UNL ORCA Interview Series
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Date of this Version
4-9-2026
Document Type
Article
Citation
Transcript, April 9, 2026
Abstract
Paul Olson was awarded the ORCA in 1984. He was born in 1932 in Washburn, Wisconsin. During his youth, his family also farmed in Nebraska and South Dakota. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas. Next, he earned a master’s in English from the University of Nebraska, had a Fulbright fellowship to spend a year at London University in England, and earned his doctorate in medieval and Renaissance studies from Princeton University in New Jersey. In 1957, he joined UNL as an assistant professor of English and was soon promoted to full professor. One of his earliest projects was to help English teachers across the state to reform their curricula. As a literary historian, he eventually published twelve books and many book chapters and articles on topics such as medieval literature, Plains and Indian literature, and English education reform. In 1976, Paul became founding director of the Center for Great Plains Studies, which is now celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Paul retired in 2006 and still lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.
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Comments
Copyright 2026, Mark Griep. Used by permission.