Victoria N Folse

Victoria N Folse serves as Director and Caroline F. Ruper Endowed Professor of Nursing at Illinois Wesleyan University's School of Nursing. She is an Advanced Practice Nurse (Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Psychiatric Nursing) with prescriptive authority in Illinois and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, leveraging 15 years of full-time eating disorder treatment experience and 10 years of nursing management expertise from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.

Her research centers on psychiatric-mental health nursing with emphases on eating disorders, compassion fatigue/burnout in nursing, cultural competence for LGBTQ+ patient care, and family engagement in treatment. She develops innovative educational approaches including synchronous learning environments for nursing study abroad programs, addressing critical gaps in vulnerable population care through national and international scholarly dissemination.

Dr. Folse's publications reveal strong interdisciplinary connections between mental health nursing, educational technology, and cultural humility, with recent work examining systemic approaches to family involvement in eating disorder treatment and competency development for LGBTQ+ healthcare.

Her distinguished recognition includes:

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing Leadership for Academic Nursing Program Fellow (2008)
• State of Illinois Nurse Educator Fellowship (2008)

As an educator, Dr. Folse teaches Nursing 330 (Mental Health Promotion) and Nursing 450 (Leadership and Management), mentoring future nurses while leading the School of Nursing. Her professional leadership extends to Sigma Theta Tau International, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Midwest Nursing Research Society, Academy for Eating Disorders, and the International Orem Society, demonstrating deep commitment to advancing nursing science and practice.