1907 N Woodley St

Arlington VA 22207

May 23, 2019

Re: Shafqatullah Syed

To Whom It May Concern:

It has been my pleasure to work with Shaf Syed since his arrival at Fulcrum IT in December 2015. As a

graphic web designer, he has been a valued member of my program 's User Experience (UX) team. In

addition to his work on other projects, Mr. Syed became the lead designer for my primary project team,

which is responsible for conducting redesigns of our client's public website and producing content for

the site, consisting of nearly 100 individually designed pages on top of several thousand subsidiary pages

of detailed content.

Mr. Syed has been behind the professional, clean, contemporary look of that website over the course of

two successive redesigns (the first of them under my leadership). The latest design of the site has drawn

praise from many members of our client organization.

The following observations illustrate my appreciation for his qualities:

• Beyond creating graphics for the website , Mr. Syed has supplied important guidance on color,

typography, and layout, backed up by references to material on best practices and

contemporary practices . He clear ly articulates the rationale for his design recommendations,

with a focus on clarity and impact , backed up by references to best practices and current

practices. He keeps himself up to date on his craft, and has frequently sent me links,

unsolicited, to articles on emerging concepts in web design, particularly concepts that could

benefit our project.

• A branding guide for all our client's print and online publications was issued in 2016, covering

such topics as color and typography. Mr. Syed asked to be included in meetings reviewing the

intent and application of the guidelines . He quickly reviewed the impact the guidelines would

have on redesign work already in progress so that we could incorporate them into our work.

• Mr. Syed is attuned to the accessibility requirements of Section 508 and WCAG. When the

branding guide was released, he drew our attention to the difficulty of choosing

foreground/background color combinations out of the official palette that met the WCAG

contrast requirements. This led to productive discussions with the suppliers of the guidelines .

• Acting as a mentor, Mr. Syed has demonstrated his interest in the success of his teammates.

Sitting within earshot, I have listened to him instruct coworkers at length, sometimes spread out

over a period of days, on the use of particular software products and on principles of design.

• Mr . Syed's enthusiasm , earnestness, and devotion to the quality of his work and the success of

his projects have consistently been visible.

If I were to find myself working on another project with Mr. Syed in the future , I would be delighted.

Larry Torrez Business Analyst / Human Factors Engineer OneSpring 5152 Woodmire Lane Alexandria, VA 22311

email.to.larry@gmail.com

August 26, 2014

To Whom It May Concern, I am pleased to recommend Mr. Shafqatullah Syed for the position of substitute teacher Fairfax County substitute teacher program. I had worked as the Lead GUI designer/developer with Shaf on an enterprise level application for the Department of Defense. Due to management / government project delays that impacted the schedule, our team was forced to deliver two years of GUI development and design work in less than 10 months. The challenge to design and develop a new presentation layer for an application of this size would have chewed up a less dedicated team. Shaf proved more than up to the task. His diligent, detailed work and design skills combined with tireless attention to quality processes’ helped make the difference.

Shaf’s work was of such quality that he was assigned to design and develop the most visible elements of the application, specifically the login page process and presentation. This presented the user with a great gateway to a positive user experience.

His knowledge of traditional design principles combined with his scripting skills allowed him to work with little oversight. I knew I was going to get quality work from Shaf – and was never disappointed. Mr. Syed demonstrated a sense of fatherly calm amid the noise and hustle of a production based shop, a purpose driven designer – wanting to make sure that the user benefitted the most from his designs.

I recommend Mr. Syed wholeheartedly for a position with Fairfax County Public Schools. He will be a positive influence on all those he works with.

Sincerely,

Larry Torrez

April 3, 2012 To Whom it May Concern: Apart from his strong work ethic, his professionalism, and his intelligence, Shaf Syed is a man of impeccable character, and I recommend him most highly to you. I’ve known Shaf Syed for more than a decade. From 2001-2005, Mr. Syed worked under me as Webmaster for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs. During that time, Mr. Syed was instrumental in dramatically expanding AWP’s web-based services. When Mr. Syed began his work at AWP, our organization had a growing membership but very limited resources. Mr. Syed built a dynamic website that now attracts nearly 1 million unique visitors each year. His efforts were so successful that almost all of the association’s dramatic growth over the last decade (more than 400%) was fuelled on the strength of our web-based services for members. Repeatedly, and consistently, Shaf showed us all what was possible through hard work, learned inquiry, and persistence. He led this project, and worked almost entirely by himself to bring it to fruition, and yet his work required close collaboration with all of AWP’s staffers and departments. Everyone I know at AWP would speak highly of Shaf, and with good reason. To give you some sense of the scale of Shaf’s contribution to AWP, I present you this simple statistic: in 2001, when Shaf began his work at AWP, less than 5% of the organization’s revenue was generated through the web. Today, 50% of AWP’s revenue is generated through the website. This does not include the additional revenue streams––such as advertising and institutional membership–– that were generated almost entirely on the back of Shaf’s design and implementation. Without Shaf, none of it would have happened. But apart from Shaf’s contribution to AWP’s entire composition and organizational outlook, his character elevated our office. I knew him to be a pious, gracious, generous spirit, who always helped others without asking for anything in return. For example, when Shaf learned of a technical problem my wife was having at home, he offered to come out on the weekend to help her. On a personal level, Shaf is a dedicated father and husband. He lives his faith by being an example to others. His example has certainly inspired me, and I cannot recommend him more highly to you. I hope you will feel free to contact me with any questions you have about Shaf. Best wishes,

Matt Burriesci Executive Director

Admissions Counselor Macarena Vejar Sepulveda Savannah College of Art and Design PO Box 2072, Savannnah GA 3140

March 28, 2012

Dear Undergraduate Admissions Committee Members: Please accept this letter as indication of my wholehearted support of Shaf Syed’s application to SCAD’s BFA Graphic Design Program. I first met Shaf Syed when he was enrolled in Mason’s B.I.S. Program and he took both 2D and 3D animation classes, as well as a digital painting class, with me. Shaf also worked in Mason’s Internet Multimedia Center and in the digital studios, where he was respected by his fellow students and collegues. In and outside of class, Shaf Syed displays maturity, intelligence, commitment, imagination and resourcefulness. As a digital artist, Shaf's work is idea-based and thought-provoking. His creative work is often a poetic mix of fact, fiction and cultural constructions. He finds visually and intellectually engaging approaches to his projects. His work expands on what was covered in class and shows serious thought. In class, Shaf sets an excellent example for others. He articulates his ideas clearly and often asks thought-provoking questions. He listens to all critical comments, takes in suggestions for improvement. Shaf has an unassuming presence and a unique ability to couch complex concepts in straightforward terms. He is always fully prepared for class and can be counted on to make strong contributions to discussions. I am confident that Shaf Syed will give his BFA studies in Graphic Design his full commitment. He is bright, focused, affable and relates well to students from diverse backgrounds. He has a get-things-done approach to life and work. I believe that SCAD has in Shaf Syed’s application an opportunity to welcome an individual who will bring an interesting mix of talent, skill and vision to his work. For all of the above reasons, I give him my highest recommendation.

Sincerely,

Gail Scott White, Associate Professor

School of Art, MSN1C3 George Mason University Fairfax, VA 22030-4444 gscottwh@gmu.edu