Ted Olson, a professor in the ETSU Department of Appalachian Studies, was honored with the Stephen L. Fisher award.
The Fisher award is awarded by the Appalachian Studies Association, and only two professors in the nation receive this distinguished teaching award.
Olson has many careers and backgrounds within Appalachia, including working at summer camps, working as a park ranger for the Great Smoky Mountains and producing works on folklore and music.
Olson’s history with Appalachia goes back to when he was growing up in Washington D.C.
“While growing up in Washington D.C. I befriended a lot of people who were from Appalachia living in D.C. at the time,” Olson said. “I became very interested in their stories.”
Olson became intrigued with the many different stories from the Appalachian people.
“Some of them were musicians and craftsmen,” said Olson. “They were noted for their craftsmanship in the many Appalachian festivals I attended.”
As Olson was first learning about Appalachian people, he saw some very controversial things in media, and he wanted to explore if those things were true or not.
“People would be representing Appalachia through the media in a very negative aspect,” said Olson. “There were stereotypes and representations that were not accurate at all.”
Olson developed empathy for the Appalachian people, despite not visiting there once.
“When I was 19, I traveled to West Virginia to work at a summer camp and at that point that was the first time I lived in Appalachia,” said Olson.
Through his work in the summer camp, Olson became inspired and knew that he wanted to teach Appalachian studies.
“My role at this summer camp was coordinating a folklore program where I would actually introduce children living in Washington D.C. who were attending the camp to the local Appalachian people,” said Olson.
Olson saw himself as an ambassador to the summer camp since people of the city and the Appalachian region attended the camp. After he worked at the camp, he began a career as a park ranger.
After seven years of working as a park ranger, Olson went on to complete his degrees and become a professor. Olson has been teaching Appalachian studies at ETSU for 22 years now.
Olson is honored by his Fisher award, and said that without the many before him in Appalachian studies, he would not have achieved this goal.
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