COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

02 December 2013 To Whom It May Concern:

I write to highly recommend Pamela Walsh for employment. Pamela will graduate from Drake this fall with a Master of Arts degree in teaching, and previously earned her bachelors degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, also at Drake. Pamela is very well prepared to enter the full time world of being an educator. I have known Pamela for almost 10 years; she was a first-year student in my FYS during my second year of teaching at Drake. So I have been able to witness her growth and development during a long period of time, and I can safely assert that she is a thoughtful, mature, intelligent and extremely hard-working young woman. I have every confidence that her path has led her in the right direction; and that she will be (and already is, from what I can tell) a fantastic and energetic educator. Pamela has been a student in several of my courses as she has made her way through our graduate program, including Adolescent Literature as well as an independent study on teaching. Pamela is an exemplary student in every wayshe is studious, adventurous, assertive, intelligent, and creative in her approach to learning. She has been a delight to work withand I am confident that she will be an excellent teacher and member of your staff. During her time at Drake and throughout her academic career, Pamela has worked diligently to achieve her goals. Pamelas focused efforts towards becoming an educator are evident in her coursework as well as in her extra-curricular activities. Not only has she excelled in her academic work, she has made the effort to work on her teaching skills outside of the classroom as well. She completed her student teaching at Valley High School in Des Moines, Iowa this year. Pamelas presence and participation in my classes has always made me glad that she was there, and in retrospect, provide powerful evidence of her future as a dedicated educator. In my discussion based courses, a crucial aspect of discussion is always the willingness to be open to ideas as well as the ability to listen and engage with fellow classmates. This process is not always easy for studentsbut Pamela was a thoughtful and aware participant in every discussion. She speaks when she has something to say, but more important, she listens to others and acknowledges their contributions. This quality is one that I feel is not easily learned, but yet is vital to creating an active and vibrant learning environment. Pamela embodies active learning as a studentand I strongly believe that her knowledge, expertise, and experience will carry over into her own classroom. Pamela recognizes that an important aspect of learning is listeningand I know she will be an outstanding educator for this and many other reasons. One of Pamelas qualities that I find exceptional is her willingness to be open to new ideas and to new people. She was always the kind of student that would make an effort to be inclusive in her classroom participation. She also has a finely developed sense of humora quality that is a necessity for an

Howard Hall 2505 University Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50311-4505

T 515.271.3777 F 515.271.2055 http://artsci.drake.edu/english/

educator, in my view. Pamela is smart, thoughtful, dedicated and tireless. I cannot think of anyone more qualified to become an educator. I recommend Pamela Walsh very highly and without reservation. I certainly hope you give her every consideration, as I feel very strongly that she will be an asset to your institution. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need or require any additional information.

Beth Younger Associate Professor Department of English Director of Womens Studies Drake University 515.306.2871 (cell) 515.271.3973 (ofc) beth.younger@drake.edu