Dillon Draper

Here are a few wonderful references I have received throughout my professional and academic career.

Executive Director and Founder of KidpowerIrene van der Zande

"Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower International is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to providing child protection, positive communication, and personal safety skills for all ages and abilities since 1989.

Dillon Draper worked in our central office from April 2012 until June 13, 2014, starting as an Assistant and working up to a Project Specialist. He has provided administrative and technical support to our organization that have been important in moving us forward. His specific responsibilities have included:

• Handling the complex process of submitting grant applications
• Registering students for workshops and answering questions
• Registering with online sources and creating graphics for our marketing and fundraising
• Preparing layout and sending of our e-newsletters on Constant Contact
• Helping with research for our transition to Get Response
• Helping with the posting of blogs, articles, workshop schedules and website updates
• Assisting with several new publications, through InDesign and CreateSpace
• Helping with researching for improvements to our Google AdWords and Google Analytics
• Updating our computers and our backups
• Installing software and finding solutions to software problems
• Negotiating with vendors to solve problems and to replace office equipment under warranty
• Recommending new office equipment to improve our office efficiency
• Installing office equipment
• Training interns in office tasks

Dillon works hard and cares deeply about doing a good job. He takes feedback extremely well and is committed to solving any problems and resolving any concerns.

He has managed his transition of leaving his job in a way that has been very supportive to Kidpower, including giving us plenty of notice so we could find someone to fill his position, training other office staff in his responsibilities, updating procedures, and creating new training documents that will help our office keep functioning smoothly going forward.

Dillon’s warm, caring personality leaves people feeling comfortable and very positive about Kidpower.

We have enjoyed having Dillon working here and wish him great success in his web design business and future plans.

Sincerely,
Irene van der Zande

Tel: (800) 467-6997 Ext.6#
Email: irene@kidpower.orgExecutive Director and Founder
Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower International
P.O. Box 1212
Santa Cruz, CA
95060

Vice Mayor of Santa CruzDon Lane

"It is my pleasure to write on behalf of Dillon Draper as an applicant to your program or company.

I got to know Dillon in a tutorial/class I co-taught at UC Santa Cruz earlier this year called Project Homeless Connect. The class combined service learning activities with academic work in sociology and other social sciences—all focused on the vexing social problem of homelessness.

Dillon excelled in both the academic and service activities in the class. His final paper on an innovative idea for improving a local homeless program was among the best in the class. And his participation in class discussions was very strong.

I worked directly with Dillon on his service learning activities and had a chance to see beyond his academic abilities. He accomplished a variety of tasks related to outreach for the Project Homeless Connect event held in downtown Santa Cruz in March. He works with real commitment on social issues and brings real talent in terms of using the latest technologies to address these issues. He is sharp, articulate and reliable.

I believe your program or company will benefit from Dillon’s participation as much as Dillon will benefit from your program.

I very much hope you will find a place for him in your program or company.

Sincerely,
Don Lane

Tel: (831) 420-5022
Email: dlane@cityofsantacruz.comVice Mayor
City of Santa Cruz
809 Center Street
Santa Cruz, CA
95060

AP Language & Composition TeacherKaren Aase

"When I think of Dillon Draper, I imagine him in an attitude of earnest concentration, formulating a critical question, parsing the finer points of a text or topic, or reflecting on the social problem inherent within a cause. Possessing an intuitive and analytical nature, Dillon was always eager to stimulate discussion toward deeper investigation and insight. Polite and sensitive to others, he was nevertheless always a deeply engaged in learning and in expressing his own ideas–so refreshing in comparison to those who lean on borrowed ideas.

Tenacious and irrepressible, Dillon was the sort of student who would raise questions and risk unknown territory, helping to create a class dynamic of inquiry in both my ninth grade honors English class and my eleventh grade AP Language and Composition class, where he passed the AP exam. Sensitive to the nuance and deeper implications of text, Dillon excelled at interpreting the stylistic and rhetorical impact of language on meaning. A strong writer, Dillon was an even stronger orator. He especially enjoyed the opportunity to research and engage in debate, probably because he cares passionately about ethics, principles, and the means by which they may be manifested or abused in our world. An intense personality, Dillon paradoxically might be described as low key. His sense of humor and good will super-ceded self-interest, and he functioned rather like a back-stage manager who operates purposefully and productively, without calling special attention to himself. Though he loved debate, he was open to divergent opinions and multiple interpretations, willing to stretch. He was also quite earnest about refining his work, and was quick to apply suggestions for revision and editing, committed to re-drafting as long as it took to improve and perfect his work.

On-stage, Dillon is completely in his comfort zone. He has performed in musicals and dramas throughout his high school career, last year (2008) landing a major acting and singing role in Les Miserable. Dillon loves the stage: he has committed tremendous time and energy and rightfully earned acclaim for his talents. Even so, he seems to be a well-balanced individual who has time for friends, family and fun, all the while balancing a rigorous academic load at school.

Our educational system thrives because of earnest students like Dillon Draper who devote themselves to personal growth and public service. I urge you to admit Dillon to your program and support him in his future endeavors; he will certainly contribute much to our society."

Sincerely,
Karen Aase

Email: laase@meadowcrk.comShasta High School
(Retired) AP Language & Composition Teacher
REDDING
CA

Technical Area ManagerOfer Niv

"Dillon Draper has worked as a high school summer intern in my department from 6/08 – 8/08. The work has been performed in Chandler Arizona.

Dillon has been great to work with. He has jumped into work as soon as he came on board and has been a quick learner. He took online teller training to familiarize himself with the application. He has been asked to analyze some data based on tellers’ survey in order to identify areas of opportunity for technology improvements. I was impressed with the fact that although Dillon did not have branch experience as a teller and was not familiar with the technical aspects of the application, he was quick to glimpse some important observations that I later used in a presentation to my whole team.

I like his optimism and can-do attitude. I sometimes see interns that expect others to teach them every step of the way. They were not very productive in our over-busy environment where people simply don’t have the time to do a lot of one on one training. Dillon, on the other hand, quickly identified contacts he needed to get his assignments done. He was quick to grasp the use of office tools. He was already familiar with Outlook, Power Point, Word, etc. and made good use of them.

He was self-motivated and accountable. He was friendly and productive. I highly recommend him to any of your programs based on my experience with his work and his character.

If you have more questions, feel free to contact me."

Tel: 480-724-4261
Email: nivo@wellsfargo.comWells Fargo Bank
Service Teller Department
Chandler
AZ