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Olson receives award for impact in aging services

Dr. Doug Olson, professor of health care administration, received the 2022 Education Individual Award at the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) Annual Convocation and Expo in New Orleans, LA. 

The Education Award recognizes an individual for the educational program(s), seminar(s), or workshop(s) that, because of their content, innovative approach, or other special components, have made an outstanding contribution to education in post-acute and aging services.

"It is also a reflection of the great colleagues and partners at UW-Eau Claire that have worked with me to help lift up the UW-Eau Claire health care administration program as one that received national distinction for our approach, students, and partnership model of success, says Dr. Olson about receiving the award. 

Dr. Olson, also an ACHCA Fellow, was selected by the Awards Committee for this award for his outstanding contribution to the education of Administrators. His initiatives within the College demonstrate his commitment to developing next-generation long-term care Administrators. Additionally, his efforts to foster mentor-mentee programs and scholarly-practitioner collaborations highlight his focus to assist with professional development outside the ACHCA.

He explains being involved in ACHCA has been rewarding due to the organization supporting leadership with a variety of national initiatives and programs, including a professional student poster session, a signature national mentoring program, and the National Emerging Leadership Summit. 

Even with the health care industry, which includes long-term and aging services, facing significant staffing storage, Dr. Olson continues to encourage students to pursue the health care administration field. 

New graduates will need willing hands for working with people, as this field like many others is facing new staffing challenges. New leaders need to be equipped with the right set of broad human resource and relationship skills to recruit and retain the workforce of both today and tomorrow.    

"We have always said that you have to have a heart for caring and head of business to be successful in this noble profession."     

To learn more about the undergraduate health care administration, visit the program's website