Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) at Lehigh University is committed to promoting a campus-wide culture in which writing and communication in its many forms are central to learning in all disciplines. Based on the tried-and-true notion that collaboration among peers is one of the most effective methods of learning, WAC and the TRAC Writing Fellows Program create learning environments where inquiry and communication are vitally linked, restraints on learning imposed by traditional disciplinary boundaries are eased, and students and faculty are part of one vibrant intellectual community.

Foundations of Writing Across the Curriculum at Lehigh

  1. Writing is a vital mode of learning — promoting intellectual engagement, active learning, and critical thinking.
  2. When students improve as communicators, they become better not only at writing and speaking, but at reading and listening as well.
  3. Effective communication includes skills of explanation and persuasion, and also the willingness and ability to empathize, understand, collaborate, and consider new and opposing views.
  4. Writing to learn is central to the Lehigh experience.
  5. A successful Writing Across the Curriculum program prepares students to participate in a global culture and provides opportunities to acquire the motivation and skills to positively impact the world.
  6. Learning to write and writing to learn are lifelong processes. They are never accomplished completely. Not by anyone.
  7. All academic disciplines and their professions have specific conventions particular to knowledge, understanding, and communication. University faculty are experienced writers, experts in their fields, and best situated to help students understand these conventions.
  8. The teaching of writing can present distinct pedagogical and logistical challenges. It is our responsibility to provide faculty with assistance and support as needed. This may include help in: (1) articulating educational goals; and (2) discovering how writing can contribute to these goals in ways that are meaningful and appropriate.
  9. Writing Across the Curriculum and the TRAC Writing Fellows Program at Lehigh are transformative and do not call for addition so much as they invite modification of teaching practices.
  10. Partnership and collaboration are fundamental. Writing Across the Curriculum shares many goals with Lehigh faculty, branches of Library & Technology Services (LTS), and other programs and initiatives of the University at large.
  11. Writing Across the Curriculum involves faculty and student development, is connected in vital ways to curricula and departments, and is affected substantially by practices, policies, and decisions that transpire beyond LTS and the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning.
  12. The Director of Writing Across the Curriculum must actively seek guidance from across the University to propose changes and initiatives that are in the best interests of Lehigh faculty and students.

The TRAC Writing Fellows Program 

The TRAC Writing Fellows Program is a central aspect of Writing Across the Curriculum at Lehigh. TRAC Fellows are high-achieving undergraduate students who believe in the impact peer learning has on the university experience. TRAC Fellows typically conference with 12–15 students on 2–4 assignments per semester while primarily focusing on the writing process and clear and effective communication. TRAC is a tight-knit, academically diverse community consisting of students from all four colleges that award undergraduate degrees. TRAC Fellows support each other and build relationships that extend beyond their work in the program. Learn more.

We look forward to working with you!

Nominate Undergraduate Students for the TRAC Program

The TRAC Fellows Program owes much of its success to the support of Lehigh faculty, staff, and current fellows. Each spring semester, we interview a new class of associates. You can help us grow by nominating your best student-writers to join TRAC.

Who are your students who have shown special abilities in writing, oral communication, leadership, organization, and reliability? Please nominate them for the TRAC Writing Fellows Program!

We invite nominations from Lehigh faculty, staff, and current TRAC Fellows. We ask that you please submit your nominations here for students to join our program for the 2025–26 school year here. You are able to submit the Google Form multiple times if you would like to nominate several student-writers. You can also email intrac@lehigh.edu and attach a Doc or spreadsheet if you would like to nominate a number of students at once. Nominations are due by the end of the day on Friday, February 28th, 2025.

Questions? Contact Dr. Justin Greenlee, Director of Writing Across the Curriculum at Lehigh, at jgg223@lehigh.edu, intrac@lehigh.edu, or call 610-758-4932.

History

The TRAC Writing Fellows Program launched in the fall of 2008 as an initiative of Library & Technology Services to advance writing and communication instruction in courses across the curriculum at Lehigh. In the first semester of the 2008–09 pilot year, 15 TRAC Fellows worked with 10 members of the faculty. The successful pilot program paved the way for substantial growth in just a few years. As of the Spring 2025 semester, the program has a roster of 82 TRAC Fellows who serve approximately 1,000 students, 25 classes, and 20 faculty each semester. In sixteen years, the program has trained about 785 TRAC Fellows, assisted 168 faculty and instructors, TRACed 569 classes, and interacted with 22,106 students. 

Who We Are 

The TRAC Fellows are talented student-writers from all undergraduate colleges who are nominated and selected through a highly competitive application process to work in courses across the disciplines at Lehigh. Trained in a rigorous 4-credit seminar course, the fellows assist students with all phases of the writing process, consult with faculty on assignment design, and help with library and database research and the use of educational technologies.

What We Do

TRAC Fellows serve as peer writing coaches who hold individual and small group draft conferences, read and respond with written feedback to drafts of student works-in-progress, assist students conducting research, and act as resources for students using instructional technologies. Each fellow works with no more than 12–15 students. Large classes therefore require more than one fellow. Fellows do not grade student papers. Nor do they play any other role in determining grades. Fellows consult with faculty on the use of new instructional technologies, assignment design, and effective use of write-to-learn activities.

Training

The fellows training course — TRAC 100, The TRAC Fellows Seminar — explores fundamental theories and practice of pedagogy in three areas:

  1. writing and communication;
  2. library and database research; and
  3. use of instructional technology. 

After an intensive study of current literature in the field of composition and rhetoric, students learn practical, hands-on approaches to the facilitation of writing with special emphasis on assignment design, peer conferences, and effective feedback. Emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration, the course invites experts from across the university to teach topics such as strategies for guiding peers in library and database research, including the location, evaluation, proper use and citation of research materials, the introductory use of instructional technology, and working effectively with faculty.  Fellows also receive ongoing training through regular meetings and workshops.

Benefits for Students

By creating productive partnerships between highly trained student peer tutors and faculty in the disciplines, the TRAC Fellows Program helps students: 

  1. improve the quality of their writing;
  2. have greater confidence as writers;
  3. use evidence and develop arguments;
  4. improve the organization of a draft;
  5. revisit and better understand a writing prompt;
  6. spend time on revision;
  7. deepen analyses;
  8. generate new ideas;
  9. develop their research skills; and
  10. see the strengths and weaknesses of what they've written.  

Working with the fellows, students will practice habits that lead to better writing and communication skills and strategies that are important in college as well as in their specific disciplines and careers after graduation.

Benefits for Faculty

A direct result of the TRAC Fellows program will be improvement in the quality of student writing. Faculty who value good writing will enjoy reading better student work without having to devote precious time to the teaching of writing. In the TRAC Fellows, faculty will also have a valuable resource for helping students with assignments that require library and database research. TRAC Fellows will also be trained in assisting faculty with integrating write-to-learn activities that enhance student engagement with course content. Additionally, fellows work with LTS Instructional Technologists to provide assistance in making the best and most appropriate use of new educational technologies. Ultimately, faculty will benefit from interaction with students in their courses who are increasingly engaged, knowledgeable, and communicative.

Benefits for the University

With the help of TRAC Fellows in their courses across the disciplines, students will improve not only at writing and speaking, but at reading and listening as well. They will learn course content effectively — more deeply and more broadly — and in ways that are engaged and connected to their lives. Students will learn that effective communication includes not only skills of explanation and persuasion, but also the willingness and ability to empathize and understand, to collaborate, to acknowledge, and appreciate and assimilate new, strange, and even opposing views. With the TRAC Fellows contributing to a successful Writing Across the Curriculum program, Lehigh will prepare students to compete in a global culture while they also acquire the skills and motivation they will need to make the world a better place.

The pillars of TRAC are the values, attributes, and skills of our fellows. The pillars support our community, curriculum, and recruitment processes. Each pillar is a pair (e.g., Intrinsic Motivation & Intellectual Curiosity). A skill encourages a behavior, a behavior encourages a skill, and one development leads to another. A description of engagement with our principles follows each pillar.

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Empathy & Peer Support Skills

A fellow works to understand others and offers constructive support. They demonstrate awareness of others’ feelings and challenges, especially in academic settings. They show patience, active listening, and the ability to provide feedback. They express a willingness to help peers grow and improve while fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

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Intrinsic Motivation & Intellectual Curiosity

A fellow is curious about writing, technology, research, communication, and the educational values of TRAC. They show a genuine desire to explore new ideas outside of their comfort zone, ask thoughtful questions, and demonstrate a willingness to engage deeply with new topics. Their learning is often self-driven, and they pursue knowledge beyond classroom requirements. They possess strong organizational and time management skills. These attributes help them achieve meaningful goals.

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Creativity & Critical Thinking

A fellow listens to others and assesses the situation fully before offering support and advice. They articulate their thoughts clearly and adjust their communication based on context. They exhibit outside of the box thinking and creative thinking. They possess active listening skills, including responding thoughtfully, asking follow up questions, and paraphrasing ideas. They engage in meaningful dialogue and demonstrate the ability to communicate complex ideas in an accessible way.

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Adaptability & Growth Mindset

A fellow develops a personal approach to writing, peer feedback, and problem-solving. They think beyond conventional methods and offer original ideas and perspectives. They demonstrate the ability to analyze situations, approach challenges with care, and propose creative solutions. They show flexibility in thinking and a willingness to explore new  strategies for their writing process and peer support. They are devoted to self-reflection and personal and academic growth.

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Listening & Communication Skills

A fellow listens. They communicate thoughtfully and confidently. They demonstrate strong active listening skills, adapt their language to different audiences, and explain their ideas with clarity. They engage in meaningful dialogue, are open to persuasion, and show that they value others’ input and perspectives.

Faculty Responsibilities

To facilitate a robust revision process, faculty who work with TRAC Fellows must agree to require submission of working drafts of all assignments to be TRACed to the TRAC Fellow two weeks in advance of due dates. This time will allow the fellows to provide students with written feedback on their drafts and to hold individual conferences to help students produce their best work and improve as writers.

How to Request TRAC Fellows for your Courses

Faculty requests for TRAC Fellows in Fall 2025 courses must be submitted by April 18th, 2025; for Spring 2026 courses by November 14th, 2025. Requests can be submitted via this Google Form — Faculty interest in having a course TRACed in Fall 2025 — or by reaching out to Dr. Justin Greenlee, the Director of Writing Across the Curriculum, via email at jgg223@lehigh.edu or intrac@lehigh.edu.

What can the TRAC Writing Fellows do for you?

Fellows provide support in several ways: 

  1. By offering written commentary on working drafts of your writing assignments, helping you to see your own work from a fresh perspective and stimulate ideas about revision.
  2. Through individual draft conferences, providing an opportunity for sustained, focused, and detailed conversation about your writing.

Also, though the TRAC Writing Fellows' main area of expertise is writing and the writing process, they are also trained as helpful resources in library and database research and the use of instructional technology.

What will the TRAC Fellows not do for you?

TRAC Fellows do not: 

  1. grade your assignments or speculate about grades your professor might award;  
  2. “fix” or line edit your writing; or
  3. do anything at all that interferes with peer-to-peer collaboration and your engagement in the revision process.

What are your responsibilities when working with TRAC Fellows?

Your professor has chosen to work with the TRAC program because writing is an important part of your course. This arrangement, made for your benefit, constitutes a commitment to the program and, therefore, working with the TRAC Fellows is a course requirement. 

Accordingly, your responsibilities are:

  1. to follow carefully the professor’s instruction regarding writing;
  2. to make certain that working drafts are submitted to the TRAC Fellows when they are due;
  3. to read the TRAC Fellows’ written feedback on your drafts carefully and take it into consideration in your revision process;
  4. to sign up for draft conferences and make sure to come to conferences prepared and on time;
  5. to bring the draft with the TRAC Fellow’s feedback to the conference; and
  6. to attend the conference come with specific plans and questions, ready to engage in a focused and detailed discussion about your writing. 

What happens at a conference with a TRAC Fellow?

The conference is your opportunity to formulate a plan for revising your draft in preparation for final submission to your professor for grading. During the conference, the TRAC Fellow may question — and even challenge — specific aspects of your writing in order to stimulate your thinking and generate productive dialogue. The TRAC Fellow will be helpful, but it is your responsibility to make the most of the conference and do your best to leave the session with a clear plan for revision.

What if you’re already a good writer who doesn’t need “extra help”?

The simple truth is that all Lehigh students can benefit from working with TRAC Fellows. Because writing is a mode of learning that is never completed, and because professional success depends to a great extent upon lifelong development of discipline-specific sets of writing skills, everyone can benefit from the process of getting feedback and engaging in dialogue about their writing with smart and helpful readers.

How to Apply

Nominations 

The TRAC Writing Fellows Program is currently open to undergraduate students from all academic majors who will begin their sophomore or junior year at Lehigh in Fall 2025. We invite faculty and staff to nominate their students beginning in October 2024 and until Friday, February 28th, 2025. We will reach out to nominees to submit application materials once all nominations are collected. Nominated students will be exempt, by virtue of your nomination, from the references required of non-nominated applicants. We will also hold special information sessions for nominees. If you would like to seek a nomination from a member of our current student Leadership Team, please email intrac@lehigh; explain, in brief, your interest in TRAC and reasons for seeking a nomination (100 words or less); and we will return your message.

Applications

To apply:

  1. Complete our TRAC 2025–26 Application Form. (You need to be nominated by Lehigh faculty, staff, or a current TRAC Fellow to apply. We will send out invitations to apply and a link to the Application Form based on those nominations on March 5, 2025.)
  2. Fill out all the fields in the application form, including “Upload a single PDF with all your application materials.” That PDF should include:
    1. (1) a cover page with your name, your current school year ("first year," "sophomore"), undergraduate college affiliation (e.g., "Arts & Sciences" or "College of Business"), and major/ minor/ area(s) of interest if undeclared;
    2. (2) a personal statement that outlines (a) why you want to be a TRAC Fellow, (b) what you think makes you unique in comparison to other applicants, and (c) what you would bring to the TRAC Writing Fellows Program;
    3. (3) 2 writing samples from work completed at Lehigh or as recently as possible (each writing sample should be no more than 5 pages long; you may excerpt from a longer work);
    4. (4) a résumé (optional – if you have one, or if you don’t please provide a list of activities that you are involved in on campus); and
    5. (5) an unofficial Lehigh transcript.

All application materials are accepted in the spring semester and must be received by Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025. 

Partial applications will not be eligible for consideration.

You may direct any questions you may have to jgg223@lehigh.edu or intrac@lehigh.edu.

Qualifications

  1. TRAC is open to undergraduate students from all academic majors who will begin their sophomore or junior year at Lehigh as of Fall 2025.
  2. We value empathy, adaptability/ resilience, self-awareness/ reflection, a growth mindset, and collaborative abilities.
  3. Exceptional skills in writing, reading, interpersonal communication, leadership, and time management.

What Being a Fellow Entails

TRAC Fellows serve as peer writing tutors who read and respond with written feedback to drafts of student work-in-progress, hold individual and small-group draft conferences, and act as resources for students conducting research and using instructional technologies. Each Fellow works with no more than 12–15 students. Large classes therefore require more than one fellow. 

Fellows do not grade student papers, nor do they play any other role in determining grades. Fellows consult with faculty on the use of new instructional technologies, assignment design, and effective use of writing-to-learn activities. 

All new Fellows enroll in TRAC 100, The TRAC Fellows Seminar, as a requirement of accepting a fellowship. This 4-credit seminar explores fundamental theories and practice of pedagogy in three areas: (1) writing and communication; (2) library and database research; and (3) use of instructional technology. 

Fellows also must hold consultations with their assigned students, attend regularly scheduled staff meetings and workshops, and participate in program assessment activities.

Rewards of Being a Fellow

  1. All positions are paid: TRAC Fellows are paid a bi-weekly stipend. Pay increases every year. Fellows remain in the program as long as they remain in good academic standing.
  2. New and lasting friendships: TRAC Fellows support each other and build relationships that extend well beyond their work in the program.
  3. Hone your writing skills: Develop as an editor, coach, and facilitator within the writing process.
  4. Collaborate with faculty: Working closely with professors within and outside your discipline provides a rare opportunity for you to reinforce disciplinary knowledge and skills and broaden your academic experience.

Attend an Information Session

Attend one of our upcoming TRAC information sessions if you're interested in applying but want to know more.

  • Pizza Meet and Greet on Feb. 11, 2025
    Tuesday, February 11th, 6pm–7pm, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (located on the 3rd floor of Fairchild-Martindale Library). Conversation with current TRAC Fellows with free food in a relaxed setting.
  • Info Session on Mar. 19, 2025
    Wednesday, March 19th, 6pm–7pm, Neville 002. Learn more about the program and hear from current TRAC Fellows and TRACing faculty about their work and experiences.
  • Info Session on Mar. 20, 2025
    Thursday, March 20th, 12:10pm–1pm, STEPS 102.
  • Pizza Meet and Greet on Mar. 26, 2025
    Wednesday, March 26th, 6pm–7pm, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning.