Vanessa R.

Calonzo 1716 Glenwood Avenue Southeast Renton, WA 98058 Portfolio Committee Student Development Administration Seattle University 901 12th Avenue Seattle, WA 98122 April 15, 2014 Dear Portfolio Committee: It is with great excitement that I write this letter of reflection for Chanell Sagon. I met Chanell when we started in the SDA program in 2011. We connected immediately and found that we had a lot in common. One major experience that connected us was the fact that we were both working full-time while going to school. We were able to look to each other as a support system as we experienced the challenges of the commute, the long hours, and general work/life/school balance. In Chanell, I found someone who was also passionate about the community college, the college experience, and access. I appreciated all her help in classes and in navigating the SDA program and found her to be a naturally sweet, caring, and supportive person. She helped me to stay motivated through the tough times, and I know this is something she will strive to do for the students and colleagues she works with. Professionally, I also connected with Chanell while she worked for the 13th Year Promise Scholarship Program at South Seattle College. When she started the position, I was serving as the Director of Student Outreach, Admissions & Recruitment. We worked closely together in the outreach aspects of her position, and she would often look to me as a guide to best practices and navigation of the college. I found Chanell to be responsible, reliable, and someone who was open to listen and collaborate. She truly demonstrated a passion for helping her students, and often advocated for them to find support options as they transitioned into college. She was able to use much of what she was learning in the SDA program to critically review her work and develop her programming in a way to be supportive, open, and aware of key issue affecting the communities she served. I appreciated her open communication and willingness to learn. It was very easy to work with her and trust that she would do a quality job. The care she always showed me in our SDA classes was evident in the work she did with her students. Chanell continues to inspire me with her positive outlook, approachable demeanor, and her passion to work with students so they can be successful. I know she will be an effective and passionate administrator in the future and a positive reflection of the core outcomes the SDA program promotes. Thank you for your time and consideration of Chanells portfolio. Sincerely,

Vanessa R. Calonzo