Ray Tennison, Area Coordinator for Residence Education

Department of Residence Life

1032 W. Sheridan Road | Chicago, Illinois 60660
p (773) 508-3300 | f (773) 508-3311
rtennison@luc.edu
l have had Lhe pleasure Lo work alongslde CrysLal norwood for Lhe pasL Lwo years ln her role as an AsslsLanL 8esldenL
ulrecLor ln Lhe ueparLmenL of 8esldence Llfe aL Loyola unlverslLy Chlcago. uurlng Lhls Llme, CrysLal noL only excelled
ln Lhe duLles of her poslLlon, buL she esLabllshed herself as a Lrue educaLor ln Lhe fleld of sLudenL affalrs. l have no
doubL LhaL she has Lhe knowledge, experlence, and confldence needed ln order Lo be successful ln a professlonal
poslLlon.

CrysLal brlngs a unlque energy Lo her work - someLhlng LhaL ls noL Lralnable and slmply lnherenL Lo who she ls as a
person and as a professlonal. CrysLal ls ofLen ln Lhe offlce early ln Lhe mornlng before mosL of her colleagues and
sLays well lnLo Lhe evenlng. She commlLs such a broad range of Llme Lo her work Lo ensure she can manage all Lhe
admlnlsLraLlve Lasks of runnlng a resldence hall, prlorlLlze someLlmes compeLlng prlorlLles, and ulLlmaLely be presenL
and avallable for her sLudenLs and sLudenL sLaff. She Lhrlves on belng helpful Lo oLhers Lhrough her work.

CrysLal has demonsLraLed an lncredlble ablllLy Lo connecL wlLh sLudenLs Lhrough her poslLlon. She does noL Lake her
duLy as a communlLy bullder and resource llghLly. ln her poslLlon, she has prlorlLlzed her efforLs Lo fosLer
relaLlonshlps wlLh resldenLs - boLh proacLlvely by belng a poslLlve, conslsLenL presence ln her resldence hall and by
helplng sLudenLs when Lhey seek ouL asslsLance. ln her mosL recenL evaluaLlon LhaL her sLudenL sLaff provlded
feedback, all agree or sLrongly agree LhaL CrysLal ls approachable Lo resldenLs, accesslble Lo resldenLs, and addresses
resldenL concerns effecLlvely. Per dedlcaLlon Lo helplng sLudenLs ls noLlced noL only by Lhose she dlrecLly lmpacLs,
buL also Lhose who wlLness Lhe poslLlve work she does.

AddlLlonally, CrysLal's energy and relaLlonshlp-bulldlng skllls are backed by her sLrong admlnlsLraLlve skllls and pro[ecL
managemenL. uurlng Lhe Llme l have supervlsed CrysLal, she has always compleLed her work compleLely, ln a Llmely
manner, and Lo a hlgh sLandard. When worklng ln groups or on commlLLees, CrysLal shares her oplnlons and ldeas
whlle also llsLenlng openly Lo her LeammaLes' LhoughLs. She ls adapLable and able Lo synLheslze ldeas among Lhe
group ln order Lo develop Lhe besL posslble ouLcome. CfLen, CrysLal Lakes on Lasks LhaL oLhers may shy away from.
She has an appreclaLlon for boLh Lhe blg plcLure ob[ecLlves and Lhe flne deLalls of carrylng ouL her work. never have l
had Lo wonder wheLher a pro[ecL or Lask would be compleLed by CrysLal - whlch allows me, as a supervlsor, Lo have a
hlgh sense of assurance.

llnally, CrysLal has Lruly shown LhaL she embodles Lhe values of !esulL educaLlon. 1lme and Llme agaln, she has
proven LhaL she ls a woman for oLhers. She ofLen puLs Lhe needs of her sLudenLs, sLaff members, classmaLes, and
peers above her own needs. She affords oLhers Lhe Llme and space Lhey need Lo Lhrlve ln Lhelr developmenLal
process. She has an ablllLy Lo anLlclpaLe Lhe needs of oLhers and offers a lendlng hand Lo Lhem aL [usL Lhe rlghL Llme.
She has supporLed her peers Lhrough Lhe challenges and successes of graduaLe school - whlle golng Lhrough Lhe
same process herself slmulLaneously. MosL lmporLanLly, she does Lhls for every person hollsLlcally. She represenLs
Lhe splrlL of cura personalls ln her personal and professlonal llfe.

CrysLal norwood wlll be an excepLlonal professlonal ln Lhe fleld of sLudenL affalrs. She ls commlLLed Lo belng an
educaLor and a sLrong admlnlsLraLor - and does each wlLh a hlgh level of care. As she conLlnues Lo develop her
professlonal ldenLlLy, she wlll undoubLedly conLlnue Lo sharpen Lhese skllls and glfLs LhaL she brlngs Lo our fleld.

8especLfully,


8ay 1ennlson