David Graham is recommended for education and arts administration roles based on his talents and abilities displayed during his MLitt in Writing Practice and Study. He took an engaged and thoughtful approach to the challenging degree, achieving a high standard and producing a folio of work showcasing his skills. His novel has received interest from a London publisher and he has projects in development for the Edinburgh Festival. In classes, he was a thoughtful, lively member who fully engaged in discussions, and he was a committed writer who utilized tutors' feedback in his pieces. He is also an exceptional performer and reads his own work beautifully.

1. To whom it may concern,
It is with great pleasure I write to commend David Graham to you as a young man in
possession of a range of far-reaching abilities and talents that will serve exceptionally
well in areas of education and arts administration and creative practice, in particular, but
across all Humanities-related areas work in general.
He was a student of mine over the years 2014 – 15 when he took our MLitt in Writing
Practice and Study – a challenging degree that David worked through in the most
engaged and thoughtful way and achieving a very high standard of degree and a folio of
work that highlights his particular skills and interests. His novel in hand has already had
interest from a London publisher, and other projects are in pre-production for the
Edinburgh Festival 2016.
Presented with a range of tasks and assessment that were not always within the areas of
his own expertise (David’s application for the course comprised creative work that was
highly accomplished in genres that sat outside some of the classical canonical teaching in
the degree) this student took on the additional workload and thinking time required and
demonstrated the kind of wit and intelligence that displays a flexible and productive
approach to working life.
In classes he was a lively, thoughtful and valued member of the group, always mindful of
the sensitivities of others while also thoroughly taking part in any discussions with
vigour, thoughtfulness and a great sense of fun. In individual tutorials he showed himself
to be a committed and reactive writer, taking on fully the ideas and suggestions of his
tutors and utilising these in his final written pieces.
He is also an exceptional performer, and reads his own work beautifully – is dramatic and
compelling on the stage. He is already an experienced writer and actor for the stage, and
these gifts served him well over the period of the degree, and added to the quality of his
final folio which has features of orature and drama, both, in its composition.
If you would like to telephone me to discuss this reference further I would be delighted to
answer any further questions. Or you can send me an email at k.j.gunn@dundee.ac.uk.
I am delighted to help in any way I can.
Yours faithfully,
Kirsty Gunn
Professor of Creative Writing,
University of Dundee