Paul Thompson joined the MSU faculty of economics in 1963 where he became a Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for Economic Education, a position which he held until his retirement in 1995. The MSU Center for Economic Education which Paul started in 1964 is part of a nationwide network of college and university centers for economic education. Collectively these Centers seek to increase the level of economic understanding of American citizens by educating teachers. Working with teachers, a Center for Economic Education is able to achieve a multiplier effect by influencing great numbers of students in grades K-12. Thus by working with hundreds of teachers through the years, Thompson judges that he has helped plant economic ideas into the minds of thousands of students.
Because of Dr. Thompson's pioneering interest in the field of computer assisted instruction in economics, the MSU Center for Economic Education gained official recognition by the Joint Council on Economic Education as the National Specialized Center for Computer Assisted Instruction in Economics. As a consequence, Dr. Thompson was invited to make presentations at colleges and universities all over the country.
In other academic endeavors, Thompson was recognized for his work in the development of the nationally normed Test of Understanding in College Economics, a project that was jointly sponsored by the American Economic Association and the Joint Council on Economic Education. Thompson also initiated two noteworthy programs at MSU, programs that work directly with high school students: the Southern Minnesota Economics Challenge, and a program called Econhostel. Both programs continue to exist.
Dr. Thompson was born on a farm in 1931 during what he calls his family's decade of depression, despair, disease and death. After graduating from Luther College in 1953, Paul spent two years in the Army's Counter Intelligence Corps. He earned his master's degree in economics from the University of Minnesota in 1959. His advisor was Edward Coen, father of the infamous, film directing Coen brothers. After teaching at Burlington (Iowa) Junior College, Paul earned his PhD at the University of Iowa in 1968. Paul spent the 1971-72 academic year as a Visiting Professor at the University of Colorado where he worked with Professor Lawrence Senesh, developer of the innovative Our Working World curriculum published by Science Research Associates. With this program Senesh proved, convincingly, that economic concepts can be effectively taught to elementary grade students. The national media was dumbfounded by Senesh's success.
Paul views economics as a discipline which develops an individual's skill at decision-making. Paul's best choice was his marriage to his wife, Kristi, and their joint decision to raise two children, Peter and Laura who now reside, respectively, in Colorado and Arizona. His next best choice was to become a university professor of economics, a most enjoyable and satisfying profession.
