Applications for the Lunch Buddy Mentor program will close shortly after finals week. The program is seeking undergraduate students at the University of Arkansas to participate in a service-learning initiative. Mentors join a local elementary school student during lunchtime twice weekly. Mentors act as social support to their mentees and promote positive social interactions at the lunch table.  

In exchange for being a consistent mentor, U of A students receive 3.0 hours of course credit for the fall 2025 semester. Applicants are required to submit an application, complete a brief interview and submit to a criminal background check. In order to attend local elementary schools during lunchtime, reliable transportation and a two-hour block twice per week during the school lunch period (roughly between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.) are required.

The instructor for this course is professor Tim Cavel of the Department of Psychological Science.

Submit an application or contact Isabel Taylor at isabelt@uark.edu for more information.