I am writing to strongly endorse ###'s application for graduate study 
in Statistics at ###.

### is one of those people who has come to statistics slowly, in her
case after setting out on a career in ### .  After working in ### as a
###, she became interested in a more quantitative approach, and began
graduate school at CMU in the department of ###.

In the process of studying ### issues in the ### department, ### 
has taken several statistics courses with us, originally intending to
obtain an MS in statistics to support her doctoral work in ###. However, 
she has found herself increasingly motivated by the statistical modeling 
and data analysis issues underlying ###, and she has not found adequate 
support for this more detailed quantitative approach in the ### department.  
So, although she is through the first hurdles of the PhD program in ###, 
it is now apparent that the best route for her to follow is to become a 
graduate student in statistics.

This fall ### has been taking the standard coursework for incoming PhD
students in statistics, as she moves from ### to statistics.  I expect
she will earn an MS in statistics by May based on her coursework this
year, and I anticipate that she will be invited to continue in our PhD
program at that time.  However the transition between academic fields
is an opportunity to ``see what's out there'' again, and ### is
seriously considering other statistics programs as well.

I have been ###'s instructor in two courses in our department, a
beginning graduate course in applied regression and data analysis, and
a beginning graduate course in statistical theory.  I think the
mathematical level of the statistical theory course surprised her at
first---after five years away from any significant mathematical
work---but she improved steadily in both technical skill and tenacity
as the semester progressed.  In my opinion she is clearly competant
and capable of understanding and manipulating statistical machinery at
a technical level.

### demonstrated a lot of aptitude for data analysis and applied
statistics in the applied regression course.  She is interested in and
tenacious about data analysis and model fitting, and she is compelled
by the question of justifying---qualitatively and quantitatively---the
choice and use of the model in any particular data-analytic
setting. For a final project in this course, ### and another student
presented to the class a short sketch of nonlinear regression
methodology, illustrated with data extracted from an emissions source
attribution data set.  She is really quite good at providing
qualitative verbal interpretations for technical material; and her
data analysis and communications skills are excellent.

Personally ### is an energetic, open individual with lots of personal
drive and vigor.  She is pleasant to be around as well, and is
collegial with fellow students and with faculty.  ### has neither the
interest nor the temperament to pursue a theorem-proving career in
statistics, but she has an excellent mix of skills and interests for
applied statistics. Given ###'s research inclinations and talents, two
of the faculty here are already interested in advising her thesis work
with us once she is through the Phd coursework.  If you admit her to
###, you will be admitting an applied statistics PhD student with real
star potential.

Please feel free to contact me using the information in the letterhead
if you have any questions or need additional information.

\closing{Sincerely,}