Rebecca L. Ehretsman (formerly von der Heyde and Neiduski; born September 6, 1972) is an American occupational therapist and academic administrator serving as the eighteenth president of

Wartburg College Wartburg College is a Private college, private Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Waverly, Iowa. History Wartburg College was founded in 1852 in Saginaw, Michig ...

since 2022. She is a hand therapist specialized in flexor tendon rehabilitation.

Life

Ehretsman was born September 6, 1972, in Chicago in a

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

family. Both of her parents were educators. She completed a B.A. in movement and sport science with minors in psychology and English at

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

in 1994. In 1997, she earned a M.S. in occupational therapy from

Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) is a private research university in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1853 by a group of civic leaders and named for George Washington, the university spans 355 acres across its Danforth ...

. Christine Novak was her master's project chair. Ehretsman's master's thesis titled, ''Subjective Recovery of Nerve Graft Donor Site'', was published in the '' Annals of Plastic Surgery'' in 1999. Ehretsman is a certified hand therapist specializing in flexor tendon rehabilitation. From 1998 to 1999, she was an occupational therapist at

Barnes-Jewish Hospital Barnes-Jewish Hospital is the largest hospital in the U.S. state of Missouri. Located in the Central West End, St. Louis, Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, it is the adult teaching hospital for Washington University School of Medicin ...

. She was a hand therapist at the Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center from 1999 to 2013 and

Shriners Hospitals for Children Shriners Hospitals for Children, commonly known as Shriners Children's, is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and other pediatric medical facilities across North America. Children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord inj ...

from 2007 to 2013. From 2002 to 2013, Ehretsman was an associate professor of occupational therapy with tenure at

Maryville University Maryville University of St. Louis is a private university in Town and Country, Missouri, United States. It was founded on April 6, 1872, by the Society of the Sacred Heart and offers more than 90 degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate ...

. She graduated with a Ph.D. in education from

Saint Louis University Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Missi ...

in 2009. Her dissertation was titled, ''Goal Orientation and Problem-based Learning: A Qualitative Analysis in Occupational Therapy Education''. Michael P. Grady was her doctoral advisor. From 2013 to 2017, she was the chair and program director of the department of occupational therapy at

Concordia University Wisconsin Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) is a private Lutheran university in Mequon, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Concordia University System operated by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). The university is organized into ...

. From June 2017 to June 2022, she was a professor of health sciences and dean of the school of health sciences at

Elon University Elon University is a private university in Elon, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1889 as Elon College, the university is organized into six schools, most of which offer bachelor's degrees and several of which offer master's degrees or ...

. On July 1, 2022, Ehretsman became the eighteenth president of

, succeeding Darrel D. Colson. She is its first female president.

Selected works

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ehretsman, Rebecca Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Academics from Chicago Lutherans from Illinois Purdue University alumni Washington University in St. Louis alumni Saint Louis University alumni Maryville University faculty Concordia University Wisconsin faculty Elon University faculty Women deans (academic) American university and college faculty deans Wartburg College faculty Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Women heads of universities and colleges Occupational therapists American occupational health practitioners 21st-century American women academics 21st-century American academics 1972 births