Please join us on Friday, April 3 14 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. for a virtual discussion of the the film Stand By Me, directed by the late Rob Reiner (USA, 1986).  The story, based on a novella by Stephen King, presents four twelve-year-old boys in a small Oregon town in 1959 setting off on an adventure. This film received mixed reviews on first release.  Walter Goodman in the New York Times was negative: “Rob Reiner’s direction hammers in every obvious element in an obvious script.”  Gerald Nachman in the San Francisco Chronicle was much more upbeat: “The mood is beautifully set, lit, photographed, and captured by Rob Reiner … recalling many old boyhood myths, rumors, fears, dares, and joys.  Also, indeed most of all, the acting by the four boys is remarkably true and unforced.” The film’s reputation has grown over the years; it is now considered one of Reiner’s finest films.

For those of us who were about twelve in 1959 the film elicits all kinds of memories, and the musical score of 1959 popular songs is amazing.

Stand By Me unfortunately left Netflix on February 28.  It is still available on Amazon or Apple+ for $3.99.

Zoom link: https://towson-edu.zoom.us/j/91240801221?pwd=hlVmpKAphPOs9bwqf9f7CTkKh4FfUa.1

Contact if you have any questions.

Join us for a lively discussion of the book – The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel. (Pub. 2023, 240 pp.) This non-fiction narrative chronicles the true story of Stéphane Breitwieser, a prolific thief who stole billions of dollars worth of art for personal appreciation rather than profit, earning recognition as a #1 New York Times Bestseller and a "Best Book of the Year" by The Washington Post and The New Yorker.

Zoom link

For more information contact .

Join us for a lively discussion of the book – The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon. (Pub. 2025, 464 pp.)  This definitive historical narrative reconstructs the tragic 1975 sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald through over 100 interviews with victims' families and crewmates, earning critical acclaim for its compassionate and detailed examination of Great Lakes maritime history. One of the Smithsonian's "10 Best History Books of 2025."

Zoom link

For more information contact .

Join us for a lively discussion of the book – Mailman:  My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home by Stephen Starring Grant. (Pub. 2025, 464 pp.)  “A love letter to the Blue Ridge Mountains, a participant observer’s ethnography of a rural post office, an indictment of government austerity, and a witness statement attesting to the remarkable and at times ruthless efficiency of one of our oldest federal bureaucracies.  Not least, Mailman is a lament for the decline of service as an American ideal ... [Grant] proves to be a compelling and empathetic guide, observing his country and its citizens, not just himself, with open and unjaded eyes.”—The Atlantic

Zoom link

For more information contact .

Additional Events Being Planned

  • Thirsty Thursdays
  • Discussion on topics of interest to members
  • Bicycle rides
  • Film group discussions
  • Non-fiction book group discussions

Recent Past Events

  • February 28, starting at 2 PM: Towson versus Cambell University Basketball Game.
  • February 20 from 3 to 4:30 PM: TURA Film Club – Virtual discussion of the film Perfect Days .
  • February 19 from 4 to 6 PM: TURA Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour at Racer's Cafe, Harford Road and Taylor Avenue.
  • February 12 from 2 to 3:30 PM:  TURA Non‐fiction Book Group Virtual Discussion – of the book Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools that Built the Civil Rights Movement by Elaine Weiss.
  • October 30 from 2 to 4 PM: TURA Fall Forum in the South Campus Pavilion.

TURA Flicker Event Photos

Groups

As the listing below shows, there are several active special interest groups.

TURA Non-Fiction Reading Group

This group meets regularly each month. If you are interested in participating please contact the group facilitator, .

TURA Film Group

The film group has been meeting regularly. If you are interested in joining, please contact .

TURA Bicycling Group

The bicycling group plans short rides depending on the weather. If you want to get involved, contact .

There are plenty of opportunities to take the lead and initiate a new group. Local theater, hikes, crafts, genealogy, etc., await a member with an interest to take the lead. TURA will support your efforts and get the word out to members.