PULLMAN, Wash. – When a student or a colleague asks you to write a reference letter, do you know where to begin? Do you know when to say no? Are your recollections of the requestor too vague to be helpful?
Providing a solid reference isn’t a task to be taken lightly, but knowing some tried-and-true basics can make all the difference. A workshop for advisors, faculty and graduate students will be 3-5 p.m. today, Thursday, Feb. 9, in CUE 114.
Leading the discussion will be two members of the University College who have written many dozens of reference letters themselves. They have reviewed many hundreds more that have been submitted with applications for WSU students seeking prestigious scholarships such as the Fulbright, Boren and Goldwater.
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| Sanchez Lanier | Hones |
Sarah Ann Hones, director of WSU distinguished scholarship programs, and Mary Sanchez Lanier, associate dean of the University College and director of pre-health advising and STEM education, will share information about best practices and worst mistakes.
“The timing of this informal workshop is important because we are heading into the busy season for scholarship applications, and these letters are critical,” said Hones, who works one-to-one with many undergraduate and graduate students seeking high-profile national awards. “References can tip the scales and make all the difference for many students.”
The workshop will be “informal, informative and open to anyone who is ever asked to provide a reference,” she said.
Some topics Hones and Sanchez Lanier will touch on are: the importance of knowing the audience for the letter as well as the scholarship requirements; asking the requestor for an updated resume; discussing highlights of your teacher/student relationship with him/her; and knowing when to decline the request.
“It’s OK to say ‘no’ when you don’t feel you can honestly describe a student’s extraordinary features or be an enthusiastic reference,” said Hones.