To Whom It May Concern:

I am pleased to write a letter of recommendation for Courtney Stanczak in

consideration of her application to a dietetic internship program.

I was Courtneys instructor for her University Service-Learning course that was
taken in the summer of 2016 at Arizona State University (ASU). The University
Service-Learning (USL) Program is housed with the ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers
College. Any ASU student can participate in the program by enrolling in a USL
course and as a part of that course they participate in a service internship with a
local nonprofit. In the USL Course, students are learning about their community, the
importance of civic engagement, and effects of social injustice on society through
coursework, discussion, and lectures. Then students experience and effect these
issues by providing 70 hours of service to a nonprofit that works with a marginalized
community. Service-Learning is a teaching methodology that enables students to
apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to meaningful service to the
community.

For her USL service internship, Courtney selected to serve with as a Nutrition
Educator in a food pantry for a local nonprofit organization called Tempe Community
Action Agency (TCAA). The mission of Tempe Community Action Agency is to
provide stability and independence to working poor families, children, seniors, and
the homeless through a variety of programs. The population served by TCAA is very
low income and typically earning less than 150% of the federal poverty level. The
food pantry at TCAA consists of donations from business and fresh produce is
generated from the Escalante Community Garden that located next to TCAA. In
Courtneys role as a Nutrition Educator, she primarily worked with senior citizens
that visited the center. She worked with the chef to prepare nutritious meals and
also educate the seniors on how to make the meals. Courtney taught nutrition
workshops and helped the seniors understand how some food could impact their
health and mobility or interact with medications. In addition to her work with
seniors, Courtney also distributed food packages to families that visited the center.
Courtney exceeded the required 70 hours of service and received the highest score
in every section of her mid semester and end of semester evaluation completed by
her supervisor at TCAA. Her supervisor said that Courtney has created valuable
connections between the information and the clients needing the informationshe
taught in a fun and understandable way and she taught staff new techniques.
Courtney was also an outstanding contributor to the USL 210 course. She
consistently participated in class discussions and often led her small group
discussions. Every assignment she submitted was thoughtfully prepared, articulate,
and precise. She often sought to include others in the discussion or activity. Over
our summer course, I observed Courtneys verve for continuous learning, devotion
to helping others by improving their health, and her creativity. Courtney received
the highest grade in my course and ultimately went on to continue serving at Tempe
Community Action Agency. I highly recommend Courtney for any dietetic internship,
scholarship, or program. She is the future trailblazer for community health.

Thank you,

Erica Schwartzmann
University-Service Learning Coordinator & Instructor
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Community Engagement Programs
Arizona State University
Erica.Schwartzmann@asu.edu
480-965-8261