TO: EVOC 503 Instructor Dr. Joe Scarcella
FROM: Phil Fournier
DATE:
12/23/2004
RE: 503, WA5, Fournier

The purpose of EVOC 503 WA5 was to prepare a Letter of Recommendation for myself as if I were the person asked to write the letter. The following six criteria were specified:

  1. Comply with all of the General Criteria for Written Assignments.
  2. Provide the real name and title of a person whom you might ask for a letter of recommendation from.

The person I selected was Mr. Roddy Rampersand, the department head and only full-time automotive instructor at Mt. San Jacinto College, San Jacinto, California.

  1. Write the letter of recommendation as if you are the person indicated in #2 above.
  2. Limit the letter to not more than ONE PAGE in a standard business format. Do NOT refer to anyone in the letter by only their first name.
  3. Include explicit information about who you (the letter writer) are and the circumstances under which you know the person (yourself) for whom the letter is being written.
  4. Include specific information about the best qualities (only) of the person for whom the letter is being written.

The following sources of information were used relative to this assignment:

  1. Fournier, Phil - From my own professional experience.
  2. http://bokcenter.fas.harvard.edu/docs/Verba-recs.html  (this is a good document written precisely about writing letters of recommendation.)

I believe that the attached proposal meets all six of above listed criteria and respectfully request full credit: one point for meeting each of the above listed criteria.

(College Letterhead Here)

 

To Whom It May Concern:

 

It is a pleasure for me to recommend Mr. Phil Fournier to you for the position you have open as a full-time automotive instructor at Zyyxx Community College.  Mr. Fournier has taught for us here at Mt. San Jacinto College since the fall semester of 1988.  I have only been department head here for two years, but during that two year period have had much time to interact with Mr. Fournier on a professional level.  Mr. Fournier brings a special talent to the table in his teaching because he has been a full-time technician as well as a business owner for over 20 years.  As a full-time technician, Mr. Fournier has real-world insights into the profession that are a rare find among automotive instructors.  Mr. Fournier has also surveyed on the advisory committee here at MSJC and can always be counted on to make down-to-earth and practical suggestions for the improvement of our automotive curriculum.

 

You may know these things already from reading Mr. Fournier’s résumé but in case he was too modest to mention this, Mr. Fournier was selected as Technician of the Year by Napa/ASE in 1997.  He has also served on NATEF certification teams and has written test questions for ASE on their advanced engine performance test (L1) for a number of years.  He is well known within the industry for writing professionally for a number of different publications, including Motor Age, Motor Service, Net Profit Garage, and most recently, for a BMW publication, Tech Drive. These impeccable credentials enhance his credibility with the students, who are always pleased to be instructed by someone who “wrote the book” so to speak.

 

I am also pleased to inform you that Mr. Fournier is well on his way to completing his Bachelor’s degree in Vocational Education.  He has completed both Level 1 and Level 2 courses at CSUSB and I have notice a marked improvement in his teaching methods and entire outlook on teaching since he began his studies.  His student retention rate is the best in the automotive department at over 70%, which speaks very well of his abilities to engage and educate his students.  In short, I wish that we had an opening here at MSJC for a full-time instructor.  I would certainly recommend Mr. Fournier for the job if we did.

 

Sincerely,

 

Roddy Rampersand, Department Head, Automotive Technology, MSJC