#MyParkStory: Craig Olsen, Sleeping Bear Dunes Educator

From Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore's #MyParkStory series.

Eleven seasons

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore honors education technician Craig Olsen. From Kalamazoo, he joined the park in 2014 in the fees division, moved to education in 2018, and retires this year after 11 seasons.

How he got here

Visits to the Kalamazoo Nature Center and family trips to national parks drew him to environmental education. Northern Michigan won him over with its beauty — and a coincidence: though no relation, he feels a bond with the Olsen family who settled Port Oneida, especially Charles Olsen, which is also his father's name.

His favorite place: Esch Beach, which he calls "The Magic Beach" because something special happens every visit — like one early-May sunset with his wife, the beach all theirs, wood thrushes singing, waves lapping, the smell of marram grass, and a bald eagle circling as the sky filled with color.

Building the education program

Craig joined the education team during a transition and helped build the division, bringing experience from other educational organizations. He's partly — sometimes entirely — responsible for the park's school programs, and he loves the students: even a short visit can make a difference.

"For me, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of my time spent working alongside Craig is his energy. The guy just seems to have enthusiasm for days... It's hard to imagine a school field trip season without his passion for the work we do and unique sense of humor raising people's spirits."
— Dave Fenlon, Education Lead

Advice for newcomers

Though he never sought a supervisory role, many staff and volunteers see him as a mentor. His advice for people starting in the Park Service:

• Get an internship: see what a job is like day to day and decide if it's for you — you gain experience either way.
• Be willing to move: new places build experience and open doors.

What's next

Retirement will be busy: photography, travel, and volunteering with the park and others on his own schedule. He hopes to be remembered for his bad jokes — no question there — and for his excitement about places like this. He'll be remembered as an exceptional educator, mentor and friend.

Sources

Based on "#MyParkStory Staff Craig Olsen," Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, National Park Service; a work of the United States government in the public domain. The page's photograph, credited to an individual, is not reproduced.