1.
Center
for
Academic
and
Student
Achievement
(CASA)
2130
Fulton
Street,
UC
3rd
Floor
San
Francisco,
CA
94117-­‐1080
Tel:
415.422.5050
www.usfca.edu/casa
June 11 2016
To Whom It May Concern::
It gives me great pleasure to recommend Alec Taylor-Pierce. While I have only known Alec for
one year, it is within this short time that he has revealed the intelligence, work ethic and drive
needed to accomplish the goals he has set for himself.
I met Mr. Taylor-Pierce in September 2015 at USF as he walked past my office and simply
stopped to say hello because my door was open. Within five minutes, I could see that he was not
only a very intelligent but savvy young man who understood the importance of community. We
concluded our conversation thirty minutes later with my providing several recommendations as to
how to get connected on campus and finally my desire for him to join a mentorship program I
was creating for men of color. He, with great elation, agreed, thanked me, and we exchanged
contact information and departed ways. Since that day, Alec and I have had several rich
conversations about career opportunities, potential mentors and ways to develop a student driven
mentorship program, which has been extremely beneficial to me.
Alec was recently accepted into the Martin Baro Scholars program, which is a yearlong living-
learning community. According to the Martin Baro Scholars website, the program “integrates five
requirements into a single, comprehensive curriculum that examines issues of poverty, social
justice, and diversity. Using the city of San Francisco as an experiential springboard, students
develop their abilities in observation, discussion, analysis, and writing through a
multidimensional lens. Students will be proactive in engaging with the societal problems they
examine by doing significant service with one community partner for an entire academic year.”
It is my belief that through programs such as Martin Baro Scholars Program and organizations
and programs like yours that our students are provide the intangible skills and resources need to
be true change agents in the world. With a GPA average of a 3.54 and commitment to community
engagement, Alec is a great example of a student who is already on the path to greatly serve and
impact the world.
I highly recommend Alec Taylor-Pierce for this opportunity as he is not only a deserving
recipient but will use this resource to continue to develop personally and propel himself into a
position that will impact the lives of others.
Should you desire to discuss Alec further, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Michael Tadesse-Bell
Director of Student Persistence and Mentorship Programs, Academic Success Coach
Center for Academic and Student Achievement (CASA)