IGNITE Learning Community

Are you a graduate student or postdoc looking for a supportive community where you can share and get feedback on teaching challenges?
Searching for ways to connect with peers from different disciplines who share your passion for teaching?
Have you already completed EPiC (or are you in your 3rd year or later of a graduate program/are a postdoc) and still crave group support and accountability for your teaching goals and concerns?

Ignite your passion for teaching and join the CTL’s peer-led, interdisciplinary, discussion-based program to enhance your teaching knowledge!

Details

IGNITE will meet in a hybrid format over Zoom and in the Graduate Center (Women’s Building Suite 005) from 12:00-1:30pm on the third Tuesday in February, March and April for the 2026 spring semester (with scheduling adjustments for holidays and breaks). Our meetings will include interactive workshops about pedagogical techniques, topics in the scholarship of teaching and learning, professional development, active learning, making the most of evaluations and feedback, creating syllabi, and more, as well as open time to share and get feedback on teaching-related concerns, challenges, and victories with your graduate student and postdoc peers.

2026 dates:

February 17, 2026
March 24, 2026
April 21, 2026

Participant Requirements

IGNITE participants should be postdocs or graduate students in at least their 3rd year of their program* with a demonstrated interest in working with others to develop their teaching philosophy and practice.

*If you are in the 1st or 2nd year of your graduate program, the Exploring Practices in the Classroom (EPiC) Learning Community is a better option for you. If you completed EPiC and are in your 2nd year, you are welcome to join IGNITE.

Registration

Spring IGNITE registration will open on December 9, 2025 and close on February 13, 2026. If you’ve missed the registration deadline, send us an email (IGNITE@wustl.edu) to ask if there are still spots available.

IGNITE Spring 2026

Name*
First Name Last Name (Family Name)
Preferred First Name (If Different Than First Name Provided)
WashU Email Address*
Primary Department*
If you chose "Other," please describe:
University Role*
If you chose "Other," please describe:
Have you participated in the CTL's EPiC Program?*
- Yes, I have completed both semesters of EPiC
- I am currently in EPiC or have completed less than two semesters of EPiC
- No, I have never participated in EPiC
Year in Program (Postdocs Please Choose N/A)*
Note that graduate student participants should be in the 3rd year of their program (if not, EPiC may be a better option; see links above). Please contact ignite@wustl.edu if you have questions about eligibility.
IGNITE will be offered in a hybrid modality with 12 in-person seats available. How do you prefer to attend IGNITE meetings?*
- I prefer to attend in person.
- I prefer to attend via Zoom.
- I have no preference.
We will do our best to accommodate everyone's preferences, but if our in-person seats are full, we may ask you to attend via Zoom instead.
Why are you interested in joining IGNITE? Please answer in 1-2 sentences.*
The Center for Teaching and Learning is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all participants. Should you wish to request a disability-related accommodation in order to participate more fully in the learning community, please describe the nature of your request below:
CAPTCHA

Spring 2024 Pilot Participants:

Muad Al Juhany; Jacob Cupps; Nayive Gaytán; Nikita Gupta; Ryan Hung; Jennifer Stevens; Sarah Swiston

Spring 2024 Co-Facilitators:

Katherine Tilghman, Nicole Strombom, Emily Thompson, and Lisa Kuehne

Fall 2024 Participants:

Muad Al Juhany; Jacob Cupps; Nayive Gaytán; Nikita Gupta; Nico Herzberg; Tiana Johnson; Sarah Swiston; Maggie Ramsay; Anthony Nixon

Fall 2024 Co-Facilitators:

Katherine Tilghman, Nicole Strombom, Alex Mouw, and Lisa Kuehne

Spring 2025 Participants:

Muad Al Juhany; Jacob Cupps; Nayive Gaytán; Nikita Gupta; Nico Herzberg; Tiana Johnson; Sarah Swiston; Anthony Nixon; Jihye Baek

Spring 2025 Co-Facilitators:

Nicole Strombom, Alex Mouw, and Lisa Kuehne

Fall 2025 Participants:

Nayive Gaytán, Mel Mallard, Ayla Gray, Kelly Wichmann, Maia Jones, Catheryn Bolick, Sam Bennett, Jasmine Moon, Asha Larson-Baldwin, Lindsay Tessmer, David Hernandez

Fall 2025 Co-Facilitators:

Nicole Strombom, Sarah Swinson, Nico Herzberg, and Lisa Kuehne

Spring 2026 Participants:

This could be you!

Spring 2026 Co-Facilitators:

Sarah Swinson, Nico Herzberg, and Lisa Kuehne

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Synopsis

Want to Connect?