Rene’s Letter of Recommendation and Nomination for

“Outstanding Graduate Award:”

Dear Members of the Review Committee:

Please accept this nomination of Kristen Pizzo for the SCF Outstanding Graduate Award. Kristen has served as a student employee in the SCF Tutoring and Academic Success Center for the past two years. She exemplifies outstanding customer service, leadership, and ambitious activity as a volunteer with the American Sign Language (ASL) program here at the college. With a 3.94 college GPA, I know that she is one of the brightest examples of outstanding student achievement at the State College of Florida both in and out of the classroom.

While serving as a Peer Tutor with the Tutoring and Academic Success Center, Kristen has shown tremendous initiative in helping our customers feel welcome, assisted, and well-served. She is the warm and friendly face of our staff to all who enter the tutoring center, and she helps students feel as if there is no question too small to ask. She has helped student customers with everything from orientations on how to use Canvas to tutoring assistance in American Sign Language and Writing. Her compassion is evident as is her heart for helping all feel welcome and comfortable from the moment that they walk in our center doors. That feeling of welcome and belonging is why many students return regularly for our tutoring support and assistance, and she represents the best school spirit characteristics of an SCF Manatee. Kristen always maintains a professional presence and interaction with both student customers and staff alike.

Kristen has also been actively involved with the American Sign Language (ASL) program community events as well. These events encourage ASL students to come together with members of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community to practice sign language and communication. Kristen has been a huge supporter of these campus events both on and off campus. In addition, she has volunteered at a wide range of community service activities as well…I know that her passion for helping others will continue to serve her well as she graduates with her Associate’s degree this fall and transfers on to her next university.

I give Kristen Pizzo my highest recommendation for this Outstanding Graduate Award. We will greatly miss her presence in the Tutoring and Academic Success Center when she graduates. She has demonstrated excellence in all four areas of consideration for the award including leadership, academics, community service, and school spirit. She is truly a shining example of a SCF Manatee. I appreciate your consideration of my nomination.

Sincerely,

Rene D. Massengale, MS, PHD