In any discipline. For any essay prompt. We're here for you.

Mission Statement

Promoting equitable and inclusive access, “The Buscadores (Searchers) Program: Graduate School Application Writing Support and Mentorship"  is designed for all students applying to graduate school and exploring the possibilities graduate school offers. In this support series, experienced University Writing Program faculty will guide students searching for future career opportunities that require advanced degrees by teaching the “hidden” curriculum of professional communication in graduate school applications. We provide writing support for students applying to graduate school through a series of workshops, writing labs, and 1:1 faculty mentoring focused on all forms of the application essay. We welcome students at any stage of the writing process! This support service is free of charge.

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The Buscadores Program: Graduate School Application Writing Support and Mentorship
 

 

Spring 2025 Schedule Preview

 

Where-to-Start Workshops

April 10th, Thursday, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

April 18th, Friday, 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

April 22nd, Tuesday, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

April 28th, Monday, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

May 7th, Wednesday, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

May 16th, Friday, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

May 19th, Monday, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

More opportunities for support may be added on the RSVP Sign-Up Form. Access the Form for more details.

WHY YOU SHOULD SIGN UP:

We're an experienced team of University Writing Program instructors who will provide writing support as you complete your graduate school application essays. We can guide you through any stage of the writing process. Our series of workshops, labs, and 1:1 mentoring is designed with you and your schedule in mind. Come join us!

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Ask-Me-Anything Writing Labs

April 15th, Tuesday, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

April 25th, Friday, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

May 1st, Thursday, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

May 7th, Wednesday, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

May 12th, Monday, 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm

May 20th, Tuesday, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

May 29th, Thursday, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

June 4th, Wednesday, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

More opportunities for support may be added on the RSVP Sign-Up Form. Access the Form for more details.

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One-on-One Mentoring

location varies

Once you connect with a UWP mentor, both of you can arrange your meetings based on your availability. Your mentor can work with your schedule.

 

Grad App Mentors

Mentor Name Email Contact Compositional Specialties/ Areas of Interest
Dr. John Acker johna@ucr.edu Professional nerd. Specialties in business writing, copyediting/proofreading, religion and literature, and 19th-century American literature.
Dr. Jennie Friedrich jfrie005@ucr.edu MA in English/Writing with a creative emphasis, and experience with psychology and genres of writing relating to fundraising (not strictly grants); medieval history and literature; disability studies; dogs and dog training; music and creative writing; records and turntables
Dr. Stephanie Fousek sfous001@ucr.edu Personal narrative, creative nonfiction, Latin American literature, psychology, meditation/ mindfulness, printmaking
Dr. Kathy Hardun khard004@ucr.edu Medieval literature and history, Early Modern literature, queer theory and LGBTQ+ history, French, science writing, application materials (job, graduate school, etc.).
Dr. Anne Sullivan anne.sullivan@ucr.edu Nineteenth-century British literature; media history and theory; visual culture; print and material culture; children’s literature; environmental humanities; science and technology studies. Personal interests include photography, pottery, and geeking out about TV shows and movies.
Dr. Elizabeth Stela McDonald emcdo001@ucr.edu Research interests include: popular and traditional music; ethnography; oral history; transnationalism; Japanese migration; Brazilian history; gender and sexuality studies; phenomenology; grant writing and other job materials. Personal interests include early childhood education, and nature in Southern California. 
Dr. Todd Luce tluce002@ucr.edu Environmental history and history of the American west, borderlands, and Southern California. Personal narrative, noir fiction, and post-colonial literature are areas of great interest.
Dr. Raymund Papica rpapi001@ucr.edu

Program Lead for the Buscadores Grad App Writing Support and Writing Across the Curriculum. Specializes in medieval and early modern literature, graphic novels, comics, science writing, science fiction, and digital media (film, games, etc.).

Dr. Vlad Sirbu vlad.sirbu@email.ucr.edu

Comparative Literature with a focus on German, Chinese, and English, Horror Films, and Interdisciplinary Media Studies. I am also seasoned in International Education Systems (Spain, Germany, China, and the US) and grad school applications across multiple languages and cultures. My interests include the challenges international students and non-native English speakers face in American academia. Language proficiencies: English, Spanish, German, Chinese, Italian, and Romanian. 

Dr. Clare O’Brien clare.obrien@email.ucr.edu

Comparative Literature with a focus in Arabic, Medieval Spanish, and German, Translation, and World Literature. Having taught both Arabic and English to native, heritage, and non-native language speakers, I aim to help students incorporate their skills and experiences into their professional goals.

Dr. Grant Palmer grant.palmer@ucr.edu

Technocultural theory, American and British literature, American film, video game studies, media studies, queer theory, gender and sexuality, biopolitics, critical theory, and digital media.

Contact Us

Raymund Papica, Ph.D.
UWP Associate Director
Writing Across the Curriculum Coordinator
 

 University Writing Program


  raymund.papica@ucr.edu