999TahoeBlvd. InclineVillage,NV89451 March18,2014 RE:LetterofRecommendationforDonnaAxton DearSNCFaculty: ItismysincerepleasuretorecommendDonnaAxtonfortherankofProfessor.Inthenineyears IhavehadthepleasuretoworkwithDonna,shehasshownherselftobeanexcellentteacher, advisor,studentmentor,musicianandleaderofthemusicprogram. DonnaembodiestheinterdisciplinaryspiritthatdefinesacademicinquiryatSierraNevada College.WithajointappointmentinbothPsychologyandArt,Donnaconstantlycrosses disciplinaryboundaries.Onemoment,shefindsherselfexplainingtoastudentpreparingfora recitalhowmentalillnessmighthavecontributedtotheartisticgeniusofourmostbeloved composers.Thenextmoment,Donnafindsherselfteachingpsychologystudentsaboutthe therapeuticbenefitsofartandmusic.Asshecrossestheseboundaries,Donnausesher expertisetoimprovethequalityofherteachinginbothdisciplines.

Donnascourses,inboth musicandinpsychology,arelovedbyherstudents.Studentsthriveunderhercarebothasa musicalmentorandasapsychologyprofessor. DonnascommitmenttoboththecollegecommunityandthelocalInclineVillagecommunityis unrivaled.Semesteraftersemester,DonnatirelesslyteachesthecommunityChorusgroup, leadingendlesspracticesandputtingontwoamazingperformanceseachyearthatare attendedbytheentiretown.DonnaseffortsinwiththeChorusareanimportantwaythatSNC studentsareencouragedtointeractwiththelocalmusicalcommunityandtheseperformances showcaseSNCstudenttalentfortheentirecommunity.Additionally,Donnacanbefound behindthepianoatcountlessgroupandindividualrecitalsforSNCstudentsthroughoutthe year.And,ofcourse,herBroadwayconcertduringCommencementweekeachyearisabeloved SNCtradition,asishermusicalmentorshipofallperformersatCommencementitself.It sometimesseemsthatifyouhearasongontheSNCcampus,allyouhavetodoisturnaround andyouwillfindDonnaatthenearestpianoplayingaccompaniment.WithoutDonna,Sierra NevadaCollegewouldbeamuchlessmusicalplace. Quietly,andwithoutfanfare,DonnarunsasuccessfulmusicprogramatSNCwithveryfew resources.Duringdifficulteconomictimes,Donnacreativelyusedcoursefeestocontinue compensatingtheindividualmusicinstructorsfairlyfortheirtimeteachingourstudents.Donna

hasusedherconnectionstobringincrediblytalentedteachersandmusicianstothecampusfor thebenefitofourstudents.DonnahasgrownthemusicminoratSNCsinglehandedlyand throughherowndedicationtomusicformusicssake.Donnahasnurturedanumberofunlikely musicaltalentsatSNC,turningthemfromaveragetoamazingintheprocess. Donnasownpersonalhistoryasamusicianandherperformancesoncountlessalbumsare amongthemostfascinatingstoriesontheSNCfaculty.Thatsaid,itisDonnasabsoluteand unwaveringcommitmenttothefaculty,staffandstudentsofSierraNevadaCollegethatmakes herdeservingofthispromotioninmymind.Donnaisavaluable,irreplaceablememberofthis communityandwithouthermanyimportantcampusandcommunitymusicprogramssimply couldntcontinue.Simplyput,Donnamakesadifference. IofferthisletterofrecommendationintheroleofacolleagueandanadmirerofDonnas accomplishments.IbelieveDonnaisdeservingofadvancementtotherankofProfessorandI thinkthatshewillcontinuetomakeavaluableacademic,professional,administrativeandsocial contributiontoSNCformanyyearstocome.Asalways,itispurelythedecisionofthefacultyto grantalladvancementsinrank. Pleasedonthesitatetocontactmeifyouwouldlikeanyfurtherinformationaboutthis recommendation.Icanbereachedatsbeets@sierranevada.eduor(775)8311314ext.7444. Sincerely,

ShannonBeets ExecutiveVicePresidentandProvost

March 7, 2014 Dear Ranking Committee, It is my true pleasure to write this letter of support for Donna Axton. In the seventeen years that I've worked with Donna at SNC, I've never been more impressed with any faculty member's dedication to her students, the institution, and the community. Donna works relentlessly hard to provide her audiences with high quality music, and is always willing to put in what it takes to create amazing concerts and recitals. Donna is extremely talented as a musician. Every performance of hers leaves me in awe of her command of the piano, directing, and composing. Her career is so impressive with the people she's worked with in the music industry, and her first hand knowledge of revolutionary music in the 20th century is fantastic. I miss listening to Donna playing with outstanding vocalists and high caliber musicians like Elizabeth Pitcairn in David Hall. Sometimes it was hard to believe that it was live music, and not a recording. She has also achieved a lot in her personal music endeavors, producing 2 CDs:"Out of the Blue" and "Matthew C. Axton", and performing on a regular basis with her Folk Blues Jazz group, "Out of the Blue". We're truly fortunate to have Donna on our faculty. As a teacher, Donna is extremely dedicated to her students, pushing them to new levels in their music education. Her private lessons culminate in impressive recitals, and her choir performs challenging scores of music beautifully. Some of her former students have gone on to have wonderful careers in music. Two previous music majors are especially accomplished. Tamara Thompson Brock is finishing her doctorate in Musicology in London at the Royal College of Music and Craig Canedy is a licensed Music Therapist with his own center in Atlanta, Georgia, Muse for Life. Marilou Baker and Greg Ginocchio both became music teachers in Nevada when they finished our Education Program. There are countless students of Donna's that are still involved in music, singing or playing piano. I feel Donna is very deserving of promotion to full professor. She has given her life's work to Sierra Nevada College, and should be recognized for her contributions. Sincerely, Sheri Leigh O'Connor, Chair of Fine Arts

February 28, 2014 To Whom It May Concern, I write this letter in support of Donna Axtons promotion from the rank of Associate Professor to Full Professor. I am the Psychology Program Chair at Sierra Nevada College (SNC) where Donna is an asset in flexibility with the demands of our evolving program, her demonstration of empathy to her students, and willingness to go beyond expectations in her teaching. Donna is an outstanding colleague and valued professor. Donna was a part of SNCs psychology program long before I arrived. As per student and faculty testimony, she was an asset to the psychology community before I arrived and has continued to be an important member since I became Psychology Program Chair in 2009. At this time, my primary mission was to modernize the focus of SNCs psychology program and raise the standards to which psychology students were held. Although this change in focus represented a notable shift away from Donnas training and approach to counseling, she remained active and was supportive of psychology program development. Donna has a broad skill set that allows her to teach a variety of courses both within psychology and for the art department. She teaches a variety of courses for psychology ranging from traditionally required content (e.g., abnormal, human development, and counseling and clinical) to applied elective courses (e.g., art therapy, humanistic and transpersonal psychology, and clinical methodologies). Donna masters content and devotedly teaches students using a unique combination of methods students find fresh and motivating. Donna is also celebrated within our program for her unending flexibility in taking on new challenges and courses for our program. Already carrying a full load, Donna has stepped in and taught unstaffed courses on multiple occasions. While I hate to burden her, I know psychology students appreciate seeing her in more and more psychology courses. That said, she never treats these additional courses as burdens, in fact, she takes them on with enthusiasm and teaches them with the same positivity she teaches all of her courses. SNC students love Donna and that is no overstatement. She is supportive of their dreams and provides welcomed empathy to each and every one who reaches out to her. Being a student in our psychology program requires equal levels of academic aptitude and drive. Donna strikes a wonderful balance of support and encouragement that allows our students to feel they can succeed in their futures. I know this because I am aware psychology students form unique relationships with Donna and seek her out for support when anxious about their academic studies and futures. Please accept my wholehearted recommendation on behalf of Donna Axtons application for promotion to full professor. Feel free to contact me directly with any further questions. I would delight in the opportunity to speak in greater depth about the talents that qualify Donna for this promotion.

Christina M. Frederick, Ph.D. Psychology Program Chair Sierra Nevada College cfrederick@sierranevada.edu