Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Alumni

Photo of Lyle & Glen Olson

Lyle (‘74) and Gwen (‘81, Kidman) Olson live in Brookings, SD. They have two freshmen: Aaron is at South Dakota State University and Alyssa is in high school (at home). We are heavily involved in Wesleyan Bible Bowl. I currently serve as the Western Area Director, and Gwen helps coach the Brookings Wesleyan Church team. Aaron was the second highest quizzer at nationals last summer, and Alyssa is on the team again this year.

International travel is also a big part of our lives. Last year Aaron and Lyle went on a mission’s trip to Haiti, and Lyle and Alyssa went to Paris for a media seminar. Three of us will take part in Wesleyan mission’s trips this summer. Aaron will be going to Honduras, his fifth mission’s trip. Alyssa will be going with her Dad to Cambodia, her first mission’s trip.

After leaving the humanities faculty at OKWU in 1989, I’ve been teaching in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at South Dakota State University ever since. I’ve taught a variety of classes (10 total), direct the master’s degree program, and received a university-wide award for excellence in teaching during commencement in May 2006. My areas of expertise are editing, writing and design, international journalism, and scholastic journalism.

I serve as secretary of the local board of administration at Brookings Wesleyan Church and have been chair of the missions committee for many years. This year Brookings Wesleyan will send out more than 75 individuals on seven short-term mission’s team. I serve on the board of a new Brookings Christian School and am an officer in the South Dakota Alternative Instruction Association.

In my spare time I enjoy carpentry (we built our own home), traveling, and reading. After my family and I spent a semester in China in 2002, I read nearly everything I come across on China.

“I have so many memories of my two years at OKWU as a student and 11 years as a faculty member, including swimming in the “lake” in 1972-73 before there was a rule against doing so. The best memories, however, revolve around the Christian friends I met as a student, and the wonderful Christian colleagues that I had the honor of teaching with.”