October23,2013 October23,2013 DearMembersoftheSelectionCommittee, IstronglyrecommendRachelWedigforyourgraduateprogram.Sheiseasilyamongthetopfive percentofstudentsIhavetaughtoverthepasttwentyyearsattwocommunitycollegesandthreeuniversities, includingtheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeleyandatSantaBarbara.Rachelsacademicandpersonal achievementsandgoalsmakeherawonderfulcandidateforyourprogram. ImetRachelinSpring2011inANT202,Sexuality,GenderandCulture,asecondyearanthropology course.IhavetaughttwotofoursectionsofthiscourseeachyearatPimaCollegeforfifteenyears.Rachel distinguishedherselfthroughoutthecourseandearnedastrongA. Especiallymemorablewasherperformanceonthemajorcourseassignment,whichrequiredcollaborating withapartnertoreviewoneoftheassignedreadingsfortheclassandpresentoriginalresearchonatopic relatedtothearticle.Alongwithherpartner,Rachelexplainedtheauthor'sfindingsabouttheBarbiedolland, then,elaboratedonthemesofgenderinginchildren'stoys.Theyconductedtheirourownethnographic fieldworkatalocalToysRUs,creatinga2.

5videooftheirfindings (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SVV0rTbTl4)ofhowchildren'stoysandthemarketingoftoysreinforce normativegenderandsexualrolesandidentitiesinchildren. Iwassoimpressedbytheproject,InominatedRachelandherpartnertopresentitattheannualSocial ScienceSymposium,aforumforthemostoutstandingstudentresearchthroughoutthefivecampusesofour college.Theydid,elaboratingtheirearlierperformancefurtherbydressingindrag,Rachelasalittleboy withaCaptainAmericatshirtandcargoshortsandherpartnerasahighfemme"Barbie". Withthisprojectandintheclass,Racheldemonstratedatalentformakingdifficultandcomplex subjectslivelyandengagingwhilemaintainingacademicrigorandexcellingatresearch.Shegrasped theoreticalconceptsandempiricalfindingsquicklyandmadethemaccessibletoherpeers.Shealso demonstratedtherareabilitytoperformatahighlevelwithothersandalone,equally.Aregularand enthusiasticparticipant,Rachelbroughtastrongworkethictoclass.Sheexcelledatwritingandwasalways wellpreparedfordiscussionsabouttheassignedreadings(acoreactivityofthecourse),andontimewith assignmentsandarrivingtoclass.Shevoicedclearandinformedopinionswhilealsolisteningtoand dialoguingwithadiversesetofstudents. Rachelwasoutstandingamongherpeersforherhighqualityofacademicworkandcommitmentto socialjustice.Herresume,transcripts,andpersonalstatementdemonstrateshecontinuestoexcelinthese areas,evenexpandinghercommitmentbyvolunteeringwithcommunityorganizationssupportingLGBT populations.Rachelsachievementsareallthemoreimpressivegivenherpersonalstrugglesasherstatement describes.Herabilitytonotonlyendure,buttousetheseasabasisofselfreflection,growthandstrength

makeher,inmyview,anidealcandidateforyourprogram. Finally,Rachelisadelightfulperson.Sheiskind,anintelligentconversationalist,withapositiveattitude andahighlevelofmaturity.Iamveryconfidentthatshehastheskillsandthefortitudetotakegood advantageofalltheresourcesandstrengthsofyourprograminordertograduateandachieveher ultimategoalofbecomingaprofessorwhilecontributingtocommunitieshistoricallymarginalizedthrough genderandsexuality.Youwouldbeluckytohaveher. Ifyouhaveanyfurtherquestionsaboutmyrecommendation,pleasedonthesitatetocontactme. Sincerely,

FranciscaJamesHernandez,Ph.D.(StanfordUniversity,2007) InstructionalFaculty,Anthropology/ResearchAssociate,SIROWUniversityofArizona MellonPostdoctoralFellowintheHumanities(UniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeley,20072009) fjames@pima.edu 5202067034