Dr. Franklin Foster’s connection to Lakeland College is both deeply personal and profoundly impactful. As a retired professor and dedicated donor, his legacy reflects a lifelong commitment to education, community service and helping students find their path.

Born in Lloydminster on July 17, 1945, Dr. Foster was raised on a small farm southwest of the city. He began his education in a one-room schoolhouse– Golden Valley School – and was part of the first class to attend the new junior high school in Lloydminster in 1959. After a year-long hospital stay, he was left with a significant physical disability but returned to complete high school and went on to earn multiple degrees, including a doctorate in history from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.

Dr. Foster’s early career saw him teaching across Alberta, including Dewberry, Marwayne and Cold Lake, and becoming actively involved in promoting post-secondary education in the region and eventually teaching at Lakeland College in Lloydminster.

“It was (kind of neat,) as we used to say, to teach university-level courses in my hometown,” says Dr. Foster, who began teaching history for the School of University Transfer in 1989.

His first classes were held in the old Meridian School building while the Lloydminster campus was under construction. He would go on to teach at Lakeland for 21 years, becoming a respected figure among students and faculty alike.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Foster immersed himself in the community. He served on the Public Library Board, was an active member and later president of the Rotary Club of Lloydminster, and contributed to local history initiatives, including Lloydminster’s Centennial celebration and the development of an interpretive centre for the heavy oil industry.

A cherished tradition during his years at Lakeland was the involvement of his wife, Dorothy, who baked cookies and squares for his students each term. “A student once called her ‘my human side,’ which was very accurate,” says Dr. Foster.

Now retired, Dr. Foster continues to support the college through student scholarships focused on history. “I see this as an opportunity to help individual students further their studies. Some take a while to realize their potential and I hope to support them in making that decision,” he explains.

His giving is guided by a simple desire: “to help others, especially students who might share some aspects of my background.”