Reading and Writing Center (RAW)

OUR PHILOSOPHY

The Las Positas College Reading and Writing Center (RAW) is an inclusive learning environment where students can receive individualized tutoring in reading, writing, language, and career writing. The RAW Center is open to all LPC students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability status.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY & AI

The RAW Center is not an AI detection service, and we uphold LPC's statements on Academic Integrity. Students are responsible for being aware of and following their own instructors' policies regarding the use of AI writing tools. We believe that effective, meaningful, authentic writing comes from human thought and the expression of your unique voice.

LINGUISTIC JUSTICE

We believe that powerful and original writing comes from authentic and diverse voices. We strive to help all students communicate clearly and effectively in their own voices.

Prof Steve Budd, English/Creative Writing

Steve has been teaching college writing classes for over 15 years and has also worked as a writer, editor, and actor. Steve has an MA from Boston University, and his non-academic interests include acting, writing, hiking, biking, theater, and film. The book he loves to teach most is Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried.

Prof Steve Chiolis, English/Humanities

Steve has been teaching college writing and humanities at Las Positas College for many years. He brings a wealth of experience in helping students navigate complex literary themes and find their unique writing voice in their essays.

Prof Valerie Connors, English

Valerie earned her BA in English from UC Davis and her MA in American Cultural Studies at The George Washington University. Her English professor career began in 2004, and prior to teaching, she was a legislative aide on Capitol Hill for Congressman Bob Matsui and a researcher at The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. She continues to have strong connections to Washington, DC, so she frequently flies to the nation's capitol.

Favorite Quotation: When she seeks inspiration and clarification about her life journey, she connects back to the words of Gloria Anzaldua, author of The Borderlands, because she shares a similar self-analysis: "I am mad—but I choose this madness."

Prof Erin DeBakcsy, ESL

Erin loves music, language, the language of music, and the music of language. She has a BA and MA in German literature from UC Berkeley and an MA in English (TESOL) from Cal State East Bay. She taught German courses at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for many years, and she is delighted to have joined the LPC ESL team in 2015. When she is not teaching ESL classes, tutoring the awesome RAW Center students, or reading and re-reading the fantastic musings on linguistics by John McWhorter, you can find Erin happily playing violin in Oakland's Prometheus Symphony Orchestra.

Prof Amanda Heinrichs, English

Amanda studied English and history as an undergraduate and has a master's degree in English literature. She has taught at LPC since 2014 and also teaches at CSU Stanislaus. It was as an undergrad student at CSUS that she discovered her passion for tutoring and working with college students. Outside of school, she enjoys reading and learning about holistic health and nutrition.

Favorite Quotation: "Here was peace. She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net. Pulled it from around the waist of the world and draped it over her shoulder. So much of her life in its meshes. She called in her soul to come and see." —Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God

Prof Savanna Alliband-McGrew, French

Savanna grew up in the Midwest and traveled the world with her family at a young age. From this she learned a love of travel, appreciating new cultures, and making new contacts. She studied at the University of Iowa, earning a bachelor's and master's degree in French literature. Savanna enjoys social partner dancing, gourmet cooking, painting with watercolors, and camping. She has been teaching at Las Positas College since 2004.

Favorite Quotation: "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me lay an invincible summer." —Albert Camus

Prof Heidii McMichael, English

Heidii earned her BA in English and her Single Subject English teaching credential at CSU Fresno. She received her MA in Comparative Literature from UC Irvine and has taught both high school and college in Fresno, Clovis, and Livermore for over 30 years. She's been at LPC since 2006 and is an avid reader, writer, and home wanna-be-chef. She enjoys spending time with her husband, an engineer, and three grown daughters, two of whom are college students themselves. One of her favorite things to help RAW Center students with is the college application essay.

Favorite Books: Top 5 (currently): East of Eden by Steinbeck, Middlesex by Eugenides, I Who Have Never Known Men by Harpman, Demon Copperhead by Kingsolver, and Jane Eyre by Bronte

Prof Amy Moellering, English

Amy obtained her degrees from the State University system of New York. Her teaching experiences began in Germany, teaching soldiers English through the University of Maryland, and have included stints in Savannah, Georgia and West Point, New York. During a 15-year break in teaching, she worked as an editor, journalist, columnist, and team writer in Corporate Communications. She has been at LPC for many years, and if she's not grading essays, she's reading, hiking, traveling, or skiing.

Favorite Book: One of her absolute favorite novels is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Prof David Paonessa, English

David received his AA in Liberal Studies from Chabot College and his BA in Theater Arts and his MA in English from CSU East Bay. His interests include singing and hiking, and he's currently working on writing a spy novel. His classes explore themes like family, community, and compassion.

Prof Peter Zimmer, English

Peter really enjoys teaching English C1000 and likes to have students explore themes that involve looking at what makes characters more human. He loves to teach Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet and Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Friere. In his free time, Peter loves all things Disney and Disneyland. He enjoys movies with friends, film, baseball, football, discovering new hiking trails in the San Francisco Bay Area, journalism, listening to podcasts, and traveling.

HOW TO ACCESS ZOOM TUTORING

1. Create a free online account with Penji using your Zonemail.
2. Watch our videos on how to drop-in for Zoom tutoring.
3. Questions? Email: abummer@laspositascollege.edu.

HOW TO USE THE SERVICE

1. Login to Penji via Canvas or the app.
2. Select "Paper Drop-Off" from the menu options.
3. Upload your draft (PDF or Word).
4. Questions? Email: abummer@laspositascollege.edu.