Christa Nathe, Rhodes College

Recommendation for Carlton Rounds.

I am writing to offer my highest recommendation for Carlton Rounds for the position to be an educational specialist and advisor. It was over three years ago that I met Carlton though my college’s international studies advisor Katherine Owen Richardson. At that time I was a second semester junior majoring in Russian Studies at Rhodes College in Memphis Tennessee. He was the coordinator for a study abroad program to Saint Petersburg, Russia through Bard College in New York. Meeting him for the first time in an interview I felt instantly comfortable with him because of his infectious positive disposition.



In my initial interview with Carlton I did not feel embarrassed to relay to him my concerns about his program and my ability to succeed in the overseas program that he sponsored. For one thing, I had been diagnosed with a learning disability while in high school and was given a foreign language requirement waver. However, at Rhodes I had to take at least three semesters of a foreign language. I decided to study Russian because it fascinated me and I truly enjoyed everything associated with Russia. However, my grades did not reflect my passion or hard work with a subject that was particularly challenging for me. I was concerned that I would not be a successful student of Russian in Russia because of the challenge I felt picking up the language. He however, reassured me that being in Russia and learning Russian there would be a brilliant experience for me and my language acquisition. He was correct. By the time I left Russia at the end of my semester, I was making A’s in my language classes and could converse with my Russian friends with ease. While talking with him I got the feeling that it was more important to him that I wanted to learn, wanted to an American studying Russian with real Russians, and trying to gain an authentic experience than be a Russian language prodigy. Carlton is a person who is interested in authentic experiences, in whatever shape or form, and helping other people gain a similar appreciation of genuine knowledge.

The prospect of going abroad, especially to Russia, presented an entire array of challenges both culturally, and socially as well as economically. I remember that Carlton taught me to be aware of differences that were an implicit aspect of my presence, as an American female in Russia. Not to be self-conscience, but to be self-aware and to treat differences as a learning experience, not as a hindrance. That mentality has been instilled in me ever since and has helped me to gain a certain freedom of thought when approaching things that are unfamiliar. Socially speaking, Carlton expected me to be myself and trusted that would guide my social progress. Truthfully, there is and was no other way. That was more challenging than I thought it would be, but it was so much more rewarding to do this than I could have ever dreamed. In addition to his spoken support, he was also incredibly generous by granting me a Bard Fellowship which without I would not have been able to afford to go to Russia.

Carlton offers a strong minded, sensitive, and a positive approach to diversity and to progressive attitudes that I have truly not witnessed anywhere else. He helped me overcome various struggles by helping me become more self-aware, and allowing me to feel safe to challenge myself for the sake of personal growth and gaining an authentic knowledge. He would be an asset to your school most assuredly. Carlton would provide your students with thoughtful, and intelligent advice. He would always have your students’ best interest at heart, as he did with me when I was under his advisement.

Christa Marie Nathe