The Buscadores Program: Graduate School Application Writing Support and Mentorship

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

The Buscadores Mission

The Buscadores (Searchers) Program assists all students applying to graduate school, medical school, law school, and other professional (and prestigious) opportunities. Experienced University Writing Program faculty guide students searching for future career opportunities that require advanced degrees by teaching the “hidden” curriculum of application essays. We provide equitable and inclusive opportunities for success through a series of workshops, writing labs, and 1:1 faculty mentoring focused on all forms of the application essay. We welcome UCR students at any stage of the writing process!

Buscadores is free of charge and open to all current and former UCR students.

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How We Support You

Click each card below for specific details about our support system.

Where-To-Start Workshops

These introductory workshops are designed to help you understand prompt questions, general patterns, genre expectations, and strategies and tips. These sessions are designed to help you start the writing process. Ask questions. Meet potential mentors. Location: HMNSS 1001H (Zoom options available where listed).

One-on-One Mentoring

We provide personal mentorship for students who would like additional one-on-one guidance. We can adapt our approach to fit your specific needs. 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.

Ask-Me-Anything Writing Labs

AMA Writing Labs provide on-the-spot writing support available for all students. The writing lab is a community (or private, if you prefer) space where you can have a dialogue with mentors and/or peers. These writing labs are the ideal space to write and get guidance when needed. Hop in anytime during any of the reserved 2-hour blocks. Location: HMNSS 1001H (Zoom options available where listed).

We provide writing support for:

Graduate School Applications
Medical School Applications, including residency applications
Law School Applications
Professional Applications
Prestigious Programs and Scholarship Applications

Why you should sign up:

There are many programs that provide writing support. So what makes us unique and effective?

We're an experienced team of University Writing Program instructors who will provide tried and true writing support as you complete your graduate school application essays.
The support we provide is personalized, interactive, consistent, and based on your specific needs. We can guide you, wherever you are in the process.
We work with other programs to provide you with the comprehensive guidance you need, and our weekly series of workshops, labs, and 1:1 mentoring is designed with you and your schedule in mind.

Come join us!

I was running around during Winter/Spring 2025 asking for help with my personal statement. Before the program, my writing was not great, but afterward I was able to refine my application writing skills. Thanks to the Buscadores program, I received an acceptance to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. I also want to thank Dr. Grant Palmer, Dr. Vlad Sirbu, Dr. Clare O'Brien, Dr. Stephanie Fousek, Dr. Todd Luce and basically everyone else. Having different perspectives helped me realize that while application writing may vary from professor to professor, the underlying philosophy remains the same: have a clear topic sentence for each paragraph, show don't tell (write a story), and be reflective. Because I heard this consistently from so many different mentors, I truly internalized its importance, and I think that is why I love this program so much.

Brian G.

Medical Student

I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your guidance and assistance with the personal statement, essay questions, and experiences description. When I only had pieces of puzzles, you helped me organize my thoughts, improve my wording, grammar and overall clarity, and much more. As someone for whom English is a second language, [the] Buscadores program's contribution has been significant in my premed journey. Thank you again for your support.

Fatima M.

Medical Student, Mentor: Raymund Papica

I was recently a student whom you mentored for the Buscadores program. I want to thank you for your help with my application, specifically my graduate essay. I have since heard back from UCR's Master's of Public Health with an admission offer for Fall of 2026. Undoubtedly, as a product of your guidance from Buscadores.

Zoe V.

Master's in Public Health, Mentor: Paris Brown

I have been accepted into all the programs I applied to! I wanted to thank you for reviewing my statements and providing me with your valuable feedback, which played a crucial role in my acceptances. I am also excited to let you know that I just committed to UCLA! I was very impressed by their program and faculty, and I look forward to becoming part of their department. Muchas gracias por todo su apoyo y guía a lo largo de este proceso!

Silvia P

PhD in Spanish, Mentor: Vlad Sirbu

I was one of your mentees in the Grad App Writing Program in Spring of 2024. I believe we crossed paths briefly around Spring 2025, and I was able to tell you the good news that I had gotten acceptances from multiple medical schools! I truly believe that this could not have been possible without your help. You are so incredibly compassionate, and I really appreciate the effort and time you put into helping me convey my story effectively.

Lena L.

Medical Student, Mentor: Stephanie Fousek

I’m very grateful to share that I was admitted to both Georgetown University’s MA in Arab Studies SFS program and Columbia University’s MA in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies program. Still waiting to hear back from NYU, but will probably decide between Columbia and Georgetown (leaning more towards Georgetown!). I know your support plays an important role in making these opportunities possible, and I deeply appreciate it. Thank you for also helping me gain confidence in my writing skills and in myself throughout this journey. I truly enjoyed our conversations and getting to know each other.

Amy M.

Master's in Arab Studies, Mentor: Jennie Friedrich

I officially submitted my intent form to Cornell University. Thank you again for all of your support throughout the writing process. Your guidance truly meant a lot to me, and I sincerely appreciate the time and effort you invested in helping me through this application cycle.

Salvador J.

Master of Health Administration, Mentor: John Acker

I was just reaching out to express my gratitude for all the help you were able to provide me with my MPH application. I wanted to share that I got my acceptance letter earlier today! I am super excited to continue my studies here, but even more ecstatic to be able to share the good news with you! Thank you for all the help once again! I couldn't have done it without you.

Melanie G.

Masters in Public Health, Mentor: Clare O'Brien

Meet Your Buscadores Mentor Team

Dr. Raymund Papica

email: raymund.papica@ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: 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.). Works with a variety of applications, especially with health professions and the sciences.

Dr. Clare O'Brien

email: clare.obrien@email.ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: 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. Vlad

Sirbu

email: vlad.sirbu@email.ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: 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.

Paris

Brown

email: paris.brown@ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: Legal field background; specifically, criminal law. Other research interests include twentieth-century American literature, film, and popular culture studies. Former true crime podcast host and currently writing a book on historical true crime. Other personal interests include Southern California history, vintage architecture and aesthetics, travel, animal welfare and rescue, genealogy, and documentaries.

Dr. Jennie Friedrich

email: jfrie005@ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: 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.

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Dr. Stephanie Fousek

email: sfous001@ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: Personal narrative, creative nonfiction, Latin American literature, psychology, meditation/ mindfulness, printmaking.

Dr. Elizabeth Stela McDonald

email: emcdo001@ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: 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. Grant Palmer

email: grant.palmer@ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: Technocultural theory, American and British literature, American film, video game studies, media studies, queer theory, gender and sexuality, biopolitics, critical theory, and digital media.

Dr. Todd

Luce

email: tluce002@ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: 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. John

Acker

email: johna@ucr.edu

Specialties/Areas of Interest: Professional nerd. Specialties in business writing, copyediting/proofreading, religion and literature, and 19th-century American literature.