Mission Statement
Based on the tried-and-true notion that collaboration among peers is one of our most effective methods of learning, the TRAC Writing Fellows Program 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 this culture, communication and inquiry are vitally linked, restraints on learning imposed by traditional disciplinary boundaries are eased, and students and faculty are all part of one vibrant intellectual community.
Who We Are
The TRAC Writing Fellows are talented student writers from all three undergraduate colleges who are selected through a highly competitive application process to work as peer tutors in courses across the disciplines. 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 TRAC Fellows Do
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 15-20 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.
Brief History of the Program
The TRAC Writing Fellows Program was launched in the fall of 2008 as a new initiative of Library and 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 Writing Fellows worked with 10 members of the faculty from across all three undergraduate colleges. The successful pilot program paved the way for substantial growth in just a few years. As of the fall 2017 semester, the program boasts a roster of 77 TRAC Writing Fellows serving approximately 1,200 students in courses across the disciplines in all three undergraduate colleges. Since its inception, the program has served over 120 faculty and instructors, and approximately 9,000 students.
How to Become a TRAC Writing Fellow
New TRAC Fellows are selected each spring semester. Applications for Spring 2021 will be available during the Spring Semester. To learn more about the application process, click on the link above or on "Interested in Becoming a TRAC Fellow?".