Meet Karen Olson

Hi! My name is Karen Olson.  I’m the new Administrative Assistant for the Office of Spiritual Life and I also will be assisting the Bridges to a Brighter Future Program. Let me tell you a little bit about me. I grew up in North Carolina and came to Furman in 2004 as a slightly terrified and lonely freshman. Of the group of all my good friends in high school, I was the only one going to college without someone from our friend group. So, I knew no one, was not the most outgoing person, and easily got sucked into/escaped into computer games. Needless to say, I really struggled with finding my place and my community that first semester.

But I grew up in the United Methodist Church and I knew about Wesley groups on college campuses, so I sought out Furman Wesley.  On Tuesday nights in the Garden Room, along with a few visits to the counseling center, I finally found my people and my place. They were my home away from home and I think I spent more time in the Chapel or at other Wesley events than I did in my dorm room that year.

After I graduated, I joined AmeriCorps and started working with Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County as their Volunteer Coordinator. I stayed on full time after my AmeriCorps term and was there for 12 years. I loved our mission of giving families homeownership through “a hand up, not a handout.” During that time, I met my soon-to-be-husband at church (when we figured out that we lived across the parking lot in the same apartment complex and started spending A LOT of time together). We got married and had 2 kids (Wesley & Claire, and yes, my son may be named Wesley partly due to my love of all things Methodist).

When COVID rocked the world, I parted ways with Habitat. I decided to stay home with my kids and ran my own business – called Creative and Created – where I made Christian themed handmade wood signs, engraved signs and other engraved wood gifts and décor. I also worked part-time remotely with another great non-profit, JUMPSTART. They began expanding beyond SC into other states to help run in-prison discipleship classes, provide housing and employment, and general life assistance to help those recently released from prison reacclimate to society.

In the last year or so, my work with both JUMPSTART and my own business really slowed down, and I was feeling restless and bored. Then I was notified by some job search email that I was receiving for an unknown reason (I didn’t sign up for it) that this position at Furman was open and accepting applications. I also heard about it from a good friend and on my LinkedIn page, and on my Facebook page. It was like a big neon sign that said, “Apply Now!” When I left Habitat, I had worked with a career counselor for a bit since they provided it for me. One of the exercises they had me do was to make a list of “dream places to work” and Furman was at the top of that list. I knew I’d found the place I was supposed to be when it combined my love of organization and helping, my fond memories of time spent in the Chapel, and the chance to work with another amazing non-profit that gives students a hand up, not a handout. I am so grateful that I ended up here and I have the opportunity to be part of your lives and the lives of so many students to come. I’m excited to help you find your place in the world – whether it’s with one of our religious groups or not. I want to be a friend you can talk to or cry with or pray with, a resource for you if you need assistance with anything, and someone to cheer you on or cheer you up when you need it. Just call or email or stop by. I hear my big purple chairs are some of the best around – so come sit for a while and visit. I can’t wait to meet you!