Dr. Merlene L. Olmsted

Academic Background
Ph. D. in Educational Leadership
Gonzaga University
M.A. in Education with Textiles emphasis
Loma Linda University
B.A. Home Economics and Sociology
Walla Walla College

Scholarly Interests
Program Accountability though Assessment, Teen Pregnancy Reduction in New Mexico, Cooperative Group Work.

Selected Publications
Olmsted, M.L. (2005). Life skills course' successful in New Mexico teen pregnancy reduction. New Mexico Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Annual Meeting.

Koukel, S., Cummings, M., and Olmsted, M.L. (2004). New Mexico, Texas college students join forces. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences , 96(3), pp. 69-79.

Olmsted, M.L. (2001). Recruitment of minority students to the family and consumer sciences discipline at ENMU. New Mexico Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, pp. 72-74.

Olmsted, M.L. (1997). Teamwork: Synergy makes the difference. An academic search for sweatshop solutions: Conference proceedings. Janice McCoart (Ed.). Marymount University: Arlington, VA., pp. 28-32.

Biography
Dr. Olmstead came to Eastern New Mexico University in 1991 from Walla Walla College in Washington state where she had been a part of the faculty since 1977. While at Walla Walla College, she served as the Chair of the Home Economics group from 1983 to 1991. Dr. Olmsted has been a part of acquiring several grants at Eastern New Mexico University. These include two USDA Multicultural Scholars Program grants worth $100,000 each, a Mellenium Project Grant for the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences for "Early Recruitment of Minority Students to the FCS Professions," worth $25,000 and a Massachusetts Avenue Building Assets Fund Grant from the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences for "Share Fairs-Resource Availability" for $10,000. Dr. Olmsted is an Honorary 4-H Member in Roosevelt County, a former Spirit of Eastern Award recipient and the New Mexico Family and Consumer Sciences Professional of the Year. She currently holds the Presidency of the Family and Consumer Sciences Seventh-Day Adventist Association and she is a former President of the New Mexico Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (1996–1997).