A Letter of Recommendation for Admittance into the School of Angels

Dear members of the Admission Committee:

It is my great honor to submit this letter in support of the admission of Lisa Payne Nestor to the School for Angels. I have known Lisa since 1999 when she began teaching in the Chemistry Department here at Trinity College. Since that time I have had the pleasure to interact with Lisa on both a professional and personal basis. Over the years I have come to know Lisa as one of the most incredible individuals that I will ever encounter on this earth. A consummate professional and a caring and compassionate person, Lisa embodied all of the characteristics that are required of exceptional angels.

Lisa possesses the superior intelligence required of angels. Her insight into the pedagogical programs that she was involved in resulted in the achievement of a completely different level of excellence than they were first designed for. She nurtured the Supplemental Instruction program here at Trinity into a multi-department success. Her work with CHAS, the Consortium for High Achievement and Success, has resulted in several new initiatives. And her involvement in the Introductory Chemistry programs at Holy Cross and Trinity was instrumental in the development of a widely successful “Discovery Lab” pedagogy that has benefited virtually thousands of chemistry students.

Lisa also possesses the immense strength required of angels. She has persevered under extremely difficult health issues for many years in the service of her students. Being intimately involved with hundreds of students year after year never seemed to slow her down and she was never too worn out to meet with one more student late in the evening.

It is said that angels take great joy and pleasure in offering their loving wisdom and guidance. Lisa has been doing this her entire life, whether it was to a confused first year chemistry student, or to her younger brother Phillip. It was easy to see the joy she received when interacting with students. You just needed to witness the glorious smile and the twinkle in her eyes as her explanation finally made it through to a confused and befuddled mind.

Perhaps Lisa’s most angelic quality was her desire to provide a service to her students and colleagues without a hint of desire for recognition. She worked late nights, pouring herself into every lab write-up, served on numerous committees, volunteered her time and teaching talent to the community, and single-handedly transformed the Thursday Evening Happy Hour from a chip-and-dip affair into a delectable midweek celebration of collegiality and culinary delicacies.

I have been truly blessed by her presence in my life. I have had the honor to experience first hand her extreme holiness, her love of life, and her gift of teaching. She is the essence of love and joy. So it is without reservation that I give my highest, unqualified recommendation that Lisa Payne Nestor be admitted into the School for Angels. I will miss her and look forward to our reunion in Heaven.

Upward

William H. Church

Associate Professor of Chemistry/Neuroscience

Chairman, Health Professions Advisory Committee