Julie Olson Rand, M.Ed.

, NIC
Sign Language Interpreter & Interpreter Educator
3701 40th Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 600-5046 | julieolsonrand@gmail.com

April 24, 2014

To Whom It May Concern:

It is my pleasure to recommend my colleague, Jacquelyn Gile, for employment as a sign language
interpreter with your organization. I first met Jackie during her junior year at St. Catherine University,
where I worked one-on-one as a mentor for Jackies practicum. She and I worked on her skill development
interpreting for several college courses, including: drawing, physics, and chemistry.
One of Jackies qualities, which continues to impress me, is her self-awareness. Not only does Jackie
have a keen awareness of her needs as a student and mentee, she also takes steps to plan and implement
strategies to address those needs. For example, Jackie acknowledged that as a hands-on learner, she
needed to spend more time outside of class to practice her skill development prior to starting her formal
internship. In coordination with the chair of the department, Jackie and I developed a practicum tailor-
made for her skill development. She and I worked together during her junior year over J-term and spring
semester, where she accompanied me to three college courses I was hired to interpret, to serve as my team
interpreter. This practicum served to bolster Jackies skill development in preparation for senior year.
In addition, Jackies maturity exceeds others of her age and experience. She demonstrates
professionalism in dress, communicationboth in person and in email correspondenceand punctuality.
Jackie has work experience as an independent contractor with a house-cleaning agency, which has helped
prepare her for developing ethical business practices in the interpreting field. Throughout her time at St.
Kates, Jackie has developed the ability to juggle the demands of her educational program, her internship,
and professional responsibilitiesand for this she should be commended. She is dedicated, follows
through, and is a team player.
Jackie is a thoughtful, compassionate personalways thinking through her decision-making
through the lens of ethically sound practices. She has a firm understanding of the Code of Professional
Conduct, and how it applies in work settings. Currently, she is working with an Ethics and Decision-Making
coach to further hone her ethical decision-making skills.
Im proud to have had the opportunity to watch Jackies professional development firsthand, and
Im certain you will find she is a great match for your organization.
Please feel free to contact me with any further questions.
Sincerely,

Julie Olson Rand, M.Ed., NIC
Sign Language Interpreter & Interpreter Educator