CLAS prof garners University Medal
Emeritus Professor of History Mark Foster’s teaching is legendary. For more than 30 years on the University of Colorado’s downtown Denver campus, Foster approached his teaching with a passion that gave students his full attention and wide-ranging knowledge. It is for this commitment and continued dedication to his students and the university that the University of Colorado Board of Regents proudly presents Foster with the University Medal.
“Professor Foster’s energetic lectures and discussions attracted students to his classes for decades,” notes nominator Pamela Laird, associate professor of history. In addition, Foster remains involved with the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center as a guest lecturer and is offering a summer course in 2007.
“As a guest lecturer, Professor Foster has eagerly shared his expertise in a variety of areas,” Laird notes. “He has led my class with presentations on his research specialties, including U.S. transportation history and the important businessmen about whom he wrote path-breaking biographies.”
Foster received his bachelor of arts in philosophy from Brown University and his masters and doctoral degrees from the University of California in U.S. History. Throughout his career, Foster has authored or co-authored nearly 10 books, more than 25 refereed articles and a myriad other works on the growth and management of cities and biographies of important business and civic leaders, many from Colorado.
In university service, Foster served as chair of the graduate program and as history department chair for many years, setting direction for both. “Mark Foster was one who made a difference,” stresses James B. Wolf, emeritus professor of history at UCDHSC.
Foster has had a significant impact on the university through the establishment of an endowed $100,000 faculty research fund for the Department of History. The Mark Foster Faculty Research Endowed Funs supports and promotes excellence in faculty research by providing funds for research and travel. He is currently taking the lead in planning a fund-raising challenge campaign to create an endowment that will provide additional support and recognition for outstanding professors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS).
Foster was a recipient of the CU-Denver Teacher of the Year award in 1983, Researcher of the year in 2001 and the Excellence in Research Award in CLAS in 2001.
“Dr. Mark Foster’s contributions in teaching, research, service and fund-raising for the university have been outstanding,” notes John Harbor, dean of CLAS. “They are precisely the sort of dedication and achievement the University Medal is intended to honor and recognize.”
Above: Professor Emeritus Mark Foster, second from left, received the University Medal.