The Barton Community College Foundation has been raising money and managing endowments for scholarships and enhancements to the college for more than five decades. Lindsey Bogner, the next Executive Director of the Foundation, is hard at work absorbing as much knowledge as she can from the current director, Coleen Cape, who will retire in January. 

“Working with Coleen has been a great experience; we are so lucky to be able to spend so much time together before she retires,” Bogner said. “She has been at the college for 27 years and her expertise and mentorship are a boon that brings a deeper level of understanding, putting me on the right track.”

Bogner comes to the college with years of experience serving as the Foundation and Community Education Director at the Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic, and as a Communications Coordinator for the Clara Barton Hospital and Foundation. She holds a master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University.  

She said she’s excited for the possibilities in the future and already has some ideas for new initiatives, but she’s easing into the job slowly.

“I really want to focus on making what we have more successful,” she said. “The first order of business for me is to evaluate all of the events and programs and see if there are any changes that we can make before creating something new.” 

She said the “secret sauce” is the quality of the team she will be leading, including Administrative Assistant Amy Wheeler and Business and Accounting Specialist Donna McCormick.

“Donna and Amy are amazing, and with our mix of personalities, we are going to make a great team,” Bogner said. “They’ve got the know-how and the heart for everything the Foundation does.”

Speaking of heart, Bogner said she finds tremendous purpose in her role as the next leader of the foundation.

“I wake up and I get to help someone accomplish their goals every day,” she said. “Whether that is helping a donor set up an endowment or scholarship to recognize their loved one, giving a student a scholarship so they can get an education, or supporting the faculty and staff in their work, I have the opportunity to help make things happen. That is an amazing feeling and I love doing it.”

In addition to her experience and credentials, Bogner is a U.S. Army veteran and is highly involved in the community. She is a member of the Hines-Gossman American Legion Post #320 of Ellinwood. She serves on the Action Team for the Barton Arts Movement, is a member of Barton County Young Professionals, and volunteers as a Kansas Hunter Education Instructor for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Lindsey lives near Odin, with her husband Mark, and their two children, Zoey and Otto.