Anna Simank

Howdy! My name is Anna Simank, and I’m currently a second-year master’s student. I was born and raised in Corpus Christi, TX, and completed my undergraduate studies at TCU in Fort Worth, TX, where I double majored in Psychology and Communications, graduating in May 2022. Currently, I teach COMM 203 (Public Speaking) and am thoroughly enjoying my time here in Aggieland. Outside of teaching, I love spending time with my friends, family, and fiancée, Cole.

My communication interests revolve around all things comedy. As trite as it may sound, I truly believe that laughter is the best medicine.  “Humor enables us to cope with the daily, hourly, inescapable difficulty of being”  (Gilbert, 2004).”  Through my mother, I’ve witnessed firsthand how humor fosters resilience and provides a healthy outlet for navigating life’s biggest challenges. Despite being diagnosed with stage four cancer and given a six-month prognosis, my mother, Debbie Simank, defied the odds and lived three and a half years longer, buoyed by her resilience and humor. Debbie was the funniest person I knew, and her love for comedy has been instilled in me, hence my research:) 

I am passionate about studying how and why people use humor, particularly dark humor, as a coping mechanism. My ultimate dream is to become a Communication professor, develop a course, and write a book exploring the various types of comedy and how people can incorporate these forms of humor into their everyday lives. I am currently applying to doctoral programs to hopefully make this dream a reality! If you have any questions, please email me at annacsimank@tamu.edu. 

Thanks & Gig’em