Matthew

Bakke, Ph.D.
Gallaudet University
800 Florida Ave, NE
Washington, DC 20002



November 5, 2017



Dear Dr. Bakke,

It is with great pleasure that I write this letter recommending Larry
Medwetsky for tenure at Gallaudet University. During my recent two years in the
HSLS department, I knew him as a professor in his Pediatric Aural Rehabilitation
course, as an advocate for students in his role as the department chair, and also as a
consistently warm and friendly face within the department.

I deeply respected Dr. Medwetsky as a teacher. He was the only professor in
my graduate school experience to assign readings of articles recently written by him
and to incorporate his current research projects into lectures, providing the strongly
research-backed education I expected in graduate school. He offered an
academically demanding class that required analysis and synthesis of information
from textbooks, research articles, and from off-campus site visits, and held the class
to high standards in fully applying all of these experiences to our assignments.
Despite this rigorous workload, he managed the classroom in an exceedingly
comfortable way, and facilitated class discussions in a manner that felt more like a
sophisticated conversation among professional colleagues rather than just sitting
through another professors lecture. Under Dr. Medwetskys tutelage, I saw his
classroom as a place where we each had a voice to contribute, a fun and safe space
to express differing viewpoints, and an environment that supported deep, highly
practical education. Having spoken extensively with my cohort in this matter, I am
certainly not alone in holding Dr. Medwetsky in such high esteem.

In his role as the department chair, I looked to Dr. Medwetsky for guidance
on multiple occasions, both on behalf of myself and as part of our cohort as a whole.
When problems arose within the department, when students were made promises
that were later undermined, or when other levels in the chain of command
dismissed our concerns, Dr. Medwetsky proved to be a consistent advocate and ally.
Despite his busy schedule, he was always approachable and prioritized making time
for students. As issues were presented to him, rather than making excuses or
automatically defending the department, he went out of his way to deeply listen to
the concerns, and only after ensuring he fully understood the situation, offered
appropriate solutions. When he was unsure of the best procedures to follow, he
would acknowledge this, but make and fulfill a commitment to finding the answer
and addressing the issue in a manner that balanced the needs of both the university
and its students. Throughout this process, he demonstrated unparalleled honesty,
integrity, and leadership skills, with solutions that ensured that both students and
staff had the support they needed to reach their full potential, thereby creating a
more successful educational experience and cohesive department as a whole.

In closing, I highly recommend Dr. Larry Medwetsky to receive tenure
without any qualification. He consistently went above and beyond the standards set
by his peers or mere job description. His students, the HSLS department, and
Gallaudet University are all very lucky to have him.

Please feel free to contact me for any additional information.


Sincerely,

Eric S. Klein, MS-SLP, class of 2017
kleines@gmail.com
(415) 341-3066