Recommendation Letter Template
Author
Joseph T Foley
Last Updated
4 months ago
License
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
Abstract
Recommendation letter template intended for use by Reykjavik University students and staff. V0.3
%% LaTeX template for writing student recommendations by Joseph T. Foley <foley@ru.is>
%% This can easily be used for anything that needs the a letterhead.
%% To get the a font very close to that is used on the official letterhead,
%% run xelatex instead of pdflatex.
\documentclass[11pt,draft]{letter}
\usepackage{recommendation}
\setlogo{ru-logo}
\usepackage[backend=biber,style=numeric,natbib=true]{biblatex}
%% natbib allows \citet and \citep to exist
\addbibresource{references.bib}
%% Put your information here
\newcommand{\myname}{John Hancock}
\newcommand{\email}{{\tt johnhc@ru.is}}
\newcommand{\position}{Professor}
\newcommand{\department}{Department of Stuff}
\newcommand{\university}{Reykjavík University}
\newcommand{\universityaddress}{Menntavegur 1\\
Reykjavík 101\\
Iceland}
\renewcommand{\universityinfoline}{\color{rugray}{\textbf{REYKJAVÍK UNIVERSITY}} | Menntavegur 1 | 102 Reykjavík | Ísland/Iceland | Sími/Tel +354-599-6200 | ru@ru.is | \textcolor{red}{www.ru.is}}
\address{\myname{}\\\position{}\\\department{}\\university{}\\\universityaddress{}}
\newcommand{\cred}{(BJU BS '99)}
\newcommand{\info}{I am an \position{} at \university{} in the \department{}}
\newcommand{\phone}{+354-555-5555}
\newcommand{\imaddr}{skype at {\tt foo}, and google hangouts at {\tt foo.bar@gmail.com}}%last!
\newcommand{\disciplines}{Divine intervention}
\newcommand{\tenure}{8 years}
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% SIGNATURES %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
\newcommand{\myopening}{Dear admissions officer,}
%% Default opening for all the letters which assumes you will print and sign
\signature{\myname}
\newcommand{\myclosing}{Kind regards,}
%%% Comment the 3 lines below if you wish to skip the signature graphic
\signature{}
\renewcommand{\myclosing}{Kind regards, \\
\fromsig{\includegraphics[height=3\baselineskip]{signature}}\\\fromname{\myname{}}}
%% Information about the student
\newcommand{\studentfull}{Katrín Jakobsdóttir}
\newcommand{\student}{Katrín}
%% Prononuns for the boilerplate text
\newcommand{\He}{She}
\newcommand{\he}{she}
\newcommand{\His}{Her}
\newcommand{\his}{her}
\newcommand{\studenttime}{3 months}
\newcommand{\teammates}{three team-mates} %%can put the number here if needed
\newcommand{\course}{my Awesome Robots\footnote{sometimes called Robotics or Industrial Feedback Systems in other curricula} course}
\newcommand{\grade}{$X \rightarrow Y$ \fxfatal{Fill in grade.}}
\newcommand{\rank}{Z out of ZZ in the class. \fxfatal{Fill in rank}}
\newcommand{\skillsmastered}{\He{} has mastered the fundamentals necessary for research in this field including giving proper respect to the gods of the magic blue smoke which live in electronics.
}
%% Macros defined by the letter class
\address{\myname{}\\\position{}\\\department{}\\\university{}\\\universityaddress{}}
\newcommand{\recommendationbase}[1]{
\begin{refsection}
My name is Dr.\ \myname{} \cred{} and \info{}.
I have been teaching at this university for \tenure{} in the areas of \disciplines{}.
I have known \studentfull{} for \studenttime{}.
\student{} has completed \course{} and excelled with a grade of \grade{} out of 10.
\He{} ranked \rank{}.
\He{} had an excellent grasp of the very challenging and interdisciplinary material which draws from computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering as described in \cite{carryer2011IntroMechatronics}.
\His{} final project with \teammates{} demonstrated all of the learning outcomes in the course:
\begin{itemize}
\item Be able to design, build, and test advanced circuits with active elements,
\item Write lab reports for experiments performed,
\item Record and organize a research/design notebook in a professional manner,
\item See opportunities, not obstacles, when problems arise.
\end{itemize}
\fxfatal{Fill in a summary of the group project, at least a paragraph.}
\His{} team built {\em something}.
This project required them to {\em solve this interesting problem}.
The final result was able to do {\em this capability}.
The project was well thought out, well implemented, and properly documented in a presentation.
\fxfatal{Fill out individual information, at least a paragraph}
\student{} has {\em characteristics}.
\He{} has shown {\em characteristic 1 by doing something}.
\fxfatal{Add the part makes the recommendation believable (and not generic).
Be as detailed as possible.}
\He{} has {\em area of improvement}.
\He{} is {\em improving them by doing \ldots\/}
%% Summary goes here. Put \skillsmastered{} in argument for default skills.
#1
If you have further questions, I can be contacted at \phone{},
\email{}, \imaddr{}.
\closing{\myclosing{}}
% make sure you have the bibmagic option for bibtex
% \bibliography{references} %bibtex
\printbibliography{} %biber/biblatex
\end{refsection}
}
\newcommand{\recommendation}[1]{\recommendationbase{To summarize, I would highly recommend \student{} for \his{} proposed graduate studies in #1. \skillsmastered{}} }
%% Common addresses for university applications
\newcommand{\chalmersaddr}{Chalmers University of Technology\\SE-412 96 Göteborg\\Sweden}
\newcommand{\dtuaddr}{Technical University of Denmark\\Anker Engelunds Vej 1\\Building 101A\\2800 Kgs. Lyngby\\Denmark}
\newcommand{\ethaddr}{ETH Zurich\\Leonhardstrasse 21\\8092 Zurich}
\newcommand{\kthaddr}{KTH Royal Institute of Technology\\Valhallavägen 79\\100 44 Stockholm\\Sweden}
\newcommand{\tudelftaddr}{TU Delft\\Mekelweg 2\\2628 CD Delft\\Netherlands}
\newcommand{\tueindhovenaddr}{Eindhoven University of Technology\\PO Box 513\\5600 MB Eindhoven\\The Netherlands}
\newcommand{\usdkaddr}{Faculty of Engineering\\University of Southern Denmark\\Niels Bohrs Allé 1\\DK-5230 Odense M\\Denmark}
\newcommand{\swedengeneraladdr}{University Admissions in Sweden\\FE 20102\\SE-839 87 Östersund\\Sweden}
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%DOCUMENT BEGINS %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
\begin{document}
%% Example of recommendation
\begin{letter}{Faculty Of Engineering And The Environment\\
Building 177\\
University Of Southampton\\
Boldrewood Campus\\
SOUTHAMPTON\\
SO16 7QF\\
United Kingdom}
\opening{Dear Admissions Officer,
\recommendation{Unmanned Aircraft Systems Design}}
\end{letter}
%% Example of using address macros
\begin{letter}{\chalmersaddr}
\opening{Dear Admissions Officer,}
\recommendation{Mechatronics}
\end{letter}
%% Example of a letter for applying to a job
\begin{letter}{Human Resources Department\\Marel ehf.\\Austurhraun 9\\210 Garðabær\\Iceland}
{\opening{Dear Human Resources administrator,}
\recommendationbase{To summarize, I would recommend \student{} for positions in mechanical design, especially research and development.
\He{} has mastered the fundamentals necessary for effective work in this field, including: design methodologies, CAD tools, rapid prototyping, version control, and documentation in \LaTeX.}
}
\end{letter}
%% Example of a grant or scholarship
\newcommand{\scholname}{Google Europe Scholarship for 2016}
\begin{letter}{\scholname{}}
\opening{To whom it may concern,}
\recommendationbase{To summarize, I would highly recommend \student{} for \his{} consideration for \scholname{}. \skillsmastered{}}
\end{letter}
%% Example of a free-form letter with just the letter head and footer
\address{Joseph T. Foley\\Reykjavik University\\Menntavegur 1\\Reykjavik 102\\Iceland}
\signature{Joseph T. Foley}
\begin{letter}{University of Applied Sciences\\Padualaan 97\\Utrecht PL97\\The Netherlands}
\opening{Dear Erik Puik,}
I hope you are well.
The 4 hunter-killer drone prototypes you asked for are in the attached crate.
What were you planning on doing them again?
My memory gets hazy every time I try to think about our last meeting.
Maybe you can help me remember what the project was?
\closing{Kind Regards,}
\end{letter}
\end{document}
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