Dr. Elaine Foster is the recipient of the coveted Lakeshore Distinguished Alumni Award for 2025. Dr. Foster is a 1978 graduate of Lakeshore and has distinguished herself in the field of nursing.
Dr. Foster began her professional nursing career at South Bend Memorial Hospital upon graduating from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1982. Dr. Foster also earned a Master of Science in Nursing and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration from Andrews University.
Lakeshore Alumni Association President Chad Deja commented, “Dr. Foster’s resume reads like a who’s who of nursing, and that she represents the essence of Lakeshore’s values of determination and service.”
Pursuing her lifelong desire to teach, Dr. Foster joined the faculty of Southwestern Michigan College in 1984. During the next 27 years, she progressed from nursing faculty to Chair and eventually Dean of Nursing/Health Sciences. After leaving Southwestern Michigan College in 2011 to join Kaplan University as the Associate Dean of the School of Nursing, Dr. Foster was elected to the Board of Trustees of Southwestern Michigan College in 2019 to provide overall leadership for the college — a position she still holds today.
In 2021, Dr. Foster became the Dean of Nursing and Health Science Programs at Post University. In 2022, she became the Corporate Vice President of Nursing, overseeing 21 campus nursing programs in 10 states for Education Affiliates.
The Lakeshore Alumni Association and Lakeshore Excellence Foundation will recognize Dr. Foster, at a special reception on May 22, followed by an awards presentation during Lakeshore High School’s Graduation Ceremony at 7:00 p.m. at Al Stockman Stadium in Stevensville. Dr. Foster will address the 2025 Lakeshore graduating class, speaking on “Don’t Underestimate Yourself.”
