My lovely rec letter!!!

Ann Therkelson

Honors Program

Whatcom Community College

November 27, 2007

I’m writing to recommend Whitney Bohlin for admissions to the Honors Program here at Whatcom. Whitney is currently a student in my English 100 course, where she has had excellent attendance and has completed all coursework thoroughly and on time. This alone makes her stand out in an introduction to academic writing course, but in addition to her diligence, she has made strong contributions to class discussions and written thoughtfully on a variety of topics.

What stands out to me about Whitney, and the reason I’m encouraging her to participate in the Honors Program, is her ability to think analytically and critically about the material we’ve worked with in class. The course readings are challenging, and most students find them difficult to understand at first. Whitney is able to understand the complexities of the readings, explore them intelligently during class discussions, and synthesize their ideas into her own writing.

For example, our most recent in-class essay asked students to look for subtle differences in the way two presidential speeches handled a common political issue. Whitney examined how George W. Bush and John F. Kennedy each approached the theme of freedom, and how their language, though different in important ways, made war seem justified. In previous essays, Whitney has used course texts to reexamine aspects of her own experience and to analyze the role of cultural myths in American politics.

As Whitney moves into English 101 and other college courses, I expect that she’ll enjoy and benefit from Honors seminars that allow her to explore her ideas in small groups and among dedicated students. Her insights will be valuable to other students, as well. For these reasons, I’m recommending her to the Honors Program. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need additional information: tprinceh@whatcom.ctc.edu or x3249.

Sincerely

Tara Prince-Hughes

English Department