Luis H.

Garay
Program Coordinator, Cross Cultural Center
Saint Louis University
3672 W Pine Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63103
March 2016
I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to write this letter for Monica Cano and share why I think she
would make an exceptional student affairs professional. I am currently the Program Coordinator for
Student Support and Retention in the Cross Cultural Center at Saint Louis University. I have known
Monica since August 2010 when she was a first-year student at Dominican University, I was
Monicas peer advisor. Monica possesses passion, compassion, and self-awareness all of which are
integral to me in this field and for the work she wants to do. I write this letter not only as a higher
education professional but as Monicas supporter, advocate, friend, and mentor.
I want to take the following paragraphs to brag about Monica. As her mentor, I want to celebrate
her and let her know all the amazing things she has done. As her advocate, I want others to know
about the impact she has had.
I first became aware of Monicas passion when she decided to study abroad in London and Spain
while at Dominican University. Monica has a passion for exploring new places and being exposed to
learning about and learning from new cultures. I know it might not have been an easy choice for her
to spend two semesters abroad with how close she is to her family and friends in Chicago but that
desire to know more about and learn from led her to study abroad. Because of her passion and this
experience she has increased her multiculturalism and global citizenship.
Her compassion is evident through her student leadership experience as a peer advisor and
orientation leader at Dominican University and an immersion trip leader to St. Louis for Loyola. I
equate compassion to care and in both of these roles compassion is necessary to benefit the lives of
students. As a peer advisor and orientation leader, students lives were benefitted by Monica by
helping in their transition and academic success at Dominican. The jump from high school to
college can be tough but Monica worked with students, helped them pick classes, connected them
with campus activities and support services. This makes the transition less daunting. This care for
student experiences was seen most recently as an immersion trip leader for Loyola University. Not
only was care demonstrated through her volunteering her time to plan and attend with students to
St. Louis but she cared because she shared part of her identity and life experiences with students
during a dinner that I had the pleasure of attending.

This leads me to highlight Monicas self-awareness. During the summer of 2015, I invited Monica to
attend with me a conference at Northwestern University where Latinx folks discussed identity,
politics, and queer experiences. It was at this conference where I saw Monicas self-awareness and
her journey of self-actualization. We discussed our lives and experiences as Latinxs and related that
to our current work experience and our futures. The ability to know ones self and connect it to
ones work/profession will greatly serve her in working with students. This will especially be true if
she ends up in identity based work in a multicultural affairs office or a social justice education office.
I also want to take this part of my letter to promise Monica the following:
Monica,
The first is that I will affirm you in what you feel and what you experience. What you feel is
important and it is important to acknowledge this because it can impact your experience. I promise
to do this by holding space for you and listening to you when you need it. Even with me being a
state away, you can always reach out via text or phone. The second is that I promise to be the type
of mentor you want me to be in your life. However I can help you in your journey in this field I
would consider it a privilege. Third, I promise to challenge you to help you grow. Similar to our
students and challenge and support, I will sometimes challenge and push you a little to explore new
things, see things in a new perspective, and be exposed to new ideas. To borrow from Dean
Carlsons speech at orientation, you cant look at the pyramid coming down through the roof from
one side.
Lastly, Monica, please know you are a brilliant, hard-working individual. You have done amazing
work and have impacted the lives of many students and people you have come across. I hope you
never forget your power and the knowledge you possess. Set the world on fire (St. Catherine of
Siena style).
Sincerely,

Luis Garay
Luis Garay
Saint Louis University