Become a Bearprints for Success course instructor 

Bearprints for Success (GENST 1100)

Classes are taught by faculty and staff who are committed to first-year student education, learning and success. 

Course basics 

Credits: 1-credit 

Instructional time: One hour and 50 minutes/week with a 10 minute break; 7-week short course; offered in the first half of fall semester, second half of fall semester, and first half of spring semester 

Audience: first-year students in Arts & Sciences, Olin, and Sam Fox (McKelvey offers their own 1-credit first-year course ENGR 1200 First-Year Foundations).

Course description   

Bearprints is designed to help new students make a successful transition to WashU, both academically and personally. This course sets students on a path in which they will engage with academic readings, classroom activities, and empirically based strategies centered on the five core anchors of Student Affairs: Healthy Excellence; Leadership; Career Development; Inclusive Excellence; and Student Engagement & Belonging. The course also introduces the students to key academic success and learning strategies resources and support staff that will optimize their experiences at the university.  

You can review the sample syllabus. 

Instructor requirements 

  • Status as a full-time, exempt university employee.
    • Hourly employees are not eligible for this instructor role.
  • Master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution (official transcript not required at this time but may be in the future to provide to Arts & Sciences for their records).
  • 3-years full-time experience in higher education.
    • Full-time graduate studies generally counts as half time, e.g. a two years masters program with a graduate assistantship would be equivalent to one year full-time experience.
  • Completion of Bearprints for Success instructor training with the Center for Teaching & Learning, to be held in May 2026.
    • The trainings focus on:
      – Creating a Sense of Belonging in Your Classroom
      – Providing Verbal Feedback
      – Negotiating Your Role and Establishing Authority in the Classroom
      – Fostering an Inclusive Classroom Climate
      – Facilitating Active Learning
    • All instructors are provided with a digital resource folder that includes a weekly lesson plan. The weekly lesson plan includes sample readings, talking points, PPT slides (if applicable), and homework assignments.
  • Approval by the instructor’s supervisor or department chair.
    • Serving as a GENST 1100 instructor is considered an additional assignment and not part of your primary job responsibilities and is not included in your 37.5 hours workweek. Please work with your supervisor to discuss how you will adjust your work schedule if assigned a course section that meets during your regularly scheduled work hours.
  • Approval by the GENST 1100 coordinating committee.

Instructor renewals

Renewal decisions will be based on two additional criteria:

  • Participation in advanced instructor development activities
  • Satisfactory student evaluations

Application process

Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year will open Monday, January 12.

Please email Lauren McCoy lemccoy@wustl.edu if you have any questions about Bearprints for Success, the instructor role, or the application process.