Students can now know their professors on a more personal level through a new University of Alabama program that includes a one-on-one lunch session.  

Out 2 Lunch was designed by the Office of Student Affairs’ First Year Experience and Bama Dining to foster interactions between faculty or staff members and students.

The program encourages new students and transfers to get to know University employees and their professors by treating them to lunch at a Bama Dining facility using a guest meal provided on their meal plan. After spending time with their faculty member of choice, students can fill out an assessment of the lunch found on the FYE website, and the meal is then refunded.

If they aren’t up for a full meal, students can choose to grab a quick coffee at Starbucks or even a smoothie at the Student Rec Center using Dining Dollars, which would also be refunded. The student can determine the atmosphere based on the tone of the venue they choose.

Phillips Thomas, the coordinator for Student Affairs’ programs, said Out 2 Lunch serves as a helpful icebreaker, of which students should take full advantage.

“We know it’s intimidating for students to approach this person who’s like a stranger at the front of the classroom,” Thomas said. “The Out 2 Lunch program gives students the chance to ask questions outside of class and allows them to receive feedback and advice.”

By setting up a meeting, students can gain advice and a sense of assurance about lecture and class, the college experience as a whole, and future career paths by familiarizing themselves with people who have the tools to help them, Thomas said.

“Studies show that students in their first year that interact with teachers have more classroom confidence and are more plugged in [to the University],” she said.

Will Jackson, a sophomore majoring in marketing, participated in a lunch at the Ferguson Center with his art professor and quickly had his questions answered.

“The Out 2 Lunch program was beneficial because now I see that teacher and I see teachers that know her, so I go into a class and they already know who I am,” Jackson said. “It’s great because the process is breaking down boundaries of new students, and it’s a way to know who the person at the front of the classroom is.”

George Brown, the executive director of University Recreation and the assistant to the vice president of Student Affairs, believes a student’s ability to know faculty members on a personal level is an important aspect of the program.

“I was immediately sold on the program because I think it demystifies the aura of what a faculty or staff member can be,” Brown said. “It really puts the student and faculty in a situation where there is a genuine opportunity to talk about learning and career development, and I’m really excited about it.”

For those who are undecided about Out 2 Lunch, the program offers a recommended list of go-to faculty members to help tailor the experience to the student. The list is available in the Office of Student Affairs in Mary Burke Hall and can be seen online later this month.