About Us

The Teaching Team

The Teaching Team (TT) is a committee that is dedicated to provide pedagogical resources to faculty within the Writing Program at UCSC. This blog and website serves as one of the many resources that we have cultivated and published to support our faculty for the WP’s major courses: Writing 1 and Writing 2.

As of AY 2024-2025, the Teaching Team has absorbed the previous duties of the Professional Development Committee (PDC) and our major duties are articulated throughout this website.

Meet the Team

Brenda Sanfilippo, Chair

Brij Lunine

I have taught at UCSC since 1998. I have a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of New Mexico (2004).  I’ve taught Stevenson, Cowell, College Nine, and Kresge core courses, as well as courses in American Studies, Literature, and Environmental Studies. I like teaching writing for all levels–from how to teach writing (Writ 203) to the MLC courses. I’m especially interested in the role of narrative in different genres of writing and information literacy.  I also enjoy collaborating with high schools for writing workshops.

Taylor Kirsch

Alexandra McCourt

I came to UCSC in 2023 after completing my MA in Rhetoric and Composition at North Carolina State University. I am currently pursuing a PhD Composition and Applied Linguistics at Indiana University at Pennsylvania. I have been teaching first year writing and conducting research about Gen Z and Alpha in writing classrooms for 7 years. I am also passionate about indigenous studies, abolitionist rhetoric, and these ideas can be applied to critical pedagogies in college composition.

Shout out to our Emerti members of the PDC/Teaching Team: Lisa Schilz, Steve Coulter, Madeline McKinley, Kate McQueen, Dina El Dessouky, Denise Silva, Brenda Sanfilippo, Joy Hagen, Ingrid Moody Lariviere, Jessie Dubreuil, Amy Vidali, Ellen Newberry, and Lara Galas!

The Rhetorical Situation

The TT runs a blog—The Rhetorical Situation—to provide resources, amplify faculty voices, and stimulate collegial discussions. We will also be expanding the blog to incorporate key Writing Program events, as well as adding a webpage that focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) pedagogy within writing studies.

We also welcome any feedback or recommendations for content that you wish to see represented in the blog.

If you would like to be added as a subscriber and receive blog updates delivered to your UCSC email, follow the blog.

Concerns or Queries?

Please send me an email and I will be happy to address it!

Alexandra McCourt
Writing Program Lecturer and Teaching Team DEI Coordinator
ammccour@ucsc.edu

Please send general Writing Program questions to writingprogram@ucsc.edu.