Contact Us

Phone: 512-471-6222

Location: Flawn Academic Center 211

Address:
Undergraduate Writing Center
The University of Texas at Austin
FAC 211
1 University Station (G3000)
Austin, Texas 78712-3000

General Inquiries:
coordinator@uwc.utexas.edu

Staff Contacts

Peg Syverson

Director
Office: FAC 211
Phone: 512-471-8734
Email: syverson@uts.cc.utexas.edu

Margaret Syverson, a Carnegie Scholar, is the Director of the Undergraduate Writing Center, former Director of the Computer Writing and Research Lab, and an Associate Professor in the Division of Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Texas at Austin. She teaches graduate level and undergraduate courses such as “Ethics and New Media,” “Zen Rhetoric,” Nonviolent Communication,” “Information Architecture,” and "Knowledge Ecologies" in computer networked classrooms, where students learn to communicate effectively in online environments.

Professor Syverson adapted for college-level students the Learning Record, a successful evidence-based assessment system originally developed in London and California for K-12 classes. Information about the Learning Record is available at http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~syverson/olr. Her work on evaluating learning with the Learning Record has been supported through grants from DARPA, the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, the Institute for Teaching and Learning, the Department of Rhetoric and Writing, and the College of Liberal Arts at UT.

Professor Syverson’s book, The Wealth of Reality: An Ecology of Composition, was published by Southern Illinois University Press in 1999. She is former Chair of the Board of Directors for the Center for Language in Learning, and former Editor of Computers and Composition Journal’s online site.

She is also an ordained Soto Zen priest and resident teacher for the Ordinary Mind Zen center in Austin. To learn more, visit http://ordinarymindaustin.blogspot.com.

Lisa Leit

Program Coordinator
Office: FAC 211
Phone: 512-232-2730
Email: lisasleit@juno.com

Lisa Leit, long-time Writing Center consultant, UT Rhetoric instructor, and former UWC Assistant Director, is UWC Coordinator. Lisa is fundamentally interdisciplinary in approach and brings a well-rounded perspective to the UWC. She graduated from Penn State with an undergraduate English degree in 1996. During college, she served as a family mediator and counselor to children from challenging family situations. Before returning to graduate school, she served in professional capacities ranging from Teach for America middle school English teacher on the Mexican border to Office Manager of a New York City branch of an international law firm. Throughout this period, she traveled extensively throughout the continental US, Europe, Mexico, and South America. Lisa then obtained her Ph.D. in Human Ecology at the University of Texas at Austin in May, 2008. Lisa's dissertation, "Conversational Narcissism in Marriage," was published as a book in 2008 by VDM Verlag.

Initially hired at the UWC as a liaison to the College of Natural Sciences, she founded the UWC Research Group . She also designed and taught a Science Writing course offered by the Department of Rhetoric and Writing that was well received by UT undergraduates. Overall, Lisa has twelve years of experience conducting workshops, and teaching on levels ranging from preschool to college.

In addition to her role as UWC Coordinator, Lisa has a private practice as a workshop presenter, coach, and mediator. More information is available at http://www.drlisaleit.com

Vicente Lozano

Systems Administrator
Office: FAC 211
Phone: 512-471-4031
Email: vtlozano@mail.utexas.edu

Michele Solberg

Administrative Associate
Office: FAC 211
Phone: 512-232-2725
Email: michele_solberg@mail.utexas.edu

Andrea Saathoff

Assistant Director (AD)
Office: FAC 211
Phone: 512-232-2724
Email: asaathoff@mail.utexas.edu

Andrea Saathoff is a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at UT. Her research examines college student suicidality and the need for a population-oriented approach to enhancing mental health and well being among these students. She is also passionate about contributing to the integrative healthcare movement in both research and practice because of the benefits patients experience when psychological support is combined with the treatment of health complications.

This is Andrea's second year working at the UWC, and first year as an AD. She is involved with several project groups that work together to enhance UWC's services and presence on UT's campus. She is also interested in studying student anxiety as well as learning and motivation surrounding the writing process.

Brian Gatten

Assistant Director (AD)
Office: FAC 211
Phone: 512-232-2724
Email: gatten@mail.utexas.edu

Brian Gatten is a Ph.D. candidate in English Literature studying historical trends in the development of Western drama. His interest in the persuasive power of dramatic narrative has led him to teach courses on the rhetoric of horror fiction as well as major works of European drama. His dissertation focuses on critical similarities between medieval English religious drama and 20th century avant-garde theater.

Brian served as President of the Graduate Student Assembly last year and remains active with the GSA as its Legislative Relations Director, advocating at the capitol for such things as better student health insurance coverage. This is his fourth year at the UWC, and his first as an AD. He heads up the Presentations Group.

Jamie Jesson

Assistant Director (AD)
Office: FAC 211
Phone: 512-232-2724
Email: jjesson@mail.utexas.edu

Jamie Jesson is a Ph.D. candidate in English Literature with a focus on transatlantic modernism. His dissertation examines radio drama by Orson Welles, Dylan Thomas, Samuel Beckett, and other authors and performers. His interest in the intersections of literature, technology, and popular culture has informed his teaching, which has included a sophomore-level course on literary form and a class on the rhetoric of countercultures.

Jamie has worked at the UWC since 2005. Before becoming an AD, he worked as a consultant and as a managing editor of the online writing center journal, Praxis. As an AD, Jamie currently works with several UWC project groups, including the Research Group, which helps consultants to perform writing center research and to share their findings in white papers, conference presentations, and journal articles.