Employer not a native English speaker. Request Recommendation?

Graduate School
1

<p>Hello,
I am three years out of undergrad and am applying to fairly competitive MPP (Public Policy) programs. I plan on tailoring my applications for a specialization in International Development. I am also fairly interested in Environmental Public Policy, but I have much more experience in International Development. I figure I can change specializations once I'm accepted if I decide that International Development is not for me. </p>

<p>At any rate, I have already requested two letters of recommendation. One is from the directors of a study abroad program I did in El Salvador. I know the directors quite well on a personal and academic level, and know they will do a great job. I also requested a letter from an undergrad professor who taught a class on social justice. We did a lot of service projects and discussed global issues often. He also knows me quite well on a personal level. </p>

<p>I wanted to get your advice for my third letter. My options are:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>An Anthropology professor of mine from undergrad. I did very well in her classes, and she knows me well personally. She knows about my interests in International Development and some of the work that I have done abroad. She is very intelligent and dependable and would write a great letter.</p></li>
<li><p>My boss of one and a half years (when I was a bilingual case worker at Catholic Charities after undergrad graduation). She knows me on a personal level and has seen my dedication to my clients. I did a lot of great program development during my time at Catholic Charities and worked primarily with Latino immigrants (ties into International Development). Although she has been living in the US for 20+ years and speaks English very well, she is not a native speaker. I am nervous that, although she would write a great letter, there may be some small mistakes in her grammar. Also, she has not written as many LORs as my anthro professor as she is not in academia. Still, I thought it might be good to diversify my letters (academic as well as employment). </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Do you have any suggestions or advice? Could I offer to proofread my boss's letter?? Any insights would be most appreciated. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I had this situation. My last research supervisor had been living in the states for decades but for some reason never developed his ability to speak or write in English. He asked me to proofread his letter of recommendation. Thank God I did. It was riddled with mistakes of all sorts.</p>

<p>This only worked out because he asked me to proofread everything he wrote, it would have been presumptuous for me to ask to proofread it otherwise. I would take the lead from your boss. Surely she is aware of the importance this holds in your career and may ask you to proofread it for her, if not, she may ask somebody else to.</p>