Outstanding Alumni - 2007
Jeanne Thomas
Bemidji State University Graduate 1964
Jeanne Thomas graduated from Bemidji State College in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and began her teaching career as a second grade teacher near Shelton, Washington. Returning to Minnesota, she taught for twenty-eight years in Richfield, before being elected Vice President of the Minnesota Education Association in 1994. She also earned a Master's degree from Mankato State University in education of the gifted and talented. Jeanne served twice as a state judge in the Minnesota Teacher of the Year competition and as a judge for the finals of the National Student Teacher of the year. Jeanne has presented leadership training workshops in all parts of the nation for MEA, NEA, Education Minnesota, Minnesota PTA/PTSA, and the National Council of States for In-service Education. She was active in the MEA and Education Minnesota from 1967 to her retirement in 2001. She was the last vice president of the Minnesota Education Association and the first full time executive vice president of Education Minnesota, serving a total of seven years. Jeanne received the NAACP's Movers and Shakes Award in 1995 and in 1998 she was awarded the Pennell Award by the Minnesota Federation of Teachers. When she retired as vice president of Education Minnesota she received the Rochester Education Association's President's Appreciation award, the first person who was not a member of REA to be so recognized. And in 2006 she and her husband, Charlie were awarded the Hubert H. Humphrey Award for their years of service to the DFL. She has received the DFL's Outstanding Woman award and is a member of the DFL Woman's Hall of Fame. She has also received leadership awards from MEA and NEA. She is the current Chairperson of the Second Congressional District DFL. After struggling through the detection and treatment of her husband's colon cancer in the past year and a half, she and Charlie have become advocates of early detection and have worked with other patients and their families dealing with the same illness. Jeanne and Charlie make their home in Burnsville, Minnesota.