Events

The Towson University Retiree Association (黑料吃瓜网RA) offers many events throughout the year for the enjoyment, engagement and continued edification of members. 

dan rodricks speaking
Dan Rodricks speaking at a 黑料吃瓜网RA Fall Forum event.

Event Information 

黑料吃瓜网RA 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 黑料吃瓜网RA members and non-members interested in attending additional events on campus are encouraged to explore ,  Department of Music鈥檚 Events Calendar,  College of Liberal Arts Events and .

黑料吃瓜网RA has a special relationship with the Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning at Towson. Osher offers discounted membership and tuition fees for 黑料吃瓜网RA 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 黑料吃瓜网RA President to share your suggestion.

Upcoming Events

Join us for a lively discussion of the book 鈥� Mother Emanuel: Two Centuries of Race, Resistance, and Forgiveness in One Charleston Church by Kevin Sack (Pub. 2025, 480 pp.).

鈥�Mother Emanuel is a masterpiece in which Kevin Sack tells the story of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church in Charleston, S.C., 'the most historic Black church in the South鈥檚 most historic city,' now best known as the site of an egregious act of barbarism: the killing of nine congregants on June 17, 2015, by a white supremacist." (NYT review)

From publisher's website:

PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST 鈥� ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES鈥� TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 鈥� A sweeping history of one of the nation鈥檚 most important African American churches and a profound story of courage and grace amid the fight for racial justice鈥攆rom Pulitzer Prize鈥搘inning journalist Kevin Sack

鈥淎 masterpiece . . . a dense, rich, captivating narrative, featuring vivid prose . . . expansive, inspiring and hugely important.鈥濃��The New York Times (Editors鈥� Choice)

鈥淩ace, religion, and terror combine for an extraordinary story of America.鈥濃�擡ddie S. Glaude, Jr., bestselling author of Begin Again

For more information contact .

Join us and check out the menu, Happy Hour and Daily Specials at the located at 2323 York Rd. Timonium, Maryland 21093.  Come and enjoy the libations and camaraderie with your friends.  Hope you can make it.

For more information contact Tom Maronick.

Please join us via Zoom for a discussion of the film Portrait of a Lady on Fire (France, 2019), directed by C茅line Sciamma. This critically acclaimed French film is a period piece about two women in the late 18th century.  Heloise, a noblewoman, has a privileged position but no say in her forthcoming marriage to a Milanese nobleman.  Marianne, a painter, is hired to secretly paint Heloise鈥檚 portrait鈥攖his is part of the preparation for a marriage Heloise does not want.  Marianne, though not upper class, has a surprising degree of autonomy in her life as an itinerant painter.  The two women meet and, to quote A. O. Scott, what follows is 鈥渁 subtle and thrilling love story, at once unsentimental in its realistic assessment of women鈥檚 circumstances and almost utopian in its celebration of the freedom that is nonetheless available to them.鈥�  Or, to rephrase, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a film about women鈥檚 agency and the limits of that agency.  Never stated but clearly relevant is that this entire social world will be swept away by the French Revolution.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire can be streamed for free on Cook Library, Baltimore County Library, and Pratt Library Kanopy.  DVD copies are available from Baltimore County and Pratt Libraries.

 

Contact Peter Lev at if you have any questions.

Join us for a lively discussion of the book 鈥� Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in the Age of Revolution by Amanda Vaill  (Pub.2025, 600 pp.).

For more information contact .

Join us for a lively discussion of the book 鈥� Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in the Age of Revolution by Amanda Vaill continued (Pub.2025, 600 pp.).

For more information contact .

Join us for a lively discussion of the book 鈥� Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump by Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan (Pub. 2026, 496 pp.).

For more information contact .

Join us for a lively discussion of the book 鈥� Friendship:  The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life鈥檚 Fundamental Bond by Lydia Denworth (Pub.2020, 312 pp.).

For more information contact .

Join us for a lively discussion of the book 鈥� The Anxious Generation:  How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt (Pub. 2024, 400 pp.).

 For more information contact .

Join us for a lively discussion of the book 鈥� What We Owe the Future by William MacAskill  (Pub.2022, 352 pp.).

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

  • October 23 from 3 to 4:30 PM: 黑料吃瓜网RA Film Club 鈥� Virtual discussion of the film The Matrix, directed by the Wachowskis (USA, 1999). 
  • October 8 from 4:30 to 6 PM: 黑料吃瓜网RA Non鈥恌iction Book Group 鈥� Virtual Discussion of the book Family of Spies: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal and the Secret History behind Pearl Harbor by Christine Kuehn.
  • April 16 from 4 to 6 PM: 黑料吃瓜网RA Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour at Michael's Caf茅, 2119 York Rd, Timonium, MD.
  • February 28, starting at 2 PM: Towson versus Cambell University Basketball Game.

黑料吃瓜网RA Flicker Event Photos

  • Check out photos from previous events on the .

Groups

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

黑料吃瓜网RA Non-Fiction Reading Group

This group meets regularly each month. If you are interested in participating please contact the group facilitator, .  A listing of all books previously discussed by the group is available .

黑料吃瓜网RA Film Group

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

黑料吃瓜网RA 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. 黑料吃瓜网RA will support your efforts and get the word out to members.