Department of Residence Life

1032 Sheridan Rd | Chicago, Illinois 60660

p (773) 508-3300 | f 773-508-3311
reslife@luc.edu or LUC.edu/reslife

To whom it may concern,

It is my immense pleasure to recommend Caressa Nguyen as an outstanding masters student in the Higher
Education program and future Student Affairs/Higher Education Professional. As a fellow Assistant Resident
Director for Loyola University Chicagos Residence Life department, I have been able to benefit from and
notice Caressas passion for cultural competency, desire to build and sustain connections, and eagerness to
advocate on behalf of her students and peers. The strength of my personal and professional relationship with
Caressa has given me the opportunity to be challenged and come to consider her as an exceptional member of
the Loyola academic community.

I came to know Caressa in the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year while being welcomed by her as a
first year Assistant Resident Director. During the course of her third semester in the position, it is clear that her
residents and supervisees trust her with personal issues that arise in their lives, ask her questions about policy
and procedure, and look to her in times of crisis. She has displayed this ability to gain trust, respect students,
and uphold university and departmental policy through serving in a consistent on-call duty rotation with her
peers. Recently, during annual Resident Assistant hiring practices, Caressa worked to eloquently advocate for
several candidates of color and non-traditional students that she felt needed additional representation on behalf
of the professional staff. Noticing her role in effective and fair hiring practice, she successfully voiced her
understanding of the RA team needing to be a representation of the student population to uphold the expressed
values of Residence Life and the comfort of future residential students. She also considered how hiring
practices support and encourage non-traditional students and students of color to feel a sense of affinity toward
their university and feel supported by staff. This kind of allyship coupled with her ability to communicate
efficiently with others made her efforts successful and well-received.

While Residence Life is Caressas current functional area, she has made great efforts to develop her skillset
beyond one that compliments this line of work. Her connections on campus with the Office of Student Conduct
and Conflict Resolution as a conduct administrator and Title IX Investigator demonstrate her competence in
advocacy work for students. Gaining expertise in appropriately managing the mental and emotional challenges
that arise with this kind of work, Caressa has developed a strong inclination toward work with students facing
tumultuous disruptions to their student experience. Taking on these responsibilities in addition to her
administrative and supervisory commitments in her primary assistantship demonstrates that Caressa is both
keen to become a well-rounded student affairs professional and to impact Loyola students in as many
intentional ways as she can during her time here.

Caressas ability to balance and contribute extends beyond the scope of professional responsibility. During her
time as a student in the Higher Education masters program, she has developed mentorship-like ties to first-year
masters students, contributed to Oiyan Poons research on Asian Americans and Affirmative Action, served as
a Teaching Assistant in the Leadership Minor, presented on the experiences of Asian American women in
student affairs at the 2017 American College Personnel Associations National Conference, and served on the
Higher Education Student Associations executive board. Through conversations that I have had with Caressa
outside of academic spaces, it is clear that she continues to trouble her experiences with student development
and critical social theories, insights from faculty members, and the current social/political climate of the United
States. Put frankly, Caressa truly finds incredible meaning in the classroom experience and it would not surprise
me to see her continue to pursue further degree opportunities. This level of deep thinking and commitment to
lifelong learning is the kind of professional the Higher Education program seeks to train and push out into the
field and makes Caressa a successful and thought-provoking colleague.

In the short time that I have come to know Caressa, I cannot think of a better person to be submitting this letter
of promise for. She has come to serve as a mentor to me during my first-year in the program. While it excites
me to see her ready and willing to take on new and unique challenges in the field, my experience in the program
will not be the same without her timeless fashion, old-age wisdom, contagious laugh, and confidence in me.

Caressa came to Chicago from California two years ago; leaving a strong cultural and familial tie to her
community to explore her interest in social justice education at Loyola University Chicago. It is clear that
Caressa is determined to succeed in the field of Student Affairs/Higher Education and is focused on upholding
the tenants of the profession and bringing valuable and new insights to her professional and academic
colleagues. She exemplifies the very best we have to offer and is a testament to the kind of education our
faculty members are providing. I have no doubt in her abilities to leave a legacy of care on any university and
become a prominent name.

I would like to express my thanks for your consideration of Caressa Nguyen. It would mean everything for me
to see her continuing her zeal toward bettering the lives of others in many capacities. If there is any question
regarding her letter of promise, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Best,

Jessie Payne
Assistant Resident Director Simpson Hall
Loyola University Chicago
jpayne4@luc.edu // 773-508-8201