Keith Olsen, PharmD, a longtime faculty member in the UNMC College of Pharmacy, whose career culminated in serving as Joseph D. Williams Endowed Dean of the college, quietly retired in January after 25 years at the medical center.
Dr. Olsen said he was enjoying the “six Saturdays and a Sunday” of retirement life.
He looked back fondly on his many interactions with students, especially during dinners at national meetings, and on traveling the state to connect with alumni. “So many were appreciative that the dean would take the time to visit their pharmacy,” he said.
He was especially proud of how the college came together to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
He has a long list of things they accomplished together, and he enjoyed it all.
“But on the flip side, I was ready for retirement and have zero regrets,” he said.
During his career at the college, Dr. Olsen was chair of department of pharmacy practice and was the first faculty member to win pharmacy’s distinguished teaching award multiple times. He was among its top extramurally funded researchers. His research specialty was infectious diseases and critical care.
An alumnus of the UNMC College of Pharmacy and a native of Laurel, Neb., Dr. Olsen came home to UNMC twice, first as a faculty member, joining the UNMC faculty in 1993, and later as dean.
Dr. Olsen also served as dean of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy from 2015 to 2019.
“It is amazing to think that Keith’s connection to the college spans almost 50 years,” said Don Klepser, PhD, his successor as dean. “He gave so much to the college over the years. Personally, he was a great mentor and friend to me. I know he will enjoy his well-deserved retirement.”
American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists named him the winner of its national Outstanding Dean Award in 2021. Dr. Olsen was nominated for this honor by UNMC students.
Throughout his career, Dr. Olsen won several national honors, including serving consecutive terms on the Board of Regents of the American College of Critical Care Medicine and was the first pharmacist to serve as its chancellor. He also kept his feet firmly planted in Nebraska and on campus with his students.
As dean, Dr. Olsen, with faculty, students and staff, maintained the college’s steady momentum and led the achievement of a handful of high points – including transformational benefactor support, a top 20 ranking by U.S. News & World Report, establishing new centers and laying the groundwork for the expansion of UNMC’s PharmD program to its Kearney campus.