GARDNER-WEBB UNIVERSITY
CENTER for CAREER DEVELOPMENT
May 31, 2016
‘Members of the Tenure & Promotion Committee:
| am writing in support of Dr. Jeff Hartman's application for promotion to full Professor. | have
known Dr. Hartman since his arrival at Gardner-Webb when our offices were in close proximity,
he working in the PEWSS department and me for the Gardner-Webb Student YMCA. We
interacted around students who were involved in both of our programs and often served
internships at YMCAs. | also had the opportunity to hear student opinion of Dr. Hartman and
observe that he is professional, practices integrity in his work, is sharply disciplined and expects
the same of his students.
Ihave served as the Director of the Gardner-Webb Career Center for the past three years and
have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Hartman's students regularly. Because he supports
the holistic development of his students, he has explored the offerings of the Career Center and
proactively integrated professional development into his classroom and the exercise science
curriculum in order to better prepare his students for the world of work. His students regularly
participate in such things as mock interviews, etiquette dinners and networking events. Asa
result of this professional preparation, Dr. Hartman's students have been successful in
obtaining internships and employment. They have often written to thank him for his
commitment to pushing that extra bit of preparation that provided them with an advantage
and confidence in the job market. He has been extremely supportive of the work of the Career
Center in general and has been an exemplary faculty member in working with us for the benefit
of overall student success.
Because of his support of the Career Center, | asked Dr. Hartman to serve of the Professional
Readiness Pledge (PRP) Integration Work Group in the fall of 2014. This group was tasked with
determining a workable means to integrate professional readiness into students’ 4-year
experience. This group has worked diligently for 2 years in researching, brainstorming,
collaborating, developing and proposing the Professional Readiness Experience, which was
recently adopted by the GWU faculty. Dr. Hartman has been an integral contributor to this
process, and will continue to serve as this new requirement is implemented over the next year.
Spring semester this year, | had the opportunity to work with an exercise science student on
the development of a personal exercise regimen. This student was under Dr. Hartman's
supervision for this experience and frequently referred to things that he had learned or heard
from Dr. Hartman. | was familiar with the student because he had participated regularly inGARDNER-WEBB UNIVERSITY
CENTER for CAREER DEVELOPMENT
career programming during his tenure. He graduated in May extremely well prepared for his
field, with utmost professionalism and integrity and excited about finding employment and
contributing to the field of exercise science. It occurred to me that this young man was a
genuine reflection of his professor.
1 am in deep support of Dr. Jeff Hartman's promotion to Professor. He is consummate example
of high ideals for Gardner-Webb University and its students. He is passionate about his
profession, lives out a lifestyle worthy of his profession and urges his students to reach for the
same. He is an asset to his academic discipline and to the greater university community.
Sincerely,
Co yet he
Lisa V. Yerrick
Director
Center for Career Development