Consider the following information before selecting Faculty and Staff References.

The most appropriate faculty referees will, in most cases, be those professors who can speak about your motivations, maturity, and independence, as well as those from whom you have received high grades.  You will, therefore, be best served by selecting referees who know you fairly well.  Students who do not know their potential referee(s) well should visit them during their office hours to discuss your interest in the award.

Academic references should be faculty members.  If you have relevant work or internship experience, you may want to ask a supervisor to write a third letter.  Supervisors should be supplied the same information provided to an academic referee.  Since this referee will be writing from the perspective of interacting with you in a practical manner outside of the classroom, it will add an additional perspective to your application. 

Providing the referee with a résumé or short biography along with your response to the three Academic/Reflective questions will give your referee a definite idea of what your goals are.  It will also allow the referee to understand what the award is and why you are applying for it.

Finally, make certain to give the referee adequate time to complete the letter.  Referees who do not have ample time may neglect valuable details when writing the letter or may neglect to submit the reference on time. It is the Applicant’s responsibility to check in with your referee prior to the deadline to inquire about the status of their letter.  You can send a friendly reminder, voice mail, or drop by their office hours to ensure that your letter arrives on time.