Ballantyne's 44 years saluted at UCCS service awards

UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak and Paul Ballantyne

UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak honors Professor Paul Ballantyne at last week's service awards ceremony.

Led by Paul Ballantyne, professor in the department of economics at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, some 70 faculty and staff members were honored Thursday, April 28, for their commitment to the university for 25 or more years.

UCCS was only 2 years old when Ballantyne arrived in the fall of 1967. The Cragmor Campus, as the university was then called, still was in the beginnings of its transition from a bankrupt tuberculosis sanitarium to a free-standing campus.

"Coming here was kind of a challenge after leaving the Air Force Academy and flying fighter planes," Ballantyne said. "I came to teach economics at a former hospital with more bathrooms than classrooms, but I was surrounded by good people."

Ballantyne will retire following the spring semester with 44 years' service to the campus, including 30 years singing at commencement ceremonies, and will receive a special chancellor's award at the Campus Awards Ceremony.

Called charismatic, intelligent, enthusiastic and student-focused, Ballantyne was feted by Jim Null, professor, department of political science; Ken Pellow, professor, English; Dale DeBoer, associate professor, department of economics; Don Birkeland, a former department of psychology faculty member; and Tim Tregarthan, professor emeritus, department of economics. Tregarthan, now living in California, made his comments via a Skype connection.

"Having been here all of these years, I've learned a lot more than I've taught," Ballantyne said. "I've had colleagues who have taught me about life a lot more than I've taught them. If there's anything that God did give me was the ability to learn from those with whom I associated, and with whom I put my trust. That was the faculty members and you students."

The names, department, and years of service for others honored can be found at http://communique.uccs.edu/?p=3745