July 9, 2016

I recommend Matt Giles as an outstanding candidate for the M.Ed. program in Autism
Intervention here at UNT.
I first met Matt in the spring of 2014 when he scheduled an appointment with me to be
advised. From the onset of that appointment, I knew I was dealing with an exceptional
young man. Matt is unlike most of our HDFS undergraduate students here at UNT. When
most students step into my office for an advising session, they are unsure of what
courses to take, when to take them, what they hope to accomplish while in college, and
what they want to do following graduation. Matt is not that student; in fact, he is just
the opposite.
Matt has wanted to be a pediatric occupational therapist for as long as I have known
him. He has never faltered from that goal. Over the semesters I have advised him, he
has meticulously planned out each and every schedule, making sure to balance time for
academics and work. Many times, he overloaded his schedule with more than 18 hours.
This allowed him to graduate early, all the while maintaining a near perfect overall GPA
of 4.0 and graduating with honors. Simply stated, he is one of the top students in our
undergraduate program.
Matt seeks out educational and professional opportunities. He approached me about
engaging in research with an EPSY faculty member and I referred him to Dr. Kettler; he
has since worked on two of Dr. Kettlers studies related to gifted and talented education.
Matt has also worked here on campus as a resident assistant, which speaks to his
outgoing personality and engagement with students. When Matt is not studying, he is
employed at Its a Sensory World as a coach for children with autism. This is where his
true passion lies and why he is applying to the M.Ed. program in Autism Intervention.
Matt is a stellar student, a committed professional, and a hard-working young man, but
one of his most appealing qualities is his engaging and dynamic personality. He simply
shines when interacting with his peers, our faculty, and those around him.
Although Matt has never taken one of my courses, I am confident he will excel in our
graduate program because in all honesty, he will excel in anything he does. He is one of
the hardest working and passionate students I have come into contact with here at UNT.
This, coupled with his academic potential and drive, was the main reason he was
chosen as the recipient of the Excellence in Academic Achievement in Development and
Family Studies award at this years Honors Day celebration.
Matt is talented, driven, kind-hearted, personable, responsible, and respectful. He would
be an asset to our program as he wants to make a significant impact on the lives of
children with special needs. He strives to provide meaningful physical and educational
opportunities for children. I recommend him with absolutely no reservation for a
graduate program here in EPSY.
Sincerely,

Rania Salman, Ed.D.

Recruiter/Undergraduate Program Advisor
Department of Educational Psychology
College of Education