March 24, 2017

To whom it may concern,

My name is Rebecca DeRose and I am a graduating higher education masters student at Loyola
University Chicago. Throughout my time in the program I had the opportunity to attend several
classes with Jessica Brown. Her dedication to the coursework and social justice made her
presence a valuable asset to our program. During class discussions Ms. Brown posed questions
that enhanced my educational experience. These questions brought a critical lens to the readings
when content clashed in application or lived experience.

I also worked with Ms. Brown in a semester-long group project for the course, Evaluation in
Higher Education. She was reliable in communicating information and helping the group
establish tasks and deadlines for our project. This leadership contributed to keeping our group
moving forward in a timely manner throughout the semester. As a faculty member in the School
of Communication with a previous career in journalism, my teammate and I valued her analytical
ability to ensure each assignment was error free and quality work. Again, she set a high bar that
pushed me to provide quality work as well.

Lastly Ive appreciated her friendship during this program. She is someone who cares about you
as a person outside of class. I think this is another example of what makes her an asset to the
field of higher education. I can see her students appreciating this care and concern for their
whole being inside and outside of class. Ms. Brown is always thoughtful of what people might
need given their ability, access to resources, and need for other types of support. Specifically, I
remember hearing her comment on being thoughtful to give ample time for projects to students
who may not have access to a personal computer.

I am especially grateful for the opportunity to attend this program with Jessica Brown. She has
become someone I want to continue to connect with outside of this program. I am excited to see
where her career goes after concluding the program here at Loyola University Chicago.

Sincerely,

Rebecca DeRose (she/her/hers)

M.Ed. Graduate Student
Loyola University Chicago