Judy is a Michigan City girl by birth, but has lived in LaPorte and Valparaiso for all of her married life (30 years last November). She joined PNC in July of 1969. In fact, she notes that her first day was the day that Neil Armstrong, a Purdue grad, first walked on the moon. She received a phone call that a Purdue holiday had been declared so she was not to report for her first day of work as the campus was closed.

She began as a secretary in the clerical pool when the campus was just the Education Building (now Schwarz Hall). There were no departmental secretaries at that time.
She also learned to operate the campus' A.B. Dick printing press. (She notes she made $1.75 an hour and that fuel at Harry's Gas Station north of the campus was 25 cents/gallon.)

In 1972, new chancellor John Tucker arrived on campus and Judy was hired to be his secretary. In 1973, she married then Finance Manager, Bill Back. Judy remained as secretary to the chancellor until a promotion for Bill in 1976 to his current position made it impossible for both of them to report to the Chancellor. She then joined the Community Relations office (which doubled that staff to 2). She continued doing secretarial work and began writing press releases. As the campus grew, so did the demands of Community Relations. They moved to the area in the west lobby of Schwarz. Additional responsibilities were added and the office now encompassed community relations, alumni relations, and hired a graphic artist and a press person. Her title then was Coordinator of Publicity and Publications and Print Shop Manager. She remained in that position until she left PNC in May of 1990, just short of 21 years of service.

Then living in LaPorte, Judy volunteered as an aide at Park School 's pre-school program for special needs children, was appointed to the LaPorte City Park Board and was on the Board of the Salvation Army. When she and Bill moved to Valparaiso in 1996, she joined the Porter County Salvation Army Board and serves as their Angel Tree Chair each Christmas season. Most of her free time though is devoted to the Purdue North Central Women's Association, having served as its first president and currently serving in several capacities. Judy returned to PNC in August of 2002 and is the Business Representative at the Valparaiso Academic Center .

Judy's favorite food is ice cream and, rather than a motto, she favors the "Prayer of St. Francis" to keep her life on track.