Trish Serviss

Trish Serviss is an Associate Professor and Director of the Writing Placement System at the University of California, Davis (UCD). She specializes in developmental writing, academic source use, and writing program administration, with a focus on feminist rhetorical practices and equity in education. She holds a PhD in Composition and Cultural Rhetoric from Syracuse University, an MA in English from Loyola Marymount University, and a BA in English and Anthropology from the University of San Diego.

Her research includes the Citation Project (a national study of student source use), a longitudinal study of first-generation STEM students’ literacies, and the Writing Inclusivity & Equity Project. She currently oversees UCD’s entry-level writing program, teaches first-year and graduate writing courses, and collaborates on writing program administration initiatives.

Key research areas span writing assessment, teacher preparation, and hybrid research methods. She advises graduate students like Jenn Burke Reifman and Stacy Wittstock, and her work emphasizes equity-driven pedagogy and institutional change in higher education.

• Education:
  • PhD, Syracuse University, Composition and Cultural Rhetoric
  • MA, Loyola Marymount University, English (Rhetoric/Composition)
  • BA, University of San Diego, English & Anthropology
• Key Projects:
  • Citation Project (national study of student source use)
  • Writing Inclusivity & Equity Project
  • 10-year longitudinal study of first-gen STEM students

Her recent publications focus on writing placement paradigms, equity in writing programs, and state-mandated educational policies. She co-founded the Citation Project and collaborates on transdisciplinary research to address 'wicked problems' in writing education.

Her work bridges theory and practice, aiming to create inclusive writing curricula and equitable assessment systems. She advocates for writing programs as sites of social justice through collaborative, community-driven approaches.