Biography - Anne A Thurmer

I am currently in my second year of an Ed.D in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in online degree management. I hold a Master’s of Arts in English with a Concentration in TESOL and a BA in Hisotry. I currently teach full-time at Winona State University covering both first-year composition and a variety of ESL courses for the University’s international students. My research interests include student retention in online programs, teaching argument online, and teaching academic honesty.

It is difficult to do justice to my husband, Augie, in a few short lines. He is the kind of dad who takes the kids to the library each week, helps them build cool toys out of scrap wood, and is always willing to rearrange the living room furniture so that it more closely resembles a volcano. He is the kind of husband who makes me coffee every morning (he knows I can’t be trusted with hot water until I’ve received my first injection of caffeine), puts notes in my lunch, and makes me laugh on a regular basis.

My son William, who is seven, is currently trying to decide between volcanologist and paleontologist as future career options by asking lots of questions about both. Abigail, who is five, does her best (which is pretty good) to keep up with her big brother in all forms of play, but is currently insisting on wearing a party dress which tends to slow her down.

In the summer, Winona is glorious. I love sitting out on the deck after the kids are asleep, watching fireflies and listening to crickets with my husband. In the winter, I enjoy planning vacations to places where it is warm enough for those activities--even if the plans just remain plans. Other things I deeply enjoy, but never seem to get to, include baking, knitting, and reading for no good reason.