Homecoming Honoree: Dr. Ed Olson

A native of Ivanhoe, Calif., Olson was finishing up his Ph.D. at the University of California-Davis and looking for a university faculty position at a time when those jobs were scarce and the competition was fierce.

“We would get these newsletters with job listings,” Olson said. “I sent out a bunch of vitas just to see what was happening out there, and apparently I sent one to ASU. I had a couple of job offers but was keeping my options open. I didn’t even know where San Angelo was, and I ended up making reservations in San Antonio for the interview at ASU.”

“Eventually, I came down and met with Bill Henderson, who was the department head at the time, and I just kind of fell in love with the campus and the people I met,” he added. “I hemmed and hawed a bit when they offered me the job, but then I figured it was a good offer, so I would come to ASU for two years. That was over 40 years ago.”

“My favorite thing about ASU is the camaraderie and community spirit.”

Once safely ensconced at ASU, Olson worked his way up the faculty ladder and in 1989 became head of the Government Department, a position he held for 22 years until his retirement. In addition to teaching classes, he acted as a political consultant for local media and got involved in local and state politics, working as a consultant and campaign manager for such recognizable figures as state representatives Dick Burnett and Rob Junell, as well as San Angelo mayors Don Butts and Tim Edwards. Besides being personally interested in the political process, he also did it for his students.

“The practical aspect of politics is not something you learn as a classroom experience,” Olson said. “Because of the practical experience I had, I could take the material we were studying and bring it to life, simply because I had been there and done that. I had access behind the scenes, so I could reveal things to students and bring them into the political world in a way that faculty without those types of experiences could not.”

As department chair, Olson also oversaw the Government Department’s transition to the Department of Political Science and Philosophy, and he was instrumental in hiring the first round of faculty in 2010 for the new Center for Security Studies, which has since evolved into the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Cyber Intelligence, Innovation and Security Studies.

But perhaps Olson’s favorite ASU initiative was the International Studies program. He had always liked to travel, going all the way back to when he was 19 years old and hitchhiked through Europe. Recognizing the value of similarly expanding students’ horizons, he teamed with Dr. Sharynn Tomlin of the management and marketing faculty to lead more than 400 ASU students on 20-plus summer study abroad trips to multiple European countries.

“I just knew that travel was an important part of the educational process because it gives students something they cannot get in the classroom,” Olson said. “A lot of ASU students come from small towns and many of them had not been out of their county, much less the state or the country. I saw boys become men and girls become women in a matter of 30 days. Their eyes were opened in a way that I rarely saw in the classroom.”

“After I did the first study abroad trip, I knew I was committed to do that as much as possible,” he added. “We averaged about 20-25 students each summer, and for 99% of them, it was an eye-opening and extremely educational experience. They went from naïve kids to educated young adults.”

Even after retiring from the Department of Political Science and Philosophy in 2011, Olson stuck around ASU as the part-time study abroad coordinator for four years. He has also taught nearly every semester as an adjunct professor, currently in the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice.

For his long-standing and ongoing dedication to his students and ASU, the Alumni Association has named Olson its 2024 Outstanding Retired Faculty.

 “It makes me feel part of the ASU community again in a more direct way. It’s pretty phenomenal.”

“I’m pleased and flattered,” Olson said. “It makes me feel part of the ASU community again in a more direct way. It’s pretty phenomenal.”

“My favorite thing about ASU is the camaraderie and community spirit,” he added. “I thought I would only stay here for two years, but I fell in love with that culture, as well as the focus on undergraduate education. I went from never having heard of ASU to spending virtually my whole career here. It’s a very attractive community, and that is very important.”

Olson’s wife, local dentist Dr. Shelly Stromboe, is a 1986 graduate of ASU. They have two grown children, Zoe and Jax.