The Center for Access and Success (CAS) launched Break Buddies, a pilot wellness initiative that pairs students with faculty and staff for Thanksgiving meals to foster connection and reduce isolation during academic breaks. The program aims to strengthen belonging and will expand with added resources and future programming.
As part of Executive Director Elle Collins’ vision to more intentionally weave well-being into the work of the Center for Access and Success (CAS), the center launched its pilot wellness initiative, Break Buddies, during the Thanksgiving holiday. Collins drew on similar initiatives she led at previous institutions and partnered with CAS Coordinator for Well-Being Melissa Chacon Villalobos to bring the program to Elon.
Designed to foster connection, belonging and care, Break Buddies pairs students with Elon faculty and staff hosts for a shared Thanksgiving meal and experience. The initiative responds to national data and CAS student feedback indicating that feelings of loneliness and isolation often increase during university breaks, particularly for out-of-state students, international students and those without close familial ties.
“These moments of disconnect can significantly impact student well-being and academic persistence,” Collins said. “Break Buddies was created to ensure students feel seen, supported and connected during a time that can be especially difficult.”
Through the program, faculty and staff hosts opened their homes and shared a Thanksgiving meal with matched students, creating space for conversation, mentorship and community during the November break.
The initiative aligns with Elon University’s HealthEU pillars of community and social well-being, as well as Academic Affairs’ commitment to mentoring and relationship-building. By centering relationships and care, Break Buddies reflects a simple but intentional approach to supporting student well-being during vulnerable moments in the academic year.
CAS received strong interest from faculty and staff, while student participation was more limited. In response, CAS plans to modify future iterations of the program by increasing student agency in the matching process, including offering students more choice in selecting hosts. These changes are intended to build trust and increase participation over time.
Matches were made successfully, and hosts and students gathered throughout Thanksgiving week to share meals and meaningful experiences.
Participant feedback highlighted the program’s impact on students’ sense of belonging and connection to the Elon community. Student reflections, though brief, emphasized feelings of ease, welcome and connection. One student shared, “I had a great time!” after spending Thanksgiving with their faculty host and other students. The experience also created opportunities to connect with faculty mentors and peers, strengthening the student’s sense of belonging at Elon.
Faculty feedback reflected similar sentiments. One host shared that living abroad had made holidays away from family especially difficult, even when those holidays were not personally celebrated. The host described being able to provide that experience to an international student as meaningful and expressed a desire to continue creating opportunities for connection.
Early reflections suggest the program strengthened relationships across campus while offering students a sense of stability and care during a period that can feel isolating.
Building on the pilot, Chacon Villalobos plans to expand Break Buddies with additional programming and resources.
“I am excited to see Break Buddies grow to include future workshops and events focused on navigating family dynamics, identity-based challenges and self-care during academic breaks,” she said.
Chacon Villalobos also plans to develop a digital toolkit, which may take the form of a newsletter or web-based resource hub. The toolkit will include tips for coping with homesickness and stress, journaling prompts, mental health and academic planning tools, and reflections from CAS staff and peer leaders.
Looking ahead, CAS hopes to increase student participation and expand the number of matches during future breaks, continuing to build a culture of care, trust and connection across the Elon community. CAS also plans to extend Break Buddies to other academic and holiday breaks.
“Break Buddies reflects our belief that well-being is built through relationships, not just resources,” Collins said. “When we intentionally create spaces for connection, especially when students may feel most alone, we strengthen both individual well-being and our campus community.”