1. Eric Rasmussen
English Department Chair
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, NV 89557-0098
Professor Rasmussen,
I regret taking so long to send you this letter, but I must inform you of the spectacular
teaching ethics of one of your professors. In the fall of 2011, I signed up for a Core Humanities
202 class (run by Professor Anupama Mohan), and I can honestly say that I was not looking
forward to it. Like most UNR students, I dreaded having to take a class that distracted me from
my major. I was wrong.
On the first day of class, I can still remember the feeling that I had: apprehension, which
is a feeling shared by all students in a class where we do not know each other. Professor Mohan
came in shortly before the class was set to start, but I was not there. Even with my knowledge of
the UNR campus, I had gotten lost. Because of this, my apprehension was ten-fold, and now one
must add in my panic at being late on the first day. I rushed through the building and arrived at
the room where I entered and took a seat with fear written across my face. While she may have
looked disappointed, she said not a word to me and continued to tell the class what she expected
and how we were to treat this class: with 100% focus. Truly, all classes are to be treated this way
and we should not have to be told, but for some reason, college students tend to forget this
simple rule.
You could see on her students’ faces that most of the students in this class did not care for
her rule and probably released it into their memory cloud that one never accesses again, of which

2. I did also. As the readings began, and the quizzes were given, I recognized the importance of
retrieving that rule. I made an appointment with Prof. Mohan and asked her how I could do
better because I was not succeeding in her class, as I wanted to. She told me to make on-running
notes of all the readings so that I could remember particular pieces of information easier. At first,
I scoffed at this idea, for who had the time to make notes for something that was not their major?
As her quizzes became more and more difficult, and the tests left me stunned and in despair, I
decided to do as she requested. I started to make notes.
I was marking the years for every publication, memorizing the key plot points for every
book, highlighting quotes that were of more importance, etc. Each step I took to better my notes
was resulting in a higher comprehension of each reading because I was starting to remember. I
no longer read and logged away, but read and used in class in order to get my point across.
Before I knew it, I had an on-running list of readings that took at least 10 pages. I remember
looking at those notes in every class and for studying and I thought, “Wow. Look at what I did.
Look at what I made. I know no one will grade me on them, and I know that I am not gaining
anything, but these notes are helping me to succeed.” What amazes me even beyond this, is that
these notes, these notes that I assumed would only be of use in CH 202 and nothing else, have
been of use in many of my other classes: classes where I make connections between our current
readings and important people from the 17th
century. Who could have known?
This year I am taking an extremely difficult French literature course for my French
major, and I thought to myself, why not add to my old notes? So now, I have notes that contain
both my French readings and my old CH 202 readings and it is helping me to connect what was
happening in the main time line with my focus on French. I never even imagined that I would
use those notes again, and yet here I am, not only using them, but also adding more. I am using

3. the same mental comprehension to analyze my French readings that I used to analyze my CH
202 readings, and I am still shocked at how much better off I am having taken Professor
Mohan’s Core Humanities 202 class. Without her, I do not think that I would have gained the
knowledge to be able to analyze and remember these readings.
I do not believe that we take Core Humanities to memorize readings and quotes, but I do
believe that what we are meant to remember is how to analyze the people around us, how to be
clear in our opinions, and how to function in a world that relies completely on facts. I am almost
positive that I will not be quoting Voltaire, Rousseau, or Montaigne on a daily basis. However, I
know that I must always remember how to reference official data or information, no matter
where I work, what I do, or how I live because our world demands proof of everything.
Professor Mohan changed my studying habits. She directed me into what I believe to be a
more professional future. No matter where I go or how I get there, I believe that I will always
remember what she did for me by forcing me to learn in order to succeed. After all, college is
designed for learning, not memorizing. Because of Professor Mohan, I will continue to learn and
grow in my readings and future.
If I could have anything be the result of this letter, it would be that Professor Mohan is
recognized for her ability to teach her students, for her passion in her students’ success, and for
her continuous hard work at the University of Nevada, Reno. She deserves nothing less.
Thank you for your time,
Kimberly Matus