1. Candidate Reference Check
Candidate: SheilaGothard
Date: 9/22/2014
Reference Name: Taryn J. Mitchell
Title: Validationof DebtRepresentative(FulfillmentOperations)
Company: Bank of America
How longhave youknownthe candidate? 7 years
In whatcapacity didyouworkwiththe
candidate?
As the AssistantdirectorforCampusLife &
ParentPrograms,SheilaandI were colleaguesin
StudentAffairs.
Whendidthe candidate workwithyou? 2007-2009
What was the candidate’stitle? Associate Directorof AcademicExcellence&
RetentionforHousingandResidence Life
What were the candidate’sresponsibilities? Sheilawasresponsible forthe academic
componentandprogrammingforHousing&
Residence Life.She alsochairedthe peer
mentoringgroupandwas solelyresponsiblefor
developingall Freshmenunderthe age of 18.
What were the circumstancesunderwhichthe
candidate leftthe previousjob?
I believeSheilalefttopursue furthereducation
to realize herultimate goal of afull time senior
level position.
Didyou leave the companyalso?If so,whydid
youleave?
I leftthe universitypriortoSheila’sdeparture.
Unfortunately,mymotherwasafflictedwith
Alzheimer’sandIwasresponsibleforherdayto
day care.
What constructive piece of advice wouldyougive
the candidate intermsof areafor improvement?
To pushvigorouslytocomplete herDoctoral
program!

2. Tell me abouta time whenthe candidate went
above andbeyondto contribute inapositive way.
Sheilawasanintegral part of the Orientation&
FirstYear Experience collaborationthatIwas
responsible for.Ihada freshmanwhowas
unhappywithhertransitiontohernew school
and keptcallinghome aboutthe chairshe was
uncomfortable inatherresidence hall.Her
mothercalledme andI askedSheilaif we could
simplyreplace herdeskchair.Now we
understoodthatthe chair wasa symbol of her
unhappiness,butwe wantedtoremove the
symbol sowe couldhelpthe studentface what
was actuallywrong. Sheilagothera new chair
that same day,we talkedwiththe studentto
hearher concernsand challenges,andwe
alleviatedherfearsasa team.IU couldnothave
removedthe obstacle tothe student’sgrowth
withoutthe partnershipIhaddevelopedwith
Sheila.
Tell me abouthis/herbiggestachievement. The creation, implementation,andsustainability
of the academicretentionprogramsatNorth
CarolinaA&TState University.Thesefour
programsdealtextensivelywithunderserved
populationsinneedof mentoring,academicskills
enhancement,andcharacterbuilding.Theyare
currentlystill inexistence.
Tell me abouthis/hercommunicationstyle. Sheilaisa believerinteamworkandconstructive
feedback.Knowingthatwordsare important,she
usesdiplomacyandtact to insure thateveryone
ison the same page and workingtowardthe
same goal.She is energetic,enthusiastic,andher
workethicis infectious.
Have you seenthispersonmanage change?What
was his/herspecificcontribution?
Programmatically,Sheilainstitutedthe “Aggie
Bucks” initiative whichchangedhow rewardsfor
programmingwere offeredandreceivedon
campus.Thisbecame a Housingand Residence
Life staple thatwasusedby ALL StudentAffairs
officestoencourage attendance,service,and
leadership.Thischangedthe waystudents
viewedprogramsandraisedthe barin termsof
attendance.

3. Tell me abouta time whenhe/she influenced
othersto accomplishagoal.
Recently,Sheilahadaneighborwhopassed
away.Her daughterwasan incomingfreshman
whowas preparedtoleave school,havingbeen
on campusa pithy2 weeks.Sheilaadvisedher
that hermother’swishwasthat she attainher
college degree.She linkedthe youngladytothe
counselingcenter,advisedherhow toreach out
to herprofessors,showedherthe resourcesthat
herschool offers,andtriedto fill the needsof
the studentlongbefore the studentrecognized
she neededassistance.The pathtoachievement
isstill inplace and Sheilaisdedicatedtohelpher
realize herdream…
How wouldyoudescribe his/hermanagement
style (orworkhabits)?
SheilaGothardisa transformational leader.She
believesin,andemulates,ademocratic
environmentwhichofferstremendousgrowth
and developmental opportunityforall. Herstyle
iscollaborative innature andshe isan avid
believerintrustingthe team, sodelegationis
nevera problem.
Tell me howthispersonmanagesconflictinthe
workplace?
Sheilaiscandidandextroverted,buttactful and
caring.Neverone to “beata dead horse,”Sheila
findsa wayto make everyone comfortable,even
as she is troubleshootingareasof individual and
groupconflict.She leavesawayfor the affected
party to “save face,”and buildsthemupsothat
theyare whole andreadytosoldieronwiththe
task at hand.In essence,herleadershipstyle
encouragesgroup collaboration.
Have you everworkedona teameffortwiththis
person?Whatrole didhe/she take?Leader?
Organizer?Contributor?Executor?
SheilaandI collaboratedonseveral projects.She
isalwaysa leader,butsomehow makeseveryone
feel asif she is alsojustone of the team.This
takesskill andshe makesitseemeffortless.She
isa problemsolverandcanmake a decisionin
the midstof conflict.
If he/she hadremainedwiththe
company/school/department,whatdoyou
believehis/herprofessional opportunitymight
have been?
Ultimately,Sheilahasthe capacitytobe an
excellentVice Presidentof StudentAffairsandI
believethatherskillsandambitionwouldhave
seenherrealize thatgoal.

4. What wouldthe candidate sayishis/hergreatest
strengthas an employee/manager?Weakness?
Do youagree?Why?
Sheilawouldsayhergreateststrengthisthe
widthandbreadthof herdiverse experiencesin
academia.She wouldreflectthathergreatest
opportunityforgrowthwouldbe herlackof
mental healthtrainingasa professional.Iwould
agree withthese assessments,asshe andI have
spokenandstrategizedextensivelyabouthow
we can betterserve all students.She isincredible
concernedaboutreachingall studentswhere
theyare,in orderthat theyhave the opportunity
to grow anddeveloptobecome whotheywant
to be.