Roger F. and Brenda L. Baker Scholarship

Good planning pays off. At least it has for Roger and Brenda Baker and, fortunately, for CLU as well. The Bakers met at CLU in the late ‘70s when Roger was a political science major and Brenda transferred in as a business major. They graduated together in 1981, then married in 1987 and decided to settle in Palmdale. Both pursued master’s degrees in their respective fields of interest—MPA and MBA. They soon added a daughter, Sarah, to their family circle.

When the political world lost its allure Roger accepted what became a long-term position as air traffic controller at the Air Traffic Control Center in Palmdale. Brenda’s expertise as a financial analyst made her a valuable asset for the company that hired her fresh out of college. But it was their combined planning that made this scholarship a reality.

In 2001, after 20 years of faithful giving to the CLU annual fund, the Bakers made the decision to create a scholarship in their family name. They set their sights on getting it to the endowment level of $25,000 within five years. Once again, they planned carefully and then worked their plan. Part of the plan included utilizing Brenda’s matching gift privilege from her employer.

The Bakers carefully considered the award criteria for the Roger F. and Brenda L. Baker Scholarship. They decided that the recipient should be a business major at the upper-division level with financial need. In establishing this scholarship, Roger and Brenda Baker exemplify the best in what CLU hopes for its graduates—solid education, successful careers and the wisdom and means to choose a legacy that will live on. It takes good planning and faithfulness to the plan.