Ca t h o l ic | Lib era l A rt s | 1 4 50 A lt a V ist a S t ree t | Du b uqu e, I A 5 2 001 5 6 3. 58 8.

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February 7, 2018

Dear Search Committee Members:

It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend Mariah McCarty for a teaching job at your school. I know
Mariah’s academic skills and personal attributes well, and I am confident that she will be a wonderful asset to
your teaching staff.

I was fortunate to have taught Mariah during her first and last classes in the Loras Teacher Education Program.
She stood out as a first-year student in Foundations of Education as someone who read closely, who thought
critically about important educational issues, and whose creativity, dedication, and maturity set her apart from
her peers. As Mariah was such an exemplary student early during her Loras career, I was not surprised to
witness all of the wonderful things she did during her time at Loras.

Throughout the years I instructed Mariah, I noticed her ability to work well with her peers and professors.
Even during her early semesters at Loras, Mariah exhibited a natural ability to connect theory to practice.
There is a strong competency in subject area tempered with a high level of sensitivity and concern for her
students.

In addition to being a student in my classes, Mariah was a Peer Assistant in my Modes of Inquiry course. Peer
Assistants are chosen from a highly competitive pool of Loras students. Just being chosen is an honor! In her
role of Peer Assistant, I saw her build relationships, identify first-year Loras students at risk of struggling
academically and socially, conduct one-on-one Writing Workshops, and create high impact, student-centered
lesson plans. This is symbolic of the relationships that she has built with the elementary students in the
Dubuque community.

Her relationship building as an MOI Peer Assistant was reflective of the work Mariah did with Future Talk in
which she worked with high school students labeled by their classroom teachers as “at risk.” Even in the
summer, Mariah was able to motivate children to use nature as a means to improve their writing and reading
practices. Mariah’s work as a Future Talk Crew Leader shows her versatility and commitment to improving the
lives of children and the community.

As you can see on her resume, Mariah values working with children. This is exemplified through her positions
with AmeriCorps and the YMCA. Service trips to Honduras, Haiti, Tennessee, and Mississippi show her
dedication to people from all backgrounds. Not only do these experiences demonstrate Mariah’s dedication,
they demonstrate her versatility and desire to serve the community. She has pushed herself beyond her areas of
expertise, and she has worked with people of all ages and walks of life.

As a student, peer, and leader, Mariah displayed qualities that not only reflected natural leadership ability, but
also qualities that her peers admired and respected. Her judgment and decision making skills are superior. She
has the talent, persistence, and determination that will be required for her to succeed as a teacher. She has my
highest recommendation.

Sincerely Yours,

Hilarie Welsh, PhD

Associate Professor of Education
563-213-7918