To: Fordham University Admissions
Fr: Dr. Steve Cirrone
Re: M—S—
April 7, 2010
To the Admissions Board:
I am writing in full support of M—S—‘s application to your university.
I met M— when she took Freshman Literature (English Writing 301) with me during the Summer
2009 semester; the course was accelerated, only six weeks long, and extremely demanding in
terms of assignments, readings and classroom participation. M— proved herself to be the very
best student in that class, and she is one of the best students I have had the pleasure to teach in my
nearly twenty year career teaching community college.
M— wrote papers with such detail and depth of conviction and insight that they absolutely set her
above her peers; I remember her formalism essay on poetry and her critical essay on an aspect of
feminist theory in literature as two extremely informed, engaging and intelligent arguments. But
M—‘s talents exceed her academic drive and discipline; she is also an amazing young woman
with exceptional potential and desire to contribute to both academia and the world around her.
This past academic year (2009-2010), I initiated an English Major Mentorship Program (EMMP)
at Sacramento City College (SCC), a competitive program for students dedicated to English as a
major and a vocation; M— eagerly applied to the program, was accepted on her academic merits
and passion for the English discipline, was assigned a faculty mentor, and quickly volunteered to
co-chair (with another EMMP student) one of the program’s key committees responsible for
sponsoring SCC’s first annual undergraduate English conference. She contributed to the creation
of the conference plan, she came up with the title of the conference (Reel Good Reads: The
Intersection of Film and Text), she has been instrumental in petitioning students for
submissions—she is also planning to write and deliver a paper at the conference herself; what an
amazing young woman.
M— cares deeply about her education as well as educating those around her. She is charismatic, a
skilled conversationalist, detail-oriented and a highly self-disciplined person. She tells me that
this upcoming summer she will be in New York City working as an intern at a large publishing
house, and she is considering a career in academic book editing and publishing.
I have no doubt that M—S— will be a force in the academic world and that she will continue to
be an example of dedication and discipline for all her peers. I encourage you to accept her to your
university—she will not disappoint. If I can further assist you in evaluating her for your program,
please contact me directly in any of the ways below.
Sincerely,
Steve Cirrone, PhD
English Professor
Steve.cirrone@scc.losrios.edu
916-558-2608