Amanda Lewis-Nang'ea

Part of my job is writing letters of recommendation or providing a reference for my students who apply to jobs, graduate school, internships, or awards. In order to make this a transparent process, here are some guidelines for asking me for a recommendation or reference. Following these will not ensure that I say yes to you, but will give you a good idea about how to go about the process effectively with me or other professors. 

1. Choose faculty who know you well.  It is really hard to write a glowing letter for someone who sits quietly in my class but may make good grades. If I never see you in office hours or don’t have some way of making a stronger connection, I may not be able to write the strongest recommendation. Keep this in mind in all your classes. Ideally, we should have had conversations outside of class, you should demonstrate that you had interest in the course material, and demonstrated leadership or problem-solving skills in class. Plan ahead. You need to think about how I view your performance in my class.
2. Make a formal request. You should ideally do this in person, but you can also send this by email (for example, if a request is needed over the summer). You will need to provide material that will help me write the best letter or give the strongest recommendation. This includes, but is not limited to, information about the program/job/internship/ you are applying to, a record of relevant coursework, explanation of research or essays you completed in my classes, experiences outside the classroom (this may be a CV or resume), and a personal statement, which is 2-3 paragraphs describing your interest and preparation for the position you are applying for.
3. Ask early. I need a minimum of 3 weeks before the due date, and ideally more than a month. I may decline to write this if you wait too close to the deadline or I don’t feel I’ve been given enough time and materials to write the letter. Remember that I am doing this on top of my other work and responsibilities.
4. Permissions associated with references/letters of recommendation. Do not give my name as a reference until I have agreed to do the reference. If you wish me to speak specifically to your grades and details of your performance in class, please submit a signed confidentiality waiver. You must also waive your right to see my letter of recommendation. 
5. I will only send letters directly to the school, internship supervisor or employer. Please don’t ask me to give you the letter to send, even when the instructions say to do this. Find a contact for me to submit the letter on your behalf.
6. Keep me updated. This is not required, but it is nice to hear about my students’ success and the outcome of your applications.