A thoughtful letter of recommendation that speaks knowledgeably about a Fellowship applicant’s proposal and their abilities/qualifications can be a determining factor in whether or not a Fellowship is awarded. 

The Eloranta Fellowship Committee asks those providing recommendations for Fellowship applicants to keep the following in mind when writing recommendations. 

• Is the student’s proposal clear, well constructed and free of typographical, spelling, and/or grammatical errors? Proposals with egregious errors are generally not considered.
• Is the proposed project/research valid, original and student-initiated, or at least student-directed? If other work has been done in the proposed area, has the student carefully examined the intersection between her/his proposed project and previous work?
• Is the project feasible, and something that the student can successfully accomplish (or at least make significant progress toward) in a summer with their skills and background? 
• What are your thoughts and/or concerns about the project? 
• What do you deem to be the outcomes of the proposed project? Why do you think it is worthy of an Eloranta Fellowship?
• Is the proposed research in your field?
• How long and in what capacity have you known the student?
• Do you believe the student has the means and motivation to see this project through to completion?