Employee Profile

Ralph Foster, MS

Ralph Foster, MS

Assistant Vice President Emeritus

University Outreach & Public Service

  • Outreach Administration
    • Academic Programs

    Ralph S. Foster, Jr. retired in 2020 from Auburn University, having served for more than 31 years at the institution, culminating his 40-plus year professional career. Awarded the title of Assistant Vice President Emeritus for his collective contributions to Auburn’s Division of University Outreach, Foster continues to provide assistance to community engagement projects in the division. A native Alabamian, Foster earned his BS in business administration from Auburn and his MS in human resources from Troy University; he completed additional professional institutes in adult and continuing education at the University of Georgia and in experiential learning at Northeastern University. While at Auburn, Foster oversaw the division’s public service programs and was responsible for University Outreach’s strategic planning and certification initiatives including maintaining Auburn’s Carnegie Community Engagement classification. Foster’s scholarly publications include journal articles and book chapters on ethics, education, management, and civic engagement, and he serves on the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement as a member of the editorial board. Among his awards and recognitions over the years includes the title of Fellow in the Society for Advancement of Management, the highest professional honor of that international organization, and the Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International. He is also a life member of the Auburn Alumni Association. Foster has served as board member, chair, and committee positions in several national academic societies, and community  organizations in the state, including currently the David Mathews Center for Civic Life and the Montgomery Kiwanis Foundation. He and wife Lesley reside in Montgomery.

    Education

    • Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Auburn University 1979
    • Master of Science in Personnel Management Troy University - Montgomery 1988
    • National Leadership Institute in Adult & Continuing Education University of Georgia 1991
    • National Institute on Experiential Education Northeastern University 2008

    Professional Experience

    Foster has more than 40 years professional experience in managerial and executive positions in the private and public sectors, non-profit organizations, and higher education. Focus of experience includes program development, strategic planning, communications, human resources classification and compensation systems, corporate and institutional policy, organizational development, community engagement strategy, and executive leadership.

    Innovation

    Foster's scholarship includes nine published book chapters and edited volumes, and articles in five peer reviewed journal publications on subjects of business ethics, organizational development, and community engagement. Additionally, he has edited and/or contributed to numerous Auburn University and University Outreach periodicals, publications and informational pieces over his tenure at the institution. Foster has presented fourteen peer reviewed papers at national and regional scholarly conferences on subjects related to community engagement and higher education outreach. In addition, he has presented or participated in panel presentations at Auburn University internal faculty workshops and symposia over his tenure. 

    Engagement

    Over his tenure at Auburn, Foster developed or oversaw a number of outreach and community engaged initiatives including the university's CEU program certification services, service learning and engagement programs (such as AuburnServes and Campus Kitchens Project), institutional and community partnerships, faculty development and non-profit organizational training. Responsible for public information and educational resources including Beyond Auburn and Encyclopedia of Alabama.

    Scholarly Engagement

    Foster served as chair or member of more than 40 university committees and task forces focused on outreach strategic planning, emergency response, oversight of campus activities and public access, human resources classification, and other key issues. Significantly, Foster led Auburn's successful Carnegie Community Engagement classification committees twice, and led the development of the university's CEU policy still in use today. Foster also chaired, co-chaired or participated in nine scholarly conferences, three of which were national in scope. 

    During his tenure at Auburn, Foster was principal investigator or co-principal investigator for six major outreach program grants, totaling $311,000.