1. January 10, 2014
To Whom It May Concern:
I write this letter in recommendation of Stephen Voglewede. Stephen was a student in my
COM 353 (Small Group Communication) course in the Spring 2013 semester.
Immediately upon meeting Steve I realized he was a very professional, driven, and hard
working student. To this day I still keep in regular contact with Stephen as he is no longer
considered a former student but instead a colleague. We recommend different readings
for each other as well as spur each other on to continue achieving our goals as they both
revolve around inspiring others around us to make the world a better place. In this letter I
will describe why I believe Stephen is professional, driven, and hard working. I will first
describe Stephen’s professional demeanor.
Stephen is one of very few students I know of who stands out as a professional among his
peers. As a faculty member working at Central Michigan University for seven semesters
it’s safe to say that the majority of students have not quite developed the professional
demeanor needed to be successful in the real world. In class Stephen demonstrated this
through the numerous discussions we had both before and after class. Stephen has always
been extremely polite, courteous, and very formal. He understands how to communicate
with professionals. As I mentioned earlier, most students don’t understand how to address
professionals in a formal and respectful way. Aside from conversations, Stephen has also
showcased his professionalism through his work. At the end of the semester his team
took on a very difficult problem to solve on campus (regarding sexual assault). I was
amazed at how professional he was during this presentation. His disdain for it showcased
through his entire presentation in the most professional way as if he was presenting to
administration on campus. It was so professional that I was persuaded to fund his team’s
solution at the end of their presentation.
Aside from professionalism Stephen is extremely driven. Stephen and I began
conversations on a project he wanted to begin in the middle of the spring semester.
During class he saw a Ted Talk that encouraged him to create a venue where “ideas”
from people around the world would be showcased for the world to offer feedback and
follow. He immediately began reading books that would help him better understand what
would be needed to get this platform moving forward. Since then, Stephen and I have
exchanged many e-mails and conversations about what this could look like and how to
get started. It is rare that I see students who want to engage in projects that do not have

2. any grade attached to them. Stephen also showcases his drive through the different
readings he shares with me. I am inspired by the amount of e-mails I still receive offering
resources that can actually impact my teaching.
Finally, as the previous paragraphs have shown, Stephen is a hard worker and talented
leader. Stephen showcases this in other ways than just the previous examples mentioned.
I had the opportunity to watch Stephen lead his team of peers who were not as driven and
hard working as him. I had many conversations with him about motivating his peers in
his team without much success, however I could see that he really did want to invest in
his team and not just “do the work himself” as so many other team members do in this
class. He did not get angry with his peers or accuse them of not getting their job done.
Instead he stayed calm and worked hard at finding ways to motivate them. It was exciting
to see Stephen helping others work hard for the sake of the team and not because Stephen
wanted a good grade. As a result of Stephen’s hard work (and leadership) his team
created a great final presentation as mentioned earlier. Stephen’s individual achievement
in the class was also very exceptional as well. All one has to do is simply sit down and
talk with Stephen to see the grit and determination in his body language as he discusses
his passions. When he is truly dedicated to something it is hard to get him off task. This is
truly a quality that is unmatched by his peers.
In conclusion I highly recommend Stephen for the position he is seeking. Aside from
professionalism and overall drive, Stephen is a hard working individual that will put all
his focus into the projects that you ask. It is clear to me that Stephen has a deep-rooted
interest in politics, which will just add more fuel to his fire. Although I can write about
all the strengths of Stephen, you have to see them for yourself. I have been grateful to
consider Stephen as a colleague and my hope is that you will as well once he is given this
opportunity. I firmly believe that he has the heart of one who sincerely and truly wants to
make a difference in this world using the strengths and talents he possesses. Please
consider Stephen as the highly qualified applicant I believe he is.
Feel free to contact me with any questions you have about Stephen.
Sincerely,
Adam Barragato
Fixed-Term Faculty
Central Michigan University
Barra1ak@cmich.edu
248-719-5365