Jamie Ellis, Resident Director Department of Residence Life Lake Shore Campus 1032 West Sheridan Rd. | Chicago, Illinois 60660 p (773) 508-8140 | f (773) 508-3311 jellis4@luc.edu

March  28,  2015    Dear  Higher  Education  ePortfolio  Committee,    I  have  worked  with  Andrea  De  Leon  for  two  years  in  the  Department  of  Residence  Life  at  Loyola  University  Chicago  and  served  as  her  direct  supervisor  during  her  first  year  as  an  Assistant  Resident  Director  (ARD).  Throughout  my  time  working  with  Andrea,  I  have  been  impressed  by  her  clear  passion  and  commitment  to  the  field  of  higher  education.  Andrea  brings  a  sense  of  enthusiasm,  dedication,  and  critical  thought  to  her  work  with  students.  In  seeing  Andrea  grow  and  create  her  path  for  the  past  two  years,  I  am  excited  to  have  the  opportunity  to  highlight  her  many  talents  she  brings  to  the  field.        Andrea  entered  her  first  year  as  an  ARD  with  a  clear  excitement  both  to  work  with  students  and  to  learn  more  about  the  field  of  student  affairs  and  Residence  Life  as  a  functional  area.  It  was  evident  that  Andrea’s  undergraduate  experience  had  a  profound  impact  upon  her  life  and  she  sought  to  provide  this  same  level  of  care  with  the  students  she  interacted  with  as  an  ARD.  Andrea  directly  supervised  seven  RAs  during  her  first  year.  In  these  experiences  she  sought  to  be  intentional  and  mindful  of  the  needs  of  each  supervisee  through  an  individualized  supervision  approach.  In  knowing  the  needs  of  her  students,  she  created  an  environment  where  the  needs  of  each  supervisee  were  met;  whether  that  was  facilitating  discussion  on  current  events  for  a  returner  RA  who  needed  limited  direction  to  assisting  in  the  organization  of  another  RA  who  struggled  meeting  deadlines.  All  of  Andrea’s  supervisees  received  similar  support  in  that  Andrea  focused  greatly  on  personal  and  professional  development,  but  Andrea  was  able  to  supplement  this  supervision  with  the  individualized  approach  with  each  staff  member.        As  a  true  scholar-­‐practioner,  Andrea  excels  in  her  academic  coursework.  Andrea  holds  her  academics  to  a  high  regard  and  is  committed  to  learning  and  applying  course  material.  She  challenges  herself  to  think  critically  about  the  information  being  presented  in  her  classes  and  applies  this  knowledge  to  inform  her  work  with  students.  She  also  serves  as  a  member  of  a  research  team  assisting  Dr.  John  Dugan  write  a  new  text  on  student  leadership  development.  Andrea  is  also  committed  to  learning  outside  of  the  classroom.  Throughout  her  role  as  an  ARD,  Andrea  has  been  committed  to  learning  different  portions  of  the  role  and  asking  questions  to  glean  valuable  insights.  As  her  supervisor,  I  would  often  invite  Andrea  into  various  conversations  and  seek  her  perspective  on  issues.  These  small  lessons  helped  not  only  Andrea  but  also  myself  see  student  concerns  from  different  perspectives  and  proved  to  be  strong  knowledge  building  opportunities.  Andrea’s  commitment  to  learning  has  not  only  allowed  her  to  develop  academically,  but  also  to  learn  practical  skills  essential  to  residence  life  such  as  conduct  and  conflict  resolution,  crisis  response,  community  building,  operations  management,  advising,  and  programming.      Perhaps  Andrea’s  greatest  area  of  growth  throughout  her  graduate  experience  has  been  her  understanding  of  and  commitment  to  cultural  competence.  Andrea  entered  Loyola  with  a  foundational  knowledge  of  cultural  competence  through  her  involvement  with  the  Mount  Leadership  Program  at  Ohio  State  University.  Through  her  time  at  Loyola,  Andrea  has  been  able  to  draw  upon  this  knowledge  and  seek  understanding  of  social  justice  from  a  Jesuit  lens.  Much  of  Andrea’s  development  in  this  area  began  with  the  social  justice  and  student  development  theory  courses.  Andrea  has  able  to  connect  many  lessons  to  her  work  with  students  and  provided  space  for  her  supervisees  to  share  their  stories.  

Whether  it  has  been  through  reflection  after  hearing  supervisees’  life  experiences  or  being  an  outspoken  staff  member  within  the  Department  in  regard  to  current  events,  Andrea  has  increased  her  awareness,  application  of  knowledge  and  perspective  taking,  and  ability  to  bring  this  knowledge  to  others  throughout  her  graduate  experience.        It  has  truly  been  a  pleasure  working  with  Andrea  throughout  her  time  as  an  ARD  at  Loyola  University  Chicago.  Andrea’s  commitment  to  the  field,  her  students,  and  her  own  development  is  evident.  As  a  professional,  Andrea  will  continue  to  grow  while  applying  and  building  upon  knowledge  gained  throughout  her  graduate  experience.  I  am  excited  to  welcome  Andrea  into  the  field  of  higher  education  and  work  with  her  as  a  trusted  colleague.      Sincerely,          Jamie  Ellis,  MS  Resident  Director  Loyola  University  Chicago