March 26, 2017

M.Ed., Higher Education Program

Loyola University Chicago, School of Education
820 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60611

Dear Master in Higher Education Comprehensive Assessment Committee:

I am delighted and honored to write on behalf of my friend Esperanza (Espy) Salgado-Rodriguez for
her culminating e-portfolio in the Higher Education program. It is a pleasure to write a letter in
support of Espy, as I think highly of her as a person and professional.

During our first three semesters in the Higher Education program, I had the joy of taking at least two
classes with Espy each term. Espy is an excellent student who consistently demonstrates self-
awareness and critical thinking in the classroom, particularly with regard to social justice issues. She
brings a unique perspective to classroom discussions, drawing upon her identities as a Latina woman,
her undergraduate experiences at Northwestern University, her work in the non-profit sector, and her
assistantship at the Sullivan Center Hub. Through classroom dialogues and informal chats after class,
Espy has often challenged me to examine my assumptions about students and center the needs of
marginalized and underrepresented students.

Last semester, I had the privilege of working on a group project with Espy and another student for
John Dugans Leadership class. As a group member, Espy contributed insightful ideas, followed
through on her individual responsibilities, and responded well to feedback. During our presentation,
she spoke eloquently on our topic and skillfully answered tough questions from our evaluators. I
genuinely could not have asked for a better team member.

During my time at Loyola I have also been fortunate to work in the same building as Espy, where we
regularly catch up and process what we are learning in class and our assistantships. Espys
assistantship requires her to respond to a variety of questions from students, parents, and visitors;
manage a team of undergraduate student workers; and juggle a number of Hub projects. Despite her
many responsibilities, Espy is incredibly organized and tackles each of her tasks with professionalism
and a positive attitude. Anyone who knows Espy knows she cares deeply about doing high-quality
work, especially when it comes to supporting her student workers. It is clear from the way Espy talks
about students that she is extremely committed to their success, whether in her assistantship at the Hub,
her internship in Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, or the Leadership class she is teaching
this semester. In particular, Espy has intentionally used both her internship and teaching experiences
to support the leadership development of students who identify as students of color, first generation,
and low socio-economic status. Her unwavering dedication to students with marginalized identities
truly embodies our programs values of inclusion and social justice.

These are some of the many reasons I believe Espy is and will continue to be a wonderful professional
in the field of higher education. I am excited to see the work she will accomplish for her students,
institutions, and the field as a whole.

Sincerely,

Ariel Ropp