Rick Olsen

Rick Olsen serves as the Department Chair at UNCW since July 1997, focusing on resource management and faculty empowerment to fulfill the department's mission in teaching, research, and service. Prior to this role, Rick was a faculty member at UNCW, instructing a diverse range of core and elective courses, including both small seminars and large lectures with enrollment up to 150 students. Earlier experience includes a position as a Lecturer at Radford University from August 1989 to May 1994, where Rick taught various classes and collaborated with faculty on initiatives related to oral communication. Rick holds a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Regent University, a Master's degree in Communication from Penn State University, and a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.