This letter provides a strong recommendation for Claire Beach, who was an excellent student on the SIT Indonesia: Community Nature Conservation in Bali program in summer 2016. The writer has 28 years of experience leading study abroad programs. Claire completed an ambitious research project surveying 75 people about ecotourism in Bali. She worked diligently to produce a detailed report, translating her survey into Indonesian to interview more people. Claire excelled academically while being personally mature and respectful within the program community. The writer wishes Claire the best in her future endeavors.

1. SIT Study Abroad
Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology Program
To whom it may concern:
It is my pleasure to write this recommendation for Claire Beach, whom I taught in summer 2016 when
she was a student on the ‘SIT Indonesia: Community Nature Conservation in Bali’ program.
I work for SIT Study Abroad, as Academic Director of the Bali program and previously of the ‘SIT
Australia: Rainforest, Reef and Cultural Ecology’ (1998-2003), where I still teach as resident faculty.
Prior to that I worked in similar roles at the School for Field Studies’ Australian program (1988-1997),
so my experience as a study abroad teacher spans 28 years. During that time I have encountered few
students of Claire’s caliber. Claire reached out to me several months before the Bali program began, to
ask my opinion on the suitability of her proposed research for the Field Study Project (FSP) portion of
the program; she had already, in conjunction with faculty from her home institution, put together a very
coherent and ambitious proposal to examine aspects of ecotourism in Bali, structured in a manner that
incorporated the flexibility required in our busy program.
Speaking further with Claire after her arrival in Bali, I was initially skeptical about the large sample size
she hoped to attain, but her application to the task was unwavering, and she managed to amass a set of
75 detailed surveys (mostly in the two-week period allocated to FSP), producing an excellent FSP
report. In the course of doing so she worked early in the process with local staff to produce an
Indonesian translation of her survey, and she subsequently took the opportunity to further her language
practice by administering the survey in Indonesian whenever possible. Claire’s impressive effort became
even more so when viewed against the backdrop of her other program commitments, where her
academic performance in assigned work was always superb.
Ona personal level, Claire was the kind of student I always hope for, but seldom encounter. While
honoring her academic commitments to the high level mentioned, she remained a very personable and
respectful member of the small community formed by students and staff. Claire pursued her
interpersonal life with as much maturity and diligence as her academic work, and was a grounding
influence amongst her peers. She was also a lot of fun to have around.
I wish Claire all the very best for her future endeavors, and I am only too happy to provide any help or
information on her behalf.
Sincerely,
Jack Grant Ph.D.
Academic Director
SIT Study Abroad
Mailing Address: 8 Casella St,, Earlville, QLD 4870
Mobile Phone +61 0410 810 427
Email jack.grant@sit.edu ABN: 91 106 274 140