Despite being easily bored and a self-described poor student, small-town rancher and Fulbright Scholar, Brian Ellison has found himself working in academia.
Ellison was recently appointed director of the Martin School at the University of Idaho.
Ellison grew up in a small town in northwest Wyoming with his four younger siblings.
He said he would describe his high school experience — located in Cody, Wyo. — as terrible.
“I probably (had) a 2.0 (GPA) as a high school graduate, maybe,” Ellison said. “But at that time, if you graduated from a high school in Wyoming, the University of Wyoming has to accept you.”
Despite his low GPA, Ellison furthered his education after high school. He earned his bachelor’s degree in phycology. Ellison said his reasons for attending the University of Wyoming were unknown at the time.
“I had no idea, I was just going to drink beer somewhere,”
Ellison said.
After he received his degree, Ellison discovered that although he wasn’t the greatest student, he loved school.
“I really decided that it was time to do well in school, after I finished. Which is too late,” Ellison said.
He stayed at University of Wyoming and earned his master’s in American Studies.
“I focused mainly on environmental literature,” Ellison said. “It really got me interested in environmental issues.”
Ellison went on to pursue a second master’s degree in Public Administration, then — after transferring to Colorado State University — he received his Ph.D. in
political science.
“When I was getting my master’s, I learned that you could get a Ph.D. in environmental politics, so that’s why I went to Colorado State,” he said.
After he finished school, Ellison jumped around a lot. He was an analyst at the Government Accountability Office in Washington D.C., then he was an assistant professor at Missouri State University, followed by a position as an MPA Director at the College of Charleston in
South Carolina.
“Charleston is a fantastic city,” he said. “Coolest place I’ve
ever lived.”
During the twenty years Ellison’s been in the business, he’s managed to teach in several foreign countries including China, Russia, Bulgaria and Armenia.
“It’s a fairly prestigious program (Fulbright) with the U.S. Department of State,” Ellison said. “I jumped around a lot because I’m easily bored, and I’m always looking for a chance to try something new.”
The Martin School, which was established in 2011, houses the international studies program, the department of philosophy and the department of political science. Ellison has only been in the position for a month, and said he is still trying to figure out the job.
“In many ways I’m an academic chair, just like I’ve always been,” Ellison said. “The institution has made a political decision to have a ‘Martin School’ — which will have political science, philosophy, and international studies in it. I’m here to try and find out how to make
that work.”
“I think this is the perfect position for him,” said Elitza Kotzeva, Ellison’s wife. “He is a
very good administrator.”
Kotzeva, an ISEM teacher at UI, met Ellison 12 years ago while he was doing Fulbright
work in Bulgaria.
“He’s a fun guy, as well as being a great and professional administrator,” she said.