Letter of Recommendation Manatee Community College

MCC Manatee Community College 8000 South Tamiami Trail Venice, FL 34293 www.mccfl.edu 941-408-1300 20 Nov. 2007 To Whom It May Concern: As a professor and club advisor at Manatee Community College, I have helped plan and organize several events, but our events featuring Lorna Bracewell have been, by far, among the most dynamic and rewarding. We have featured Lorna on our campus three times since I have become a faculty member. The first featured Lorna in a traditional concert setting; the second involved Lorna's workshop on gender and politics entitled "Love 101"; her most recent visit to MCC saw her bring her workshop on the tradition of politics in music. In each case, students were overwhelmingly positive about Lorna's contributions to their learning experience. Not only do they find Lorna charismatic as a person, but they enjoy the knowledge and experience she brings, as well as the obvious musical talent she possesses. As a recent college graduate, Lorna has a wonderful ability to communicate with students -- not only from the stage, but in face-to-face discussions. Her workshops demonstrate her extensive studies in music and politics, and she has an amazing talent of making complex concepts accessible to students. Moreover, she takes time with each student who wants to dialogue with her, and she makes each student feel special. I have personally found each of Lorna's presentations rewarding, and when I posed the possibility of bringing Lorna back for a fourth visit, my students were unanimous in their enthusiasm. She has clearly struck a chord with my students, and I hope that her list of successes continues to grow. Sincerely, Douglas Ford