Department of English (MC 162)

2027 University Hall

601 South Morgan Street
Chicago, Illinois 60607-7120
May 17, 2022

Letter of Recommendation for Carolina Hinojosa

Carolina Hinojosa was one of the Writing Center’s most exceptional tutors. Everyone she had contact with –
students, other tutors, instructors, administrators – was affected by her intelligence, compassion, and
illuminated sense of life. With an extraordinary sense of obligation and resourcefulness, she made use of her
time at the university, her studies in English and Education, and her growth through tutoring to develop and
expand her mission to be a leader and educator who is of great service to others.

Carolina was a remarkable tutor. She found every single tutoring session an adventure in learning, in helping
others, and in creating opportunities for important dialogue. She worked with the greatest variety of writers,
from graduate students working on publications to undergrads with learning disabilities or even those with no
opportunities to get feedback on their writing while they were in high school. She negotiated each of these
encounters with great social grace and deep insight into communication. She became one of our most
requested tutors. She helped students become interested in their assignments and motivated them to keep
working on their writing after they completed their tutoring session with her. Observing her made it clear that
helping others was one of her gifts and something that brought her joy.

Carolina studied tutoring as well as practiced it. After she completed an introductory class on tutoring, she
decided to take a second class so she could conduct research on tutoring approaches. But even in her
introductory class, which she took with me, the depth of her interest and the willingness with which she
explored some of the challenging questions about tutoring initiated some of the greatest class discussions.
Although she was head-and-shoulders more accomplished than her fellow students, her contributions to class
modeled respect, trust, and careful listening.

It was a wonder to see Carolina in action. She was thrilled by opportunities to share what she was learning with
everyone she worked with, pulling them into a world where it was easier for them to be motivated and to find
their assignments meaningful. Carolina was a light among us -- we were so very fortunate to have had her as a
tutor.

Sincerely,

Vainis Aleksa, PhD

Director, Writing Center

Phone (312) 413-2200 • Fax (312) 413-1005 • www.uic.edu/depts/engl