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I'm currently applying for the prestigious Harry S Truman Scholarship, for graduate studies for individuals who are committed to a career of public service. The chances of me getting the scholarship are about equal to those of Ryan Rupe getting the Cy Young award. Anyway, one of my strengths has got to be chutzpah. Rather than going through the appropriate channels, where I knew I'd be stopped, I sent an email right to the top of the Peace Corps:

Director Vasquez,
Please forgive my boldness. I work full-time as an intern in the Press Office, and I was hoping that you would be willing to do a great service to me. I am currently applying for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, a fiercely competitive graduate school scholarship of $30,000, and the application requires three letters of recommendation, including one on my commitment to public service.
While I am aware that you know relatively little of me, your name would carry great weight with the Truman Board of Trustees, which is comprised of such leaders as Sen. Max Baucus, Secretary Rod Paige and Rep. Ike Skelton, among others. Furthermore, I am more than willing to provide any additional information you would like about myself, Northeastern University, or the Scholarship.
As an intern and hopefully a future volunteer, I would be deeply honored by your taking the time to oblige me in this way.

Sincerely,
Salim Furth
Press Intern
x2230

He responded within minutes, and agreed to do the letter. Well, that's an exageration. He had an intern write the letter for him, of course. Me. So I wrote,

Dear Finalists Selection Committee,
As Director of the U.S. Peace Corps, I have had the privelege to encounter many young Americans whose dreams bespeak a commitment to service and the world community, and whose actions lend me hope that great strides towards world peace will be taken in the twenty-first century. Salim Furth is one such young person, and I am glad to take this opportunity to endorse him as the type of American of which the Peace Corps is proud.
Salim’s service at Peace Corps headquarters has been marked by proactivity. For myself and many others, working at the Peace Corps is much more than a job, for we know that we in Washington contribute to the noble work of Volunteers throughout the world. Salim exemplifies this attitude, using his position in the Press Office to promote Peace Corps service and ideals, and going beyond his assignment to further the work that has been entrusted to us. He and the other interns of the Press Office took the initiative to create a new series of press releases and stories highlighting the achievements of notable Volunteers in the field. The Peace Corps is more than a job to Salim for another reason - he plans to apply to become a Peace Corps Volunteer following his college career. Leading the Peace Corps has given me a great appreciation for what applicants from all studies and walks bring to the Peace Corps, and an equal appreciation for what Volunteers take back from it to their future positions. It is with this in mind that I heartily recommend Salim Furth as a student who will apply his graduate education effectively in public service, in the Peace Corps and throughout his career.
Should you have any questions about Mr. Furth's application that I can help answer, please do not hesitate to contact me at 202.692.2100.

Of course that's just a draft, but I don't think anybody is going to put much more into it. It's far from perfect, and it's a little too short, but having a letter that is supposed to confirm my commitment to public service signed by the Director of the Peace Corps is about as good as it gets. And I just have to hope my boss doesn't find out I went over her head... In any case, she wrote the same recommendation for my competitor for the scholarship, who happened to hold the job I have before I did.

Pray for me... miracles do happen (not that I'll be praying for Ryan Rupe)!