Matt Shalbrack/Winonan
Dr. Scott R. Olson biography via Winona State University
Dr. Scott R. Olson was appointed the 15th president of Winona State University on May 16, 2012. He replaced Dr. Judith A. Ramaley, who served as WSU’s president from 2005-2012.
Prior to joining Winona State, Dr. Olson served as Provost, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, and Professor of Communication Studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
He served as Dean of the College of Communication, Information, and Media at Ball State University and as a faculty member at Central Connecticut State University.
He has published two books, 30 book chapters, and 22 journal articles in publications in the United States, Canada, China, Korea, Poland, Russia, and India.
Through a $20 million gift from the Lilly Endowment he was able to create the Global Media Network (which won a national award from the American Council on Education) and the Center for Media Design.
He won an Emmy Award and a Cine Golden Eagle Award in 2004 as Executive Producer of a documentary film about digital learning.
His Ph.D. is from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He grew up in suburban Minneapolis.
