Zeke Merchant has demonstrated strong leadership skills and a strong work ethic through his work leading an after school STEM program. He organized student teams, provided clear direction, and anticipated any issues. Both the students and his peers looked to him as the lead. Zeke always went above and beyond, putting in extra hours to develop and organize materials. The director recommends Zeke without hesitation and strongly believes he will be an outstanding employee.

1. SHIPLEY CENTER FOR INNOVATION
CLARKSON UNIVERSITY BOX 5790 POTSDAM, NY 13669 315-268-3791 PHONE
April, 2015
To Whom It May Concern:
I am pleased to write this letter of reference for Zeke Merchant, a Mechanical
Engineering student at Clarkson University. I have known Zeke since September 2013
and have employed him last year to lead an after school STEM program for upper
elementary and middle school students.
Zeke has demonstrated all the professional and personal qualities that one would find
desirable in an employee. He is dependable, prompt, and conscientious. He is able to
communicate well verbally and in writing. His personal grooming is good. However,
those attributes describe many of the students that I employ. What makes Zeke so
exceptional is his strong leadership skills, engaging personality and work ethic.
Throughout last year, Zeke has assumed a leadership role on campus and off campus.
The Clarkson students were deployed to public schools in teams of two or three. Zeke
organized the different teams that he was assigned to and provided clear direction for the
activities. Zeke always prepared the activities, knew what should occur and anticipated
the questions or problems that the students might have. Not only did the public school
students look to him as the lead person, his peers did as well.
Zeke’s work ethic is another strength that I appreciated. He always volunteered to go
above and beyond the assignment. He put in many extra hours developing and organizing
the materials that were needed. He became none of my “go to” persons.
I would strongly recommend Zeke Merchant for any job that he applies for. He has
shown me beyond a shadow of a doubt that he possesses both the technical and personal
competencies that will make him an outstanding employee and a successful engineer.
Yours truly,
Mary Margaret Small, Ed.D.
Director, Educational Partnerships