Tom NurmiTom Nurmi, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, English, CLASS

During his time at MSU Billings, Dr. Tom Nurmi has become well known for his dynamic classes, high expectations, and extraordinary dedication to students. Beyond his role in the classroom, Nurmi has established himself as an accomplished literary scholar, one of the many reasons he has been chosen as a Faculty Excellence Award recipient.

Nurmi came to MSU Billings in 2014, and has since been promoted to associate  professor, a nod to the impressive work he has done in the areas of teaching, scholarly development, and service.

In the classroom, Nurmi encourages participation in active discussions, incorporating student-designed websites and digital artifacts to highlight student perspectives and their relevance to course material. He also spends time working with students outside of class; his office hours are “not just hours in which students might drop by; instead he fills these hours working directly with students on their essay drafts and suggests improvements,” says a colleague. 

This commitment to student success has led Nurmi to collaborate with NEA Big Read and the Yellowstone Art Museum to create literary engagement opportunities within the community and encourages his students to see the real-world value of literature in today’s society.

“The department is especially impressed with Dr. Nurmi’s scholarship,” notes a colleague. Since arriving at MSU Billings, Nurmi has continued to expand his publication repertoire with two books and numerous articles, many centered on the writings of Herman Melville. “He has set his course on a lifetime of scholarship and publishing.”

As if his plate was not full enough, Nurmi continually works to improve his department in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. From revising curriculum and organizing faculty meetings, to taking on a leadership role in the modification of the English and English teaching majors, Nurmi is dedicated to achieving the future vision of not only his department, but the entire university.