GENEVA COLLEGE g February 2022, To Whom It May Concern: Itis@ privilege to recommend Ryan Marchione for a teaching position in social studies education at the secondary level. During Ryan's time at Geneva | had Ryan asa student in three classes: a general education class in our core curriculum, Invitation to the Humanities; a survey class on twentieth century U.S. history; and an upper-level class called U.S. Cultural History. Ryan is among the most attentive students I've had in recent years. When I reflect upon Ryan's classroom presence what comes to mind is a direct, inquisitive gaze, one that bespeaks an interest in discovery. Ryan understands that the posture of learning is by necessity a humble one, and he always left me as a teacher with the impression that he was willing to be taught by others—not just by me but also his classmates. As someone in his third decade of teaching, | know that such students deserve to be welcomed with gratitude and hope. Ryan certainly elicited such a response from me. He was truly a pleasure to have in class. If Ryan arrived asa humble learner, his capacity as a critical thinker increased markedly during his years at Geneva. In the courses he took with me much reading was required, often 150-200 pages per week, along with writing assignments related to the reading. Ryan embraced the challenge of critical encounter and turned in, semester by semester, a series of papers that demonstrated close reading and thoughtful reflection, completed on time and with compositional excellence. This was the evidence that Ryan’s posture in class wasn’t just for the classroom—it was characteristic of the way he approached his entire career as a student. It is Ryan's serious, faithful devotion to learning that will make him a successful teacher. Ina quiet way he exerts a large presence. The gentle and respectful relationships he enjoyed with his classmates at Geneva will translate easily into the same kind of connecting with his students. He will win them with his devotion to them as well as to the subject he is seeking to teach. Ryan is thinking hard—and thinking well—about not simply what history is but why it matters. He will develop approaches to the classroom that will honor the importance of both his field and his students. | urge you to give his application serious consideration. Sincerely, 4 ZN Eric Miller, PhD Professor of History and the Humanities Directory, Honors Program 724.867.6634; emiller@geneva.edu 200 College Ave., Beover Fall 00 | www.geneva.edu