The Office of Academic Affairs is pleased to announce the selection of Lori Tochterman, PhD,
as the recipient of the Valerie Appleton Faculty Development Endowment for academic year 2023-24.
This prestigious endowment was created to honor Valerie Appleton, PhD, who served Eastern Washington University with distinction in several roles for 14 years. Appleton joined the EWU community in 1991 as an assistant professor in the Applied Psychology Department. She quickly advanced from assistant to associate to full professor, program director, assistant dean and finally, in 2004, dean of the College of Education and Human Development. She served in that position until her untimely death in December 2005.
The endowment, established to carry on Dr. Appleton’s passion to support the education of faculty, focuses on furthering faculty development through research and conference participation. The endowment encourages faculty to pursue professional development with the goal of attaining leadership positions within higher education administration.
Dr. Tochterman joined Eastern in 2023 as an assistant professor in the School of Nursing. She brings more than 35 years of nursing experience to the EWU nursing program. She earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina, a Master of Science in nursing education from the University of Mississippi Medical Center and a Doctor of Philosophy in higher education and leadership from Washington State University. She is passionate about nursing, cultural awareness and modifying healthcare systems to reduce barriers for vulnerable populations. She led nursing students in study abroad programs to Zambia to increase their understanding of global health experiences and cultural competencies.
Tochterman will use the awarded endowment funds for Elevating Leaders in Academic Nursing (ELAN), a nationally known high-impact leadership development program offered by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. ELAN fellows leave the program prepared to take on competently the role of dean or director. The ELAN fellowship will enable her to further develop the executive leadership skills needed to lead a nursing academic unit in the future.
