Connie Baker, Admin. III, PPCC Foundation

What do you do at PPCC?
I am an Admin III, doing the bookkeeping and scholarship administration for the PPCC Foundation, the fundraising department that supports the college in ways that the State cannot. This involves tracking incoming donations, sending thank you letters to donors and working with our Board of Directors and the banks to make sure our reporting is accurate. I also review scholarship applications for accuracy and completeness, and send them on to the selection committee. Then I monitor to see that the funds are put into the college account and dispersed to the selected students.

Why did you choose PPCC?
It chose me, really! I was a work study in the President’s Office when Joe Garcia was here. Debbie McCarty, who worked with the Foundation, was on extended leave and they asked me to step in and fill the job as a temp, and then as a permanent, classified Admin II.

What is a little-known fact about you?
One of my former jobs was as a welder doing ornamental iron work. Second, I was an AVP student at PPCC way back in the 70s, studying commercial art. However, instead of finishing college, I got married, had children, they grew up, and I finally came back to finish PPCC after many, many years!

What is your favorite food?
Chinese food and margaritas (I’m sure that’s a food….it has limes in it, right?).

What do you enjoying doing?
Art, mostly drawing, but also painting duck decoys; photography; walking my dog; harassing my grown children; and playing with my granddaughter, AJ.

What is your favorite quote?
“Doing what you know will get you through what you don’t know.” – Buddy Copeland, deceased pastor of Westside Church

What is the last book you read (or are reading)?
I just started the latest Nicolas Sparks (romance writer) book, but forgot the name.

Do you have pets?
Yes, Gracie, a two-year-old black lab mixed with “lover.”

If you could meet any famous person, living or deceased, who would it be?
Robert Bateman, a current wildlife artist/painter. I admire his work and would love to learn about his road to artistic success.

What is your favorite PPCC story?
When interviewing a scholarship applicant, I asked the young man why we (the Foundation) should support him. He said, “As a Hispanic male, I’m expected to be a roofer or an automotive technician, nothing more. But that’s not my dream. Without your help, I’m stuck in those stereotypes.” This young man will graduate PPCC this spring and transfer to UCCS in the fall. He is finishing up here in business entrepreneurship and is chasing those bigger dreams because we did help him.

Ken Morris, Criminal Justice faculty, BPS

What do you do at PPCC?
I have been the criminal justice program department chair for five years now and have been on the CRJ faculty for 10 years.

Why did you choose PPCC?
PPCC and the CRJ program had such a great reputation that it was a logical move for me when I retired as the Patrol Division Commander for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. And, by the way, I was Ken Hilte’s (PPCC’s current Chief of Public Safety) boss back in the day and taught him everything he knows!

What is a little-known fact about you?
Well, I’m a part-time male model! … What, you don’t believe me? Ok, I was a police officer with the United Nations in Kosovo in 1999 right after the war. I stayed for about 18 months when it was supposed to be a six-month tour-of-duty. As a station commander in Kosovo, my area of operation consisted of a city of 100,000 inhabitants and 63 villages. The experience made me really appreciate electricity and running water since we had neither for six months!

What is your favorite food?
I appreciate a well-prepared hamburger.

What do you enjoying doing?
Since I have a vacation home in Perdido Key, Florida, I spend a lot of time down there fishing and swimming. Check out the drum fish in my photo, caught from the shore! I also like to ski and ride my bicycle.

What is your favorite quote?
“Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.” - unknown

What is the last book you read (or are reading)?
Several months ago, I read The Shack. I enjoy getting new and interesting perspectives on things, and that certainly provided just that.

Do you have pets?
Yes, I have a Leonberger dog named Roscoe. These dogs look kind of like a St. Bernard on steroids….

If you could meet any famous person, living or deceased, who would it be?
Definitely the Dalai Lama to get his interesting perspective on life.

What is your favorite PPCC story?
It’s not really a story, but we get so many military students in CRJ coming back from the war in the Middle East who have faced life and death, and have been through so much that most of us will never know about or understand. And they’re here to get an education. They are truly my personal unsung heroes.