Our Staff

Writing Center Consultants

• Lisa Biesemeyer has a Master’s Degree in Literature from San Francisco State University, a Master’s Degree in Education from Capella University, and a Certificate in TESOL. Her goal is to facilitate a learning environment by encouraging effective written communication, thoughtful discussion, an engaging, compassionate peer learning community, and providing access to a knowledgeable, trustworthy, empathetic teacher. She has taught all levels of writing since 2001, and has taught Writing in Psychology, which focuses on writing APA style literature reviews, since 2005. 
• Jason Bowers has a Master's Degree in Composition Instruction from San Francisco State University. He has taught in the Writing Program at SFSU and researches the interaction between grading policies and feedback on student writing.
• Shelwyn Corrigan has a Master's Degree in Linguistics and a Master's Degree in Digital Media and Learning. She has been an instructor at the University of San Francisco in the School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences since 2001.  
• Onllwyn C. Dixon (he/they) is a proud alumnus of USF, having earned his Ed.D. and M.A. in International and Multicultural Education. He currently serves as National Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Year Up, a national nonprofit workforce development organization. Onllwyn has taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses. He is an avid foodie, reader, traveler, and concert goer.
• Charlotte Evans is an Environmental Studies major with a minor in Journalism. As a consultant at the writing center, their goal is to give students the best chance at success based on their specific needs. Every student is different and possesses unique qualities, and it is key that we use these qualities to create student-specific learning experiences. Charlotte is particularly interested in supporting student with accessibility in mind. Also, they can read and decode both scientific and “normal” writing, which allows them to assist writers of various disciplines. 
• Melisa Garcia has a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing and a Master's of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Poetry) from the University of New Mexico. Her research focuses on non-dominant narratives, immigration issues, alternative discourses, and linguistic diversity.
• Lilliana Gutierrez (she/her) is a second-year Psychology major with a love for writing. As a student who visits the Writing Center quite often, she is dedicated to empowering others, hoping to assist students in embracing their own voices and confidence through writing. She is happy to guide you through your writing process!
• Ailsa Hogben is a second-year USF student studying computer science and minoring in math, two subjects that are almost completely unrelated to writing. Despite this, she has a passion for writing and a strong sense of empathy for those who struggle with writing and may be more STEM-oriented. She is a transfer student from Seattle Central Community College, where she got her Associate of Art degree. In her most recent rhetoric class she wrote a 23 -page paper about dirt, so she will read anything! Although she used to dislike writing, she has found that writing is a great way to express complicated feelings and ideas. She would like to share the joy of writing and creativity with fellow students that might not feel especially inclined to writing.
• Jadyn Johnson-Bowles (she/her) is a second-year Environmental Studies student with a concentration in Urban Studies and a minor in Environmental Science. Along with her studies, Jadyn is a passionate creative, argumentative essay, and research paper writer. Jadyn used to feel that asking for help, especially in writing, meant she was a failure. However, after addressing this issue and helping others realize this is not the case, she has developed a love for peer reviews. Acknowledging personal writing hardships, she is eager to bring a new perspective to the USF Writing Center; helping her fellow students achieve their writing goals and feel more comfortable pushing the narrative of what is considered “academic” writing.
• Joy Liu is a senior undergraduate student at USF studying Communications. She is an international student from China and has rich experiences working with students of various ages and levels. Joy is your go-to person if English is your second language and writing is not your confident skill.
• Anjili Maharaj is the Writing Center's Lead Peer Coach and a graduate student in the MAPC program focusing on Health Communication. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies (minor in Asian American Studies) from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an Associate’s Degree in Communications from Diablo Valley College. As someone who visits USF’s Writing Center regularly, she aims to give all students the skills they need to be confident in their writing through a thoughtful approach. Previously, she tutored students at Diablo Valley College’s Academic Support Center and found her passion for writing through those experiences.
  
  She has always enjoyed working with students and hopes to use her background in communication to encourage accessibility, inclusion, diversity, equity, and kindness in academic spaces. Outside of school and work, you can find Anjili at the beach, at a concert, traveling, or spending time with family and friends.
• Jack McSherry (they, them) is a second-year computer science major with a math minor. They were born and raised in Seattle. They want to help people be more confident in their writing.
• Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko (pronoun agnostic / gender atheist) received their Master's in Fine Arts (MFA) in Dramatic Writing from Columbia University in the City of New York while also a Point Scholar. Nick also received their B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) in Literature-Writing from Columbia University. Nick has written three books: Str8 Up Queer African (Scientists and Poets, 2023); Waafrika 123 (UnCut/Voices Press, 2016) and Waafrika (UnCut /Voices Press, 2013).
• Matthew McKinnie earned his Master's Degree from San Francisco State University in TESOL and Composition. His background is in linguistics, and his work has been oriented toward linguistic approaches to reading, language contact for multilingual speakers, and discourse communities in translation/textual analysis. He welcomes writers at any stage of their process, in any genre, at all times.
• Maia Patton (she/her) is a second-year student at USF. She is studying English with a concentration in literature and creative writing. She loves exploring her own writing and challenging herself to grow and expand her skills. Her future goals are to become an editor and writer.
• Izzy Scarfo (she/her) is a third-year philosophy student at USF. With a major that keeps her reading and writing constantly, she understands the stress of looming deadlines and is eager to share her tips and tricks for managing last-minute papers and overcoming writing blocks. She welcomes projects at any stage of development and is excited to contribute to the Writing Center’s collaborative space, where she looks forward to being a resource for her peers and working alongside so many talented writers.
• Cynthia Schultes has taught at Trinity College in Washington, D.C., and Notre Dame Seishin University in Okayama, Japan. At USF, she teaches in the Rhetoric & Language Department, the Master's program in Professional Communication, and the Master's program in Asia Pacific Studies. She has a PhD in History from the George Washington University.
• Valeria Serrano (she/her) is the Writing Center's Marketing Director. She brings a unique perspective to the Writing Center as a first-generation college student. Currently a senior, she is pursuing a major in advertising and a minor in design, blending creativity with communication skills. Valeria is passionate about helping others amplify their voices and craft compelling narratives. With her bilingual proficiency, she ensures inclusivity and accessibility for all students. Additionally, her background in photography enriches her understanding of visual storytelling, offering a multifaceted approach to writing support. Valeria's commitment to fostering a supportive and empowering environment aligns perfectly with the goals of the Writing Center, where she strives to empower students to express themselves confidently through the written word.
• Mona Shaath has been tutoring students in Writing Centers since 2018; she began teaching in the 90s. Throughout her teaching career at area universities such as USF, the Academy of Art, and San Francisco State University, Mona has been passionate about engaging students using a variety of approaches to reading and writing. Mona recently co-authored a chapter about "good writing" in Perspectives on Good Writing in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (University of Michigan Press, 2023). Her pedagogy draws on a social justice perspective informed by an M.A. in Sociology from New York University. In 2023, Mona Shaath graduated with an M.A. in Composition from San Francisco State University. 
• Soo Shin is currently an MFA candidate in Creative Writing at the University of San Francisco. She received her B.A. in English from UC Berkeley and her teaching credentials at UC Davis and San Jose State. She loves the written word and relishes in supporting writers to develop efficient, intentional writing.
• Elizabeth Strout (she/her) is a senior literature student. Her prose has been featured in Writing for a Real World, the San Francisco Foghorn, and Hot Pot Magazine. In addition to tutoring writing, she tutors conversational French. She's passionate about sharing her love for language and helping students sharpen their sentences.
• Alexandra Thomson has lived in the Bay Area her whole life. She is currently a sophomore at USF, majoring in English with a creative writing concentration. If you hadn’t guessed already, she loves reading and writing as well as editing. Unfortunately, despite loving to write, she still has a bad habit of procrastinating on all of her papers, leading to frequent all-nighters. But because of this, she is able to empathize with fellow procrastinators. She is excited to work with them, hopefully can ease some of their stress, and wants to make sure that they are not alone in it.
• Taylor VanSant is a second-year graduate student studying Urban and Public Affairs. Before studying at USF, they were an undergraduate student at Santa Monica College and CSU, Monterey Bay. They received a bachelor's in humanities and communications with a concentration in creative writing and social action. Taylor has hosted several writing workshops about the power of one's voice to promote empathy and social action. They strongly believe in writing's ability to open minds and foster empathy. Taylor has been trained in Kingian nonviolence, conflict reconciliation, and restorative justice and hopes to incorporate elements of the reparative praxes into their tutoring style. 

Writing Center Director

• Jonathan Hunt is the Director of the USF Writing Center and Professor in the Department of Rhetoric and Language. He can be contacted via email at jhunt2@usfca.edu.