1. September 3, 2013
To: Whom so ever it may concern
From: Holly Skillman-Dougherty
Mentor
College of Information Technology
Western Governors University
(801) 498-5978
holly.skillmandougherty@wgu.edu
Re: Shibu Lekshman
I have been asked by Shibu to provide you with a letter of recommendation to fulfill the
criteria for his application to your company. I feel very privileged to have been asked to provide
you with an evaluation on Shibu's behalf, and I am excited about the prospect of being able to tell
you about this exceptional candidate.
I have known Shibu for two years due to being his academic mentor at Western
Governors University (WGU). Over the course of his tenure at WGU, Shibu has performed
academically at an extraordinary level of competency and consistency as an Information
Technology (IT) major with an emphasis in Software. Shibu excels far beyond that of his peers,
and completes each term with more than the required amount of courses. An average term for
Shibu includes no fewer than nine courses, the majority of which are certification courses.
In addition to Shibu’s academic prowess, he brings other strengths as a student. Shibu is
truly a unique individual. It is very rare to find a student who is capable of taking the course
material beyond its presented scope. Shibu is an independent learner which reveals his ability not
only to understand the presented material but to assimilate it with previous knowledge obtained
from his other courses and/or from his life's experiences. He exudes a quiet confidence and
intensity. Shibu has a very mature approach to his studies. He is always in attendance for our
meetings and is always very responsive and attentive. He has a true desire to learn and is always
motivated by the challenges his courses present him. He is very well-rounded as demonstrated by
his employment as a photographer, his language-teaching, and as a gifted IT student.
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Shibu Lekshman
September 3, 2013

2. He also displays several other characteristics that I know will contribute to his making a
noteworthy contribution to his professional career and to the community as a whole. He displays
a keen sense of responsibility by completing all of the required course work on time while still
paying attention to even the minutest details. His attitude toward his studies is always positive
and his focused goal orientation and timely project planning are key factors in his response, his
attitude, and his ability to always see his work through to the end.
Shibu is the type of person who needs to be challenged and if his instructor or the course
work is not doing an adequate job of it, he is motivated enough to pursue the acquisition of
knowledge on his own. He has good judgment when it comes to realizing his capabilities and will
appropriate his time accordingly. I realize that I have not made a single negative comment in
regard to Shibu or his academic abilities, but in all honesty I cannot think of one. I would be
thrilled to have more students with Shibu's integrity and motivation. I firmly believe he has
tremendous potential. Beyond a doubt, I believe that your company would benefit immensely
from investing in Shibu's future. He will be a professional in every sense of the word.
If you have any further questions regarding this student's recommendation and/or
qualifications please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
___________________
Holly Skillman-Dougherty
Student Mentor
WGU