AC H I EV I N G C OL L E GE EXC E L L EN C E T R I O S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

March 22, 2015

I am honored to have the opportunity to write a letter of promise to express my admiration for and support of Leah Pasquesi as she completes her graduate program and begins a new chapter. I currently serve as the advisor to Achieving College Excellence, a TRiO Student Support Services program at Loyola University Chicago that supports first-generation, low-income undergraduates. When I came to Loyola as a new employee, Leah went out of her way to introduce herself and welcome me to the institution. Immediately, we connected over our common personal interests and overlapping professional passions. As a valued colleague and treasured friend of mine for the past year and a half, I can attest to the true potential that Leah possesses. I am consistently in awe of the holistic approach she brings to her work, her thoughtful and critical self-reflection, and her unparalleled ability to embody and encourage balance. These qualities will undoubtedly serve as assets to her as she enters the field of higher education.

Leah has an innate ability to create an inviting space for students where she acknowledges the different facets of their identity and encourages thoughtful discernment. Before entering her graduate program, Leah worked as a College Advisor at East Aurora High School through the Illinois College Advising Corps. In this position, she advised over 600 students regarding their post-secondary plans and helped to shift the culture at East Aurora High School to focus on college readiness. Many of these students identified as first-generation, low-income, or as having significant barriers toward college acceptance and completion. As she worked on the college search and application process, she encouraged students to see themselves as more than just an ACT score or a GPA, and to cultivate stories from their hearts, and in doing so, became a relatable figure and developed transformative relationships. Leah has applied this same holistic approach in her work with students as an advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola. This is particularly important given that Leah advises transfer students, and for many, she is their first point of contact with the university. She consistently asks questions of her advisees that delve into who they are at their core and how that can transfer to their major and future career path.

In both her personal and professional realms, Leah exercises critical self-reflection. She is constantly making meaning of her world and her interactions in a way that is nothing short of admirable. She is keenly self-aware and constantly asking "What can I learn from this experience?" and "How can I contribute to this experience?" Leah measures her growth and success according to these two questions. As a result, Leah approaches her work with a unique perspective and an incomparable drive. Through asking what she can learn, she maintains an open mindset and avails herself to new opportunities to expand upon her existing skill set. Through asking how she can contribute, she establishes herself as a reliable, efficient, and supportive team player, willing to go the extra mile to see a project through completion. As Leah asks tough, captivating questions of herself, she consistently models thoughtful introspection for students, colleagues, and friends alike.

In addition to excelling academically in her graduate program and shining as a graduate assistant in the College Of Arts and Sciences, Leah also serves as an Editorial Assistant for the Journal for Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs and as co-chair of the HESA Student Board's Professional Development Committee. While even seasoned higher education professionals constantly struggle with achieving balance, Leah prioritizes her life in a way that allows her to fulfill all of the aforementioned responsibilities and still find time to engage in her favorite hobbies, such as running and

AC H I EV I N G C OL L E GE EXC E L L EN C E T R I O S T U D E N T S U P P O R T S E R V I C E S

traveling, and to be a strong support for her family and friends. Leah embodies what it means to be a fully grounded, integrated, and present individual, and reminds me to make time for self-care.

I am confident that Leah will be a dynamic professional and valued member of any team she joins. Her unwavering passion, contagious positivity and incredulous work ethic will contribute positively to the field of higher education and to college access. I am humbled and honored to be a part of Leah's ongoing journey, and happy to further attest to her credentials and experience should you need additional information. Sincerely, Monica G. Cohen Achieving College Excellence (ACE)/TRiO SSS Loyola University Chicago Sullivan 238A mcohen8@luc.edu (773) 508-2721