Hall of Fame - Cliff Baker

Clifford B. Baker Clifford B. Baker is one of those unique individuals who comes around once in a life time. For over 30 years Clifford has worked to provide financial assistance to students of Texas, first as the Director Aid at West Texas State University (WTSU) and more recently as the Executive Director of Panhandle Plains Higher Education Authority. His involvement with TASFAA began with the dedicated group of financial aid pioneers who realized the need for an organization that would unite financial aid administrators in our own state. He served as a member of the steering committee that established and organized TASFAA. He envisioned an organization that would provide training opportunities to his colleagues for the purpose of improving the delivery of financial aid dollars to assist students attending postsecondary institutions in Texas. Clifford always shared his expertise with others by serving on many TASFAA committees, as a presenter at workshops and conferences, by mentoring one on one, and as President in 1973-74.

During his years as Financial Aid Director at WTSU, the Department of Education utilized Clifford's skills as a trainer on many occasions to provide training to financial aid administrators in Texas. The Department also called upon Clifford to demonstrate his model financial aid operation at WTSU to their newly hired Department employees.

For years, during the developmental stages of the Guaranteed Student Loan program it was difficult for students or schools to have access to lenders to fund their loans. Again, Clifford's imagination and vision served Texas students well. He worked tirelessly with Milton Morris to create one of the first Higher Education Authorities in Texas to help fill this void. The Authority stimulated the participation of lenders and opened up otherwise lost opportunities for many Texas students to access higher education. His vision, courage and effort resulted in the establishment of Panhandle Plains Higher Education Authority in Canyon, Texas.