Leadership

About President Olson

Dr. Todd A. Olson was named President of Mount Mercy University in 2021. In his first two years, he has developed partnerships with local health care organizations, added new academic programs, and convened local leaders in a President's Advisory Council.

Prior to Mount Mercy, Dr. Olson served as the Vice President for Student Affairs at Georgetown University, providing leadership for 15 departments and 140 student affairs staff for more than 18 years. He led the creation of Georgetown’s Healey Family Student Center and played a major role in their new residential facilities. He was active in campus planning efforts; policy revisions related to alcohol, sexual assault, and bias reporting; and developing new programs linking academic and co-curricular life. Dr. Olson also taught courses in education and health promotion throughout his time there. Prior to Georgetown, he served in a variety of roles at the University of Denver for 16 years.

Dr. Olson has written articles and book chapters on entrepreneurial leadership, student well-being, and working with controversial issues on a Catholic campus. He served for 10 years as a member of the Policy Committee for the Patriot League athletic conference, and recently served a two-year term as chair of the James E. Scott Academy within NASPA, a leading national student affairs association. Dr. Olson was the President of JASPA, the national Jesuit student affairs association, from 2018-2020. He is currently a member of Indian Creek Nature Center’s Board of Directors.

A Minnesota native, Dr. Olson earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota-Morris and went on to receive his master’s degree in counseling psychology at the University of Kansas. He earned his PhD in higher education from the University of Denver, where he was one of the founders of the Pioneer Leadership Program, a signature academic and residential learning program.

Dr. Olson and his wife, Regina, are the parents of three children.