Ken Foster to receive President’s Award at MCC Commencement

Longtime McCook native, McCook College graduate and college advocate Ken Foster is this year’s honoree for McCook Community College President’s Award. He will be honored during the college’s commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday in the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.

Foster grew up on a ranch in Dundy County, Neb., during the Great Depression, one of five children. He graduated from Stratton High School in 1952 and was recruited by several schools to play basketball. Some offered scholarships, but none offered enough to make college affordable. When McCook College Coach Merle Confer showed up in the Fosters’ farm field that summer to interrupt the teenager’s work, Ken paused only long enough to look toward his home where his father was confined because of multiple sclerosis.

“Not to be rude, but in about 30 seconds my dad is going to come down here and investigate who is preventing me from working,” he recalls.

When Ken resumed his work, Coach Confer grabbed a nearby shovel, joined the teenager and after they had both worked up a sweat, eventually convinced the teenager to enroll at McCook. In retrospect, Coach Confer’s demonstration of a good work ethic may have been one of the reasons Foster is thankful he chose McCook, where he found that teachers, staff and fellow students shared those values.

“A lot of farmers didn’t allow their kids to finish high school and felt an extra pair of hands in the fields was more valuable,” said Foster. “But my dad and grandfather both wanted us to go on and get a degree in something.”

Ken arrived on campus hoping to be a three-sport star at McCook, but he banged up his knee that summer and broke an ankle playing American Legion baseball. It halted his football aspirations one week into practice. Outside class, he spent an hour each day in True Hall practicing and made the basketball team. He cracked the starting lineup in the second semester and ran track in the spring. He studied math and science. As a sophomore he averaged 17.2 points per game and was selected first team All-Empire Conference (the predecessor of Region IX) and first-team Nebraska Five Junior College Conference.

He received his associate of arts degree in biology in 1954 and transferred to the University of Nebraska where he signed on to play basketball for Coach Jerry Bush (grandfather of current Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg). While he was part of the 12-man roster that fall, Coach Bush pulled him aside and said he admired Foster’s attitude and practice habits, but he was probably never going to make it off the bench.

“I knew he was right and appreciated his honesty,” Foster said. He transferred to Hastings College and lettered in basketball and track his junior and senior years. Plus, it was closer to “hitch-hike” back home on weekends to see the cheerleader he was now dating. He majored in biology and minored in physical education. After graduating in 1956 he taught science at Madison High School and coached football, basketball and track. In November of that year, he married the former cheerleader Marlene (Reiners) and they started a family that included three children: Kristina, Deanna and Todd – all of which went on to graduate from MCC.

The Fosters returned to McCook in 1959 where Ken taught math and physical education. He became head boys’ basketball coach and assistant coach for football and track. The 1960 football team was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2020 as the “The Golden Anniversary Team.”

While teaching and coaching in 1963 he was “recruited” again. This time as an assistant cashier/installment loan officer for First National Bank. He retired the first time in 2000 as Chairman of the Board and Executive Vice President when the bank was purchased by Wells Fargo. Five years later, he was recruited again – this time by First Central Bank where he worked until he retired in 2019 after 55 years in the banking industry (when he was 85).

In addition to his work in banking, Ken served on numerous boards and leadership roles for organizations including: the McCook Elks Lodge, Nebraska State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, McCook Chamber of Commerce, South Platte United Chamber of Commerce, McCook United Way/Community Chest; Community Hospital Board of Directors, Community Hospital Foundation board, McCook Economic Development Corporation and Educational Service Unit No. 15.

He was a member of the Mid-Plains Community College Board of Governors from 1977-1978. He was also part of the original group that met around that time to talk about ways to promote and support MCC through its foundation. He officially became a member of the McCook Community College Foundation board from 1990-2018. In 2008, that board accepted the role as campaign fundraisers for what became the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center. Foster was named part of the Events Center Executive Committee that pledged $2 million dollars toward the $9.5 million facility.

As a player in 1952-54, Foster recalls the then 15-year old True Hall gym was already “outdated.” Teams from Colorado and Wyoming eventually refused to play in the gym that was smaller than regulations allowed.

“Building that new gym was an amazing team of individuals from the community, the college and throughout the area. We all had different tasks and responsibilities… mostly I called on businesses and individuals up and down the Republican River Valley,” said Foster. “We raised a good portion of that getting what people could afford but the nickels, dimes and dollars eventually added up.”

He said he saw blueprints of the 53,000 square foot building early on, but it wasn’t until he walked into the finished facility in August of 2012 that he said he was overwhelmed.

“It’s a powerful thing to see something that a lot of people working together, took years to plan and prepare for,” he said. “It turned out 1,000 percent better than I ever dreamed or imagined.”

From the McCook College classrooms he attended as a teen, Foster learned the fundamentals of science and math that eventually led to a 55-year career in the banking industry. More importantly it helped cultivate a strong sense of community that began at home, extended to the workplace and bloomed in the numerous organizations – like the college – that benefitted from his vision, his charity and his work ethic.