Purdue freshmen are 'feasting with faculty'
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The College of Science and the University Residences are partnering to promote an initiative to increase interaction between students and faculty while they share meals together.
"Feasting With Faculty" is a new program in which faculty join students for a meal in the university dining halls. The program has a particular focus on large lecture courses in the College of Science that are taken primarily by first-year students.
Dennis Minchella, associate dean of the College of Science, initiated the program as a way to allow students to be more comfortable in a student-faculty setting.
"I have had a weekly lunch in the dining hall for over 20 years and have found that the presence of a faculty member in 'student space' sends a powerful message to the students about our commitment to their academic success," Minchella said. "We have a variety of conversations ranging from biology homework problems and lecture topics to students' hometowns and hobbies."
For freshmen, being away from home for the first time can be a scary experience. This program is just another way to help students' transition to Purdue, Minchella said.
Mallory Mankin, a student in Minchella's course, attends the dinners in order to get to know her professor on a more personal level.
"I have learned a lot from professor Minchella about opportunities and changes that may happen within my major, as well as advice on what classes to take and how to do well in them," Mankin said. "I've also been able to get to know classmates I wouldn't have known otherwise."
Minchella wants to continue to promote interaction outside the classroom with other College of Science faculty members.
The entire CHEM 115 team consisting of Cynthia Harwood, Suzanne Bart, Marybeth Miller and Marcy Towns have participated in dining with students, as have faculty in other courses.
Some instructors use this time with students as an open invitation to get to know others during an informal meal. Others regard it as a weekly help session or as an opportunity to invite subsets of students to dine.
"One of the big benefits I have seen come from this initiative is the faculty have the opportunity to engage with students about participating in undergraduate research," Towns said. "Purdue has a multitude of experiences to offer in undergrad research that are very important to the students' growth."
Each participating faculty member receives a prepaid dining card and can choose when and where to eat. Students are notified whether their instructor is participating in the program during class or at the beginning of the semester in the course syllabus.
For more information about the program, contact Minchella at 765-494-1735 or dennism@purdue.edu
Writer: Rebekah Piotrowicz, 765-496-3006, rpiotrow@purdue.edu
Sources: Dennis Minchella, 765-494-1735, dennism@purdue.edu
Marcy Towns, 765-496-1574, mtowns@purdue.edu
Mallory Mankin, mmankin@purdue.edu