Purdue, Mitch Daniels MBA – Sample Recommendation By Current Supervisor

500 character responses required

Per Purdue’s Daniels School of Business admissions guidelines¹, this sample illustrates a recommendation letter addressing relationship context, leadership, professional growth and motivation for the program² — reflecting the kind of recommender perspective Daniels’ MBA programs continue to require.

Define how long and in what context(s) you have known the applicant, including the peer group with which you are making comparisons.

I have known ABC since January 2009 when she joined my team at DEF as a software engineer.  She has been a direct report to me and has been directly promoted from software engineer to Technical Analyst responsibility (typically we promote Senior Software Engineers to this designation) based on her outstanding performance. The comparison peer group includes IT professionals with similar work experience, education, knowledge and level of responsibility at DEF Inc.

Describe the applicant’s strengths

• Leadership: A very natural facilitator, she has successfully steered both local and onshore (international location) teams despite absence of direct, formal authority³
• Process driven:  She is adept at process flow analysis, developing comprehensive manuals and ensuring their usage.
• Excellent communication: Top-rated for both written and verbal communications, she is also great at explaining complicated technical details to clients/non-technologists in a simplified manner.

How could the applicant improve professionally or academically? What efforts has the applicant taken to show improvement?

An energetic and results-driven person, ABC was initially a bit impatient in getting things done. However, she was quick to learn from my feedback and mentoring.⁴ Over the years, she has evolved to a patient and yet very determined professional.

Likewise, she would sometimes “over-commit” to clients — in her enthusiasm to help them achieve their goals. Over time, she has learnt to strike the right balance between the client’s needs and feasibility of meeting those at our end.

Would you enjoy working with or being in class with this applicant? Why or why not?

Yes. It will be a pleasure to be in a class with ABC. She is rational, goal-focussed and hard-working professional. I have also noted her openness to new ideas/approaches and versatility. I believe that her success as both a team member and leader can be attributed to these traits. It is but natural that association with her will lead to the growth and overall development of anyone who works with her.

What do you think motivates the candidate’s application to Purdue University’s Mitch Daniels School of Business?

From my discussions with ABC, I have noticed two broad areas:

1. Increasing both breadth and depth of learning: With 5 years of focused growth, she is at the right stage to enhance her cross-functional understanding (breadth) and also strengthen fundamentals in information systems (depth)
2. International team work and leadership exposure: Mitch Daniels’ global MBA platform will be the best training ground for her long term goal of deploying IT for clients across the world.

Does the applicant have realistic professional ambitions or unrealistic expectations of entitlement?

ABC is a rationalist to an extent and her reality contact is also strong. Her goals are in natural progression with her 5 year growth track record. She has also been a performer during her academic years and had learnt software programming as early as the 12th grade.

For non – native English speakers, please comment on the applicant’s verbal and written English ability?

I can vouch for her English ability. Her foundation in English language is strong. Her voice, expression and body language enhance the impact of her speech. She is a very effective listener and is quick to relate to and win over her audience. Her reports to clients and internal forums are always appreciated since they are well worded, structured and comprehensive. Please also refer to point (3) under “Applicant’s strengths”

Sources

1. Purdue Daniels School of Business — Online MBA Admissions Requirements: Two letters of recommendation are part of the application requirements.
2. Purdue Daniels School of Business — business.purdue.edu: The school emphasizes practical skills, clear thinking and evidence-led decision-making in developing its students as business leaders.
3. Harvard Business Review — What Makes a Great Leader? (September 2022): Effective leaders build culture and capability by enabling collaboration rather than relying on formal authority.
4. Harvard Business Review — Receiving Feedback: Harnessing a growth mindset helps professionals treat feedback as an opportunity rather than a threat.

1. Core recommendation questions and formats vary by program and admissions cycle; specific requirements should be reverified before relying on them. The word limits and structure for responses may vary for a given year.
2. Names, employers, and identifying details have been changed to protect client confidentiality.