23 April 2019

To Whom It May Concern:

I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Ms Neely Parsons’ application for a
teaching position with your institution. I have had the pleasure of knowing Ms Parsons for
several years and have been quite impressed with her commitment, her love of history, and her
classroom skills.

I first met Neely when she enrolled in my US History I class during fall 2016; she was always
engaged in the course content and submitted her work on time. She was attentive in class, asking
and answering questions throughout the semester.

She is already building an impressive resume and is active in several student organizations, and
was a leader in several including Zeta Tau Alpha. Neely was actively involved in the History
Club, serving as its president, Project R.A.K.E., and is a student-athlete. Particularly noteworthy
are her accomplishments as a student-athlete and she was recognized for as Edinboro University
of Pennsylvania Scholar Athlete in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. She has been on the Deans’ List
for several semesters.

In addition to observing her in class, I have also had the opportunity to travel with her because
she went on my annual trip to Salem and Boston in fall 2016, 2017, and 2018. During these trips
she exhibited poise, maturity, and a deep interest in learning about the history of the region.
Moreover, she volunteered and served as a Student Mentor in my fall 2017 section of US History
I where she was involved in planning activities for the class.

Honestly, I cannot think of a student I have had the privilege of teaching who shows more
interest and enthusiasm in learning. Neely is highly energetic and exhibits a rare love for the
classroom that is infectious. These attributes are enhanced by her ability to grasp the breadth and
depth of historical events, issues, and people. Nowhere has this been more evident to me than
her knowledge and understanding of Alexander Hamilton. Not only can she sing “Hamilton” in
its entirety but she studies that period of history (and him) with great interest and excitement.
During fall 2017, as a mentor in my US history class, she volunteered to give two lectures. First,
she taught the topic of “taxation without representation” and a couple of weeks later she focused
on “Hamilton’s life, accomplishments, and challenges.” While she did an excellent job on both,
she accepted my constructive criticisms after the first, and improved tremendously on the
second. This demonstrated that she took advantage of the opportunities to improve her
techniques. What I observed was a young woman who was very comfortable, in both cases, with
the content and with being in front of a room of over 60 of her peers and professor.

I have no concerns about her ability to speak to different groups of people of any age group. She
will put them at ease and engage them in the material.

While Neely is not a history major (though I kept trying to persuade her to switch), she was a
Social Studies Education major who was required to take at least 21 hours of history thus I do
believe she has the background, skills, interest, and drive to engage students in Social Studies
and in extracurricular activities she may become involved in as a teacher.

During her time at Edinboro University Neely was been an active member of the History Club,
serving as its president for two years. Even while student teaching she has continued her
involvement in this organization. Without a doubt, she is a leader.

Neely is an impressive individual who has much potential, and I am certain she will continue to
excel. I find her to be trustworthy, honest, collegial, and committed to her academic endeavors.
I encourage you to hire her as a teacher in your school district, and assure you that you will not
be disappointed. I strongly and enthusiastically recommend her for this position.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.

Sincerely,

Jerra Jenrette, Ph.D.

Professor of History
jjenrette@edinboro.edu
814-732-1225 (O)
814-440-3988 (Cell)