Arel Sinett

Florida Gulf Coast University

17455 Overhill Drive
Ft. Myers 33908

3/17/2020

Dr. Fiona Tolhurst, Chair

Department of Language and Literature
Reed Hall 219

Dear Dr. Tollhurst,

Throughout my time spent as a student at Florida Gulf Coast University, I have made sure to enroll in
as many of Sheila Bolduc-Simpson’s classes as I possibly can. This included taking her Fall, 2019
IDS 3332 Issues in Culture & Society Digital Storytelling course and actively taking her IDS 3304
Ecology & Environment Living the Earth Charter course this semester.

Many of my larger achievements at FGCU have been a direct result of projects assigned by Professor
Bolduc-Simpson. In her Digital Storytelling class, I was encouraged to submit a piece I wrote to the
Mangrove Review after getting great responses from both her and the rest of the class. That piece is
now onto the final stage of approval for the journal, where it awaits the “green light” from the Ed itor-
In-Chief. I never would’ve even thought of getting the piece published without her support. In our
Earth Charter course, we’re working on a large-scale project designed to create some sort of change
in our lives based on the principles of the Earth Charter. I’ve decided to fix up the garden in my
townhouse’s courtyard, a task that I’ve been putting off since I moved into the place a year ago.
Throughout the course of the assignment, I’ve learned how to do basic gardening and lawn
maintenance. Since I’m making update videos for the course, I’ve also learned basic video editing
skills along the way. These are just a small number of the thing that I feel I accomplished through
taking classes with Professor Bolduc-Simpson

When taking her classes, I’ve been wowed by how nurturing and supportive her digital classroom
environments feel. Most online classes feel cold and distant. Professor Bolduc-Simpson (known
colloquially as SBS) has done an excellent job of avoiding that type of digital space. From her
FlipGrid discussion boards to her “Anything Else Café”, SBS has utilized every tool available to
make you feel more personal connections to the other students in the class. I don’t just feel like I’m
talking to a bunch of profile pictures, I feel like I’m talking to real people.

The last big thing that I cannot praise enough is SBS’ dedication to listen to and take in every
student’s feedback. My decision to take all of her classes stemmed from an encounter where I was
upset about her grading rubric for an assignment. Instead of telling me off or refusing to listen, she
actively encouraged me to seek out a better way to grade the assignment. Her willingness to work
alongside students, warm online environment, and assignments that prepare you for aspects of the
real world are all reasons why she has become one of favorite professors at FGCU. I honestly don’t
know what more you could ask for in a digital learning environment.

Sincerely,

Arel Sinett