Letters of Recommendation

Since I retired on August 14, 2020, I may not be checking my mail regularly. Therefore, if you want me to write a letter or serve as a reference, please try to contact me well in advance of the need.

You should not put me down as a letter writer or a reference before I have agreed to do it.

Should you ask me for a letter?

If you need a letter of recommendation, I'll do my best to help you. I try to write letters that will help people as much as possible, but I have to be honest. I may be writing to the same employer or school in the future, and I want them to trust what I say. In particular, if I know something significant about you that is negative but nevertheless relevant, I have an obligation to mention it. If as a result I feel that my letter will do more harm than good, I will tell you that I can't write for you. (I may not be able to write letters for you for other reasons, such as not having enough time.)

Some things which will cause me to decline to write recommendations include classes skipped without an excuse, assigned work not done, rude, inconsiderate, or unethical behavior, and excessive numbers of excuses.

Obviously, I'll be able to write stronger letters for people who have gotten higher grades, all other things being equal. But employers and schools will probably ask for a copy of your transcript, so they'll see the grades you got. From letter writers, they usually want to hear about things like potential for success (in a particular kind of job, or in a grad program), work habits, character, and attitude.

There are people who have gotten average (or low) grades in my classes who I could write pretty good letters for. Why? They tried hard. They didn't skip classes or homeworks. They did all the assigned work, and also showed that they cared about doing well and understanding the material. They didn't omit the harder problems, or just scribble down some stuff to try to get partial credit. Their homeworks didn't regularly look like copies of the homeworks turned in by other people. Maybe they even bothered to drop in during office hours and ask real questions. They treated other people well.

Information I Need

I need the following information:

The addresses where letters should be sent.
When each letter is due.
What courses you took from me, and in what terms.
What you're applying for (and if it isn't obvious, explain what it is).

General Guidelines

Important: I only write letters with the understanding that they're confidential --- that is, that you will not read them. If you ask me to write for you, I'll take it that you agree to this. In particular, you must waive your right to access my letters (usually by signing on the appropriate place on the application form). If you haven't signed the waiver, I won't write the letter. If I'm giving you a letter to include in an application packet, it will be in a sealed envelope, with a note that it should not be considered if it has been removed from the envelope.
Please give me as much advance notice as possible. If you need one or two letters, try to let me know at least a couple of weeks before the letters are due. If you need five or more letters, give me at least a month. I may be able to do a letter on short notice, but there are no guarantees.
Address labels or addressed envelopes are very helpful, and a definite necessity if you have lots of letters.
Please be sure you've filled out all the parts of the forms that you're supposed to fill out.

Suggestion: If you have a lot of letters, you can help me and other letter writers and help yourself as well by tracking your applications in a spreadsheet. Keep records of where you're applying, the addresses letters are to be sent to, the deadline for applications, and whether the completed letters are to be sent directly to the employer or grad school or given to you. If you do this, give a copy of the spreadsheet to your letter writers so we can check off letters as they're completed.

Here's some of my personal information, in case you need it to fill in your forms:

Name: Bruce Ikenaga
Title: Associate Professor - Mathematics (retired)
Email: Bruce.Ikenaga@millersville.edu

Contact information

Bruce Ikenaga's Home Page