Fueling the Future: Deans Use Breakfast Time to Connect with Students
November 9, 2025
How well do college students get to know their academic administration?
Many may struggle to build relationships with the faculty and staff in their degree programs, but students at Lander University can chat directly with deans, department chairs and professors over breakfast thanks to a pair of new initiatives inside two of the University’s academic colleges.
“We want to foster the culture of connection and sense of belonging that we have here at Lander,” said Dr. Lloyd Willis, dean of the College of Business and Technology at Lander. “Our students regularly tell us that a Lander education is special because of the time and dedication of our faculty and staff. Events like this help us lean into that strength.”
Willis was referencing his recent “Waffles with Willis” event, held in the lobby of Lander’s School of Business, and open to students majoring in business, computing, media or design, “or students in any other major who wanted to stop by and say hello, or learn more about our programs in the College of Business and Technology,” Willis said.
Yet, “Waffles with Willis” wasn’t the first time that a Lander dean combined breakfast food with conversation (and clever alliteration). Dr. Stephen Bismarck, dean of the College of Education, recently held a similar event called “Biscuits with Bismarck.”
“Thinking back to my experience in college, both undergraduate and graduate school, I cannot recall one time that I interacted with the dean,” Bismarck said. He noted that students may have the impression that a visit to the dean only happens when there is a problem, or when you are in trouble.
“This is not my view of the current function of a dean,” he said. “I view my role as support and advocacy for the faculty, staff and students. Creating events like ‘Biscuits with Bismarck,’ and ‘Waffles with Willis’ can help to develop students’ view of the dean as someone who wants to get to know them at a personal and academic level.”
Prof. Michael Graham, director of Lander’s First-Year Experience program and a lecturer of psychology, said providing students with opportunities to interact with faculty outside of class opens doors for students to see their professors as “friendly and helpful adults, who are just as human as they are.
“Although sometimes it may feel scary and intimidating for students to approach faculty members outside of the traditional classroom environment, there is a great deal of research that shows a positive correlation between getting to know faculty members and a student’s sense of belonging,” Graham said, commenting that most faculty “were once the scared and intimidated college students ourselves who were able to get to know faculty members in ways that opened opportunities for mentorship to be achieved.”
Breakfast isn’t the only time of day that Lander’s academic colleges have sought to connect with students. The College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) recently held the first annual “HASS Fair.” Held later in the afternoon, the college skipped the breakfast options, and instead provided an array of cheese, fruit and crackers; and another crowd pleaser, macaroni and cheese bites.
But beyond the chance to share an afternoon snack with peers and professors, the fair also highlighted chances for students to get involved in their campus community. Dr. Lucas McMillan, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, said the fair had around 15 student clubs and organizations represented in total, but also several tables dedicated to various offices, departments and programs housed in the college, including study abroad, internships, undergraduate research, student publications and the college’s music ensembles, among others.
“We know that opportunities for active and experiential learning help students to see the relevancy of their academic disciplines; and the chances to apply their knowledge make meaningful impacts,” McMillan said, noting that being part of a larger group and embracing teamwork is part of the learning experience in college. “Working with others in a team is key to career success. Whether this happens as a member of a music ensemble, a student club or on the staff of our campus newspaper, building teamwork skills is imperative for professional development.”
At time of writing, it is too early to know whether McMillan will join his counterparts with his own breakfast event for students – the author of this article has mentioned that “Muffins with McMillan” certainly has a nice ring to it.
But whether it’s through a regular breakfast event, lunch with students in the dining hall, a coffee hour at the campus coffee shop or coordinating a trip to see a film at a local theater, these opportunities to form human connections outside the classroom are at the heart of student success, and overall well-being.
