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Eastern Illinois University

Staff Profile

Dr. Kurt Olausen
Introduction Education & Training Professional Affiliations Update your profile

Dr. Kurt Olausen

Director of Study Abroad Website: http://abroad.eiu.edu/

INTRODUCTION

Kurt joined the EIU Office of Study Abroad on July 1, 2014. He has worked in the field of Education Abroad since 1994 beginning with a position at James Madison University (Harrisonburg, VA). He served as Assistant Director in the Office of Study Abroad at Duke University (Durham, NC) from 1996-2006, and as Director of International Programs at the University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH) from 2007-2012. 

In addition to his work in Education Abroad, Kurt has also taught English language to non-native speakers at both the University of Cincinnati and Berlitz Language Services, and cross-cultural classes to both Americans and non-Americans. This experience includes online teaching, classroom instruction, and one-on-one instruction.

Originally from Providence, RI, Kurt earned his B.A. from Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA) with majors in German and Italian Studies, which included study abroad in Urbino, Italy and at the Universities of Mannheim and Bremen in, what was at that time, West Germany. After graduating in 1990, Kurt worked in the international business sector for a short time before starting graduate school at the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA), where he earned his M.Ed. in Counselor Education, with an emphasis on Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education in 1994. In May 2007 Kurt received his Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC), where his dissertation focused on the portrayal of student activism in the campus print media. 

Specialties: Study Abroad advising; faculty development; program development and assessment; History of student activism in the U.S.; cross-cultural education

Education & Training

Doctor of Education, Higher Education Administration.  North Carolina State University 2007
Master of Education, Counselor Education/Student Affairs.  University of Virginia 1994
Bachelor of Arts, German/Italian Studies.  Dickinson College 1990

Professional Affiliations

NAFSA: Association of International Educators
The Forum on Education Abroad