ASURA Fall Meet and Greet (Lunch)

Date: Tue September 16 2025
Time: 11:30AM - 1:30PM
Location: SkySong, Synergy Room II
      1365 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85257 < click for map

Please join us for our Annual Fall Meet and Greet on Tuesday, September 16, 11:30am – 1:30pm.  (Note date and time change.) 

This is a wonderful time to connect with former colleagues, welcome our newest members and, of course, enjoy great food!  Our catered lunch will include sandwiches, salads, and dessert.

We will also have an opportunity to hear from our new President, Karen Moses, meet some of  our Board (and Committee) Members and there will be a presentation from our 2024-25 Scholarship Awardee, Lolita Halper.

Our new location this year will be ASU SkySong!  We will be in the Synergy Room II. 

The event is FREE and parking is FREE! (Parking Map). Parking is free in the lot North of Bldg 5, and 2 hour limit on SkySong Blvd or Innovation Pl.

Register online. Please register before Sept 11, as we need a headcount. (The number of guests does not include you.)

You may register for this event by either:

1. Registering on line (number of guests does not include you)
   Important: Use the above link to register, do not use the register button on the Upcoming Events page.
2. Calling the ASURA Office at 480-965-7668 (Tu, W, Th 10:00am-1:00pm)
   
3. Reply to this email with your name and # of guests. Use this option if there is any issue with online registration.

September Pre-Retirement Seminar - ASU OHR Final steps to retiring

Date: Monday, September 22, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM-1:00 PM (UTC-07:00) Arizona.
Location: https://asu.zoom.us/j/86272418208
Cost: Free

ASU OHR Final steps to retiring

Come and learn about retiring from ASU, ending of ASU benefits, state-sponsored retiree health insurance options, life insurance options, vacation payouts, the retiree accumulated sick leave program, ASU retiree benefits and working after retirement rules.  You will also learn how to initiate the process in Workday, in addition to sending an email to your department for approval.  Beth Woolway SR Benefits Administer at ASU has worked with employees retiring for the past year prior she worked in health and retirement benefits department at a Fortune 500 Company.

Registration is not required to attend the seminar via Zoom:

1. On the day of the seminar around 11:55 am click on the following link: https://asu.zoom.us/j/86272418208 to join the Zoom meeting and follow the directions. 
2. If you have not used Zoom before you will be directed to install the application on your device before connecting you to the seminar.

Save the 2025 Dates - subject to change

• October 27 – Fidelity/TIAA/Nationwide
• November 17 – Financial
• December 8 – TBD

Mexico's Copper Canyon in 2025

From: October 4, 2025
To: October 12, 2025
Cost: See trip writeup for rates

Greetings, ASURA travelers! We are looking for colleagues to join us on a 9-day/8-night trip to the spectacular Copper Canyon (Barrancas del Cobre) in Northern Mexico. The canyon is actually a series of six copper/green walled canyons located in the state of Chihuahua. We will experience the scenic grandeur of the canyon aboard one of the most iconic train rides anywhere: the famous El Chepe Express. Along the way, we will have opportunities to learn about the local Tarahumara people, take part in a number of tours and, of course, enjoy views, views and more views.

Click on this link for the full trip flyer describing the trip. 

If this sounds exciting and you would like more information and a detailed itinerary, please contact ASURA travel committee member Jeff Bush at Jeff.Bush@asu.edu

We look forward to you traveling with us!

Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam

From: October 29, 2025
To: November 17, 2025
Cost: $5,945 - per person

Join your ASU friends and neighbors on this 20-day adventure to Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam beginning October 29^th, 2025.  It is an unbeatable value, traveling at the lowest price and per diems in the industry.

We start our adventure in Bangkok, Thailand and end in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. During the trip we will have many people-to-people experiences including giving alms to local Buddhist monks before seeing the daily routines of the Laotian villagers during our A Day in the Life experience, which also includes a visit to a local school on Day 8.

We will have the opportunity to watch traditional Khmer dances performed by local students at the Champey Academy of Arts on Day 11, an organization that few American tour operators visit. We will also meet with locals to discuss issues impacting Southeast Asia, including the Khmer Rouge genocide tribunals. Plus, we will sit down to a special, intimate meal with a local family who lives on the outskirts of Vientiane during a Home-Hosted Dinner on Day 9.

On Day 15 we will visit the ancient temple complex of Angkor Wat.

See https://www.oattravel.com/trips/land-adventures/asia/ancient-kingdoms-thailand-laos-vietnam-cambodia/2021/itineraries?year=2025&icid=prnavlk_2025 for details.

To learn more contact Gary Kleemann at gary@asu.edu or 480-399-7704.

We look forward to you traveling with us!

Northern Spain and Portugal in 2026

From: March 31, 2026
To: April 16, 2026
Cost: starting from $6,445 per person

The ASURA Travel Committee has an upcoming trip to Northern Spain and Portugal in March/April, 2026.

If you have never experienced Basque country, this is your chance.  We’ll visit Pamplona, home of the July running of the bulls, beautiful San Sabastian, the Guggenheim in Balboa.

We’ll be able to walk the “camino” trail for a short time, visit the Cathedral de Compastella.  Then we’ll float on the Duro River and visit Oporto, Portugal. 

There is also an optional trip to Lisbon, which, if you haven’t been there, you won't want to miss!

Click on this link for the full trip flyer describing the trip.  If you would like more specific information or have questions, please email Joyce Hartman Diaz at mailto:Jaysea2022@gmail.com

We look forward to you traveling with us!