Letter Of Appraisal For Scholarship printable pdf download

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS

PHONE 503-370-6060

FAX 503-370-6720

October 4, 2XXX

James R. Murray

Secretary of the Rhodes Committee Selection for Montana

Gordon Murray Tilden LLP

1001 Fourth Avenue

Suite 4000

Seattle, Washington 98154-1007

Re: Letter of Appraisal for _________

Dear Mr. Murray:

I write on behalf of ________’s application for a Rhodes Scholarship. I believe _______ to be an

exemplary student-scholar as well as a person of tremendous character with significant leadership skills.

I heard of _________ before I met her. A top student of mine and Truman finalist came into my office and

announced that she had met the next Truman finalist—a first year woman who was full of energy for

leading the Students for Choice organization. The young woman I encountered in my American Politics

class that next semester was, in fact, quite enthusiastic for her studies and a solid, conscientious student.

Full of questions, ________ regularly participated in class discussions and probed the materials with a zest

for learning. In her first year, however, I was more struck by her openness to the world than her analytic

ability.

What happened over the next two years was rather astounding from my perspective and a lesson to me not

to underestimate any student. ________ still has a refreshing wide-eyed quality about her but she is now

more fully self-possessed and has a command of analytic reasoning that places her in the top 1% of the

students I have encountered here at Willamette. Her enthusiasm and energy have been matched over the

years with a discipline that is remarkable in someone her age. This discipline is not about study habits,

though I would note that she always seems to be ahead of schedule, turning in assignments early and

working on projects weeks and months in advance. Her discipline is a commitment to learning.

As evidence of this discipline, I offer her engagement with me. While _________ did not receive the top

grade in my American Politics class and generally felt that she did not perform terribly well, she continued

to seek out my advice and feedback. Although she went on to stellar performances in other classes with

other professors, she sought me out on policy questions, asked for summer reading recommendations and

generally kept a running dialogue with me. In fact, as I have watched her progress over the last three years,

I note with amazement her ability to handle criticism and to grow and learn from it. Where other students

turn defensive, __________ wades in absorbing other perspectives and viewpoints, debating ideas,

adjusting her conclusions as necessary. She is undaunted but properly reflective, a rare combination that

speaks volumes, I believe, about her abilities as a scholar and a leader. This past summer _________

engaged me in an email discussion about poverty and welfare issues, reading extensively on her own and

asking me for more—more to read and more to think about.

This semester ________ is enrolled in two of my courses. Topics in Public Policy examines a number of

case studies including tax policy, environmental policies, education and housing and asks students to

evaluate different theories about the policy process based upon those cases. This is a difficult course

because it requires that students grasp complex specifics; they have to know why, for example, certain

Letter Of Appraisal For Scholarship