1. 8435 Burchap Drive
Montgomery Village, MD 20886
November 25, 2016
To whom it may concern,
It is my great pleasure to write this letter of recommendation on behalf of Mr. William Caruso, who is
applying to teach overseas. I have known Bill for over 30 years, including, over the last half dozen
years, as co-trustees for a scholarship fund at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts
University. It is especially pertinent in this context to note that the scholarship is given to students
from Asia and/or Africa, with a focus on international development studies. It is in the latter capacity
that I have had a chance to observe the intellectual depth and commitment that Bill brings to the issues
of education and opportunity for women and men from a wide range of backgrounds. Bill also has led
the trustees in giving a yearly grant to an organization in Africa which promotes comprehensive health
care for families dealing with AIDS and related diseases.
In support of Bill’s interest in teaching overseas I also bring to bear on this letter of recommendation
my own experience as the child of a U.S. Foreign Service Officer. My family benefitted from the U.S.
citizens who took it upon themselves to travel to far distant places as educational diplomats. It is not in
the formal relations between governments that true understanding develops; it is in the relations which
spring up in classrooms and in daily life. Knowing Bill and his wealth of interests, his experience in
the classroom (as attested by his other letters of recommendation), and his joie de vivre, it is my belief
that he will be magnificent as an educational ambassador of the United States. He will revel in learning
about his host country, he will challenge his students to reach for a better life, he embodies the
attributes of the true teacher: “…and gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche” (Geoffrey Chaucer).
Bill’s background as a lawyer and an entrepreneur is also relevant to his application. He is interested in
how countries manage their affairs, and how to empower the students that we have supported at The
Fletcher School to return to their countries to improve their communal living standards. A thorough
understanding of legal and business affairs gives a practical bent to what is often seen only as an
academic exercise in a school. Bill’s experiences will enable him to connect to the students’ worlds far
beyond the classroom setting.
I am honored that Bill asked me for this letter of recommendation, and I give it whole-heartedly.
Sincerely,
Karen Henderson, Ph.D.