1032 W Sheridan Rd | Chicago, Illinois 60660 p (773) 508-3680 jmerrill@luc.edu
March 12, 2015
To whom it may concern,
I am writing this letter in support of Lisa Rogers' promise as a professional in higher education. I have had the pleasure of attending Loyola University Chicago's Higher Education program with Lisa as well as working alongside her as an Assistant Resident Director (ARD) in Loyola's Department of Residence Life. In both of these roles I have had the opportunity to overcome obstacles and grow beside her and have watched as she has made meaning of why she wants to be a higher education professional. Overall, Lisa has demonstrated a profound vulnerability and commitment to social justice as a student and professional staff member. These, and many other, qualities that she possess contribute to her promise as a professional. One of my earliest interactions with Lisa was working with her in our Multiculturalism for Social Justice course. The project we worked on required us to co-write a research paper regarding multiracial student populations and co-facilitating a dialogue with our peers regarding identity. Working with Lisa was a formative experience that I highly value. In our partnership, Lisa rolemodeled vulnerability and challenged me to dig deeper into how my identities intersected with our research topic. In our dialogue, Lisa also critically challenged our peers to develop a deeper understanding of their identities. This skill peeling back the layers and challenging herself and others to grasp the deeper meaning of the issue at hand is one that she has continually demonstrated throughout our program. Lisa incorporates this critical lens and vulnerability in her role as an ARD. These traits combine and contribute to one of Lisa's most powerful additions to our staff: Lisa is not afraid to share the unpopular or difficult point of view. Worded differently, she takes risks and expresses the voice that needs to be heard in a conversation. These silenced opinions may have been ones that others myself included were previously unwilling to share. In other words, her vulnerability in these instances encouraged me and others within our group to let ourselves be heard. This is one of the qualities I most admire about Lisa. Additionally, Lisa serves as one of the cornerstones of our ARD and cohort community. In a field where sub-groups naturally form, Lisa has done a phenomenal job of staying connected with and connecting various sub-groups within our larger community. This dedication to connecting with her peers is only one demonstration of her commitment to inclusion. In sum, Lisa brings a critical vulnerability to her work as a higher education professional. She has served many roles throughout her time in this program, and in each she has infused these qualities. Amongst all of our peers, Lisa has continually challenged me to be more. As such, I am honored to call Lisa both my friend and professional colleague, and I look forward to seeing her impact within higher education. Sincerely,
Jon Merrill Assistant Resident Director Northside Area Loyola University Chicago M.Ed. Higher Education 15