- The reference worked with the candidate, Sheila Gothard, for 7 years as colleagues in Student Affairs at North Carolina A&T State University. - Sheila was the Associate Director of Academic Excellence & Retention for Housing and Residence Life, where she was responsible for academic programming and chaired the peer mentoring group. - The reference saw Sheila as a transformational leader who believed in a democratic environment offering growth opportunities. Her style was collaborative and she delegated well. - The reference believes Sheila has the capacity to be an excellent Vice President of Student Affairs, and her skills and ambition would have allowed her to achieve that goal if she had remained at the university.