Timothy Vander Woude was a student in the assistant professor's advanced corporate finance seminar and is among the top students he has taught. The professor has a PhD in finance and professional experience, giving him expertise to evaluate students' skill sets. Tim has an ability to quickly learn and solve complex business problems with little guidance. As an open access university, UWM students have diverse skills, but Tim's abilities are on par with students at more selective universities as shown through his high GPA and case competition placements. The professor was also impressed by Tim's teamwork skills and willingness to fully engage with course material beyond assignments. He gives Tim his highest recommendation.

1. Sheldon B. Lubar
School of Business
Joseph T. Halford. Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Finance
3202 N. Maryland Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0742
414-229-4160 (Office)
halford@uwm.edu
January 7, 2017
Dear Sir or Madam,
It is my pleasure to write this letter of recommend on behalf of Timothy Vander Woude. Tim
is among the top two or three students I have taught since joining UWM three years ago. First,
let me describe the context in which I know Tim and why I believe I am qualified to give this
recommendation. I will then speak more directly to Tim’s abilities. Tim was a student in my
advanced corporate finance seminar where students are faced with solving “real world” problems
faced by financial managers. My course requires students to learn, understand, and implement
various valuation techniques. I have a PhD in finance and I also have professional experience in
investment banking and venture capital, so I have good idea of the skill set required to be
successful in both academic and professional settings.
My general teaching philosophy is that it is my job to encourage students to gain the tools
necessary to learn how to teach themselves. In our world of ever changing technology being
able to quickly adapt and learn new skills is much more valuable than rote memorization.
Consequently, I provide minimal guidance on how students should tackle the various problems I
present to them in class, other than presenting the basic underlying theory. The students that do
well in my class are those that learn how to teach themselves. Given the frantic pace of my class,
the successful students are also those that can quickly identify and master the necessary skills to
solve the complex business problems I assign to them. Tim has this ability in spades; he is a
problem solver. Tim is one of the few that can be given a task that he initially knows very little
about and in a short amount of time and with little guidance from others formulate and execute
an appropriate solution. Tim’s ability to do this enables me to give him my highest
recommendation.
As you may be aware UWM is an open access university, which means we let just about anyone
in. This results in considerably diverse academic skills among our students and our graduates. A
good portion of them are mathematically challenged or lack other basic skills needed to excel in
the business world, especially in fields like finance that require exceptional mathematics and
communications skills. Thus, I understand the dilemma an employer faces when considering a
candidate from UWM, as they are never quite sure what type of training the candidate has. In

2. my opinion Tim’s academic ability is on par with the best students in much more selective and
prestigious universities. His abilities are evidenced by his high GPA and high placings in
regional, national, and world-wide business case competitions.
I am very impressed with Tim’s ability to work in a group setting. I require students to complete
several group projects throughout the semester. Given the diversity in our student body’s skills,
in most instances, it would be more efficient for Tim to complete the assignments on his own.
To Tim’s credit he always made sure that his groupmates were involved in the projects and in
several instances helped them learn the material. I’m not sure I would have been as gracious if I
were in Tim’s shoes. This example illustrates Tim’s ability to make those around him better,
which is an important and valuable quality for any organization.
I am also very impressed by Tim’s willingness to fully engage in the course material and not
settle for the minimum level of understanding required to complete assignments with an “A”
grade. I had several lengthy discussions with Tim that went well beyond the assigned material
and at times challenged my own understanding of certain topics. I wish all my students were
more like Tim! Finally, I want to reiterate that I have no reservations in giving him my highest
recommendation. Please feel free to contact me if you have additional questions.
Sincerely,