1. College
of
Liberal
Arts
Department
of
English
Hamilton
Smith
Hall
95
Main
Street
Durham,
NH
03824-­‐2537
V:
603.862.1313
F:
603.862.3563
TTY:
7.7.7
(Relay
NH)
cola.unh.edu/english
April 6, 2015
Recommendation for Ashley Doonan
I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Ashley Doonan. She has not waived her right to
see this letter.
As her academic advisor and former instructor (for ENGL 925, our Introduction to Graduate Studies, last
fall), I have had the pleasure of getting to know Ashley relatively well. She is an extremely determined
and scrupulously hard-working student. Where many students at the beginning stages of graduate study
are still floundering or uncertain of their direction, Ashley’s scholarly interests are well-honed, highly
sophisticated and interdisciplinary. She combines a focus in autobiography with trauma theory and
psychology, even taking advanced courses in that latter field. Her research skills are impeccable, and her
writing is lucid and engaging.
At present, Ashley is one of the top students in our Master’s in Literature program. In fact you should
know that she has been a leading candidate for several internal awards, including our rare teaching
assistantships; were UNH not suffering such grievous budget cuts, her list of honors would be twice as
long as you see on her resume. Ashley has already presented papers at national conferences, thus
achieving a level of professionalization and recognition normally pursued by students much further along
in their studies.
Interpersonally, too, Ashley is an affable and kind person. Indeed, because she worked in our
department as an undergraduate student as well, she is well-known, and universally highly regarded.
Ashley also knows how to “manage up,” seeking whatever mentoring and assistance she needs; she has
that invaluable skill, the ability to figure out how to get things done.
Whatever the contours of the particular position for which Ashley is currently applying, I’d be more than
happy to answer specific questions. I can be most easily reached at ssenier@unh.edu.
Sincerely,
Siobhan Senier, Associate Professor
Interim Graduate Coordinator
James H. and Claire Short Hayes Chair in the Humanities