1. To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to introduce and recommend Mary Jo Rendon, an unusually talented and
experienced individual in the field of education. Her long residence in Europe and academic
training in the United States, give her a rich background from which to draw new methods and
approaches in pedagogy, particularly in the field of international studies.
I have known Mary Jo for more than fifteen years as a respected colleague in the field of
education. As Executive Director of the Institute of North American Studies (IEN) in Barcelona,
Mary Jo initially worked for me as a teacher and then as Head in the Department of
Professional Studies for eight years (1992 – 2000). During this time, Mary Jo was responsible
for the development, execution, evaluation and maintenance of academic programs at the
Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, various departments of the
regional government, and private corporations.
During her time with us, Mary Jo’s work required considerable organizational skills as she had
to balance administrative and teaching responsibilities in a variety of settings. Mary Jo’s
efficiency and tact made her a well-regarded team player by colleagues and popular with
students. Mary Jo has excellent interpersonal communication and organizational skills. She has
experience and a strong commitment to working with a diverse student body. She has exhibited
the ability to work in fast-paced environments of change and variety. She has strong skills to
analyze data and provide strategies and resources to support students. Furthermore, her
passion for teaching and creative problem solving greatly enriched our curriculum design and
gave our programs an edge over other institutions and contributed to making IEN a centre of
excellence.
Throughout her time with us, Mary Jo proved to be a reliable, versatile and proactive member of
our team, and I highly recommend her in any capacity at your institution. Not only did I respect
her good judgement, but we all profited from her dedication and commitment to numerous
projects on our faculty. Mary Jo worked tirelessly to train staff, to develop meaningful and
rigorous programs, to establish numerous professional opportunities and create a strong culture
of teaching in our institution.
For all the reasons mentioned above, Mary Jo Rendón would be a valuable asset to any
organization. Please do not hesitate to let me know, should you have any further queries.
Sincerely,
John Zvereff
Delegat de la Rectora per Afers internacionals
Delegado de la Rectora para Asuntos Internacionales
President's Delegate for Global Affairs
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya