2026 SoCal Writing Center Association (WCA) Annual Conference
DESCRIPTION
Our team is thrilled to share our recent experience at the 2026 Southern California Writing Center Association (WCA) Annual Conference, which took place on Saturday, March 21, at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California.
Tutors from the University Writing Center (UWC), also known as Instructional Student Assistants, proudly represented Cal State Long Beach (MD传媒入口) at the event, in which three teams 鈥 consisting of ten total UWC tutors 鈥 were accepted to present their proposal projects on select topics relating to the field of Writing Center Studies.
After months of preparation, an extensive application process, and well-researched presentations, the UWC team shined bright with creativity, engaging ideas, and curated discussions with conference-goers.
As our conference experience comes to a close, our team wants to express deep gratitude for the support from our campus community, the students who entrust our tutors with their academic journey, and 鈥 of course 鈥 our dear tutor team that continues to dedicate themselves to Writing Center Studies and the quality services at the University Writing Center.
GROUP PRESENTATIONS
At the event, Team UWC captivated the conference with the following presentations:
鈥淵es, I Speak American鈥
This session aims to investigate the experiences of Spanish-speaking tutees and English tutors during writing sessions. Attendees will leave the session with some practical strategies on how both monolingual and multilingual tutors can work with multilingual tutees.
Presented By: Estevan, Karina, Adriana, and Omar
Censorship and Expression: Navigating the Politically Charged Tutorial Session
In an increasingly polarized political climate, tutors require a basis for navigating political speech in the tutorial session. Peer tutor praxis should be informed by not only personal tutorial experience but guided by a balance between self-expression, student outcomes, and the communal methodology of writing center staff.
Presented By: Jacob, Zach, and Kaylee
English as Capital?: the Unconscious Advantages of Non-Native Writers
Through an analysis of writing center literature surrounding non-native writers of English and a corpus linguistics review of L2+ college student writing, we aim to reveal the advantages of non-native writers and propose strategies that enhance their unique voices in academic writing while pushing back against the hegemony of Standard White American English (SWAE).
Presented By: Lani, Emery, and Han
