diff --git a/auth.ts b/auth.ts
index 6dec7fe..ef5e3f3 100644
--- a/auth.ts
+++ b/auth.ts
@@ -51,9 +51,10 @@ export const { handlers, signIn, signOut, auth } = NextAuth({
 
         return {
           id: user.id,
-          name: user.username,
+          username: user.username,
           email: user.email,
           color: user.color,
+          status: user.status,
         };
       },
     }),
@@ -70,7 +71,9 @@ export const { handlers, signIn, signOut, auth } = NextAuth({
     jwt({ token, user }) {
       if (user) {
         token.id = user.id;
+        token.username = user.username;
         token.color = user.color;
+        token.status = user.status;
       }
       return token;
     },
@@ -85,7 +88,9 @@ export const { handlers, signIn, signOut, auth } = NextAuth({
     session({ session, token }) {
       if (token && session.user) {
         session.user.id = token.id as string;
+        session.user.username = token.username as string;
         session.user.color = token.color as string;
+        session.user.status = token.status as any;
       }
       return session;
     },
diff --git a/components/chat/ChatItem.tsx b/components/chat/ChatItem.tsx
index 676b98a..6a04350 100644
--- a/components/chat/ChatItem.tsx
+++ b/components/chat/ChatItem.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import type { Message, Member, User } from "@/db/schema";
+import { UserAvatar } from "../ui/UserAvatar";
 
 /**
  * Composite message type extending base database Message with populated member and user relation.
@@ -26,7 +27,6 @@ export type MessageWithMember = Message & {
 export function ChatItem({ message }: { message: MessageWithMember }) {
   const user = message.member?.user;
   const fullName = user ? user.username.trim() : "Deleted Member";
-  const initial = user?.username?.charAt(0) || "?";
 
   const formattedTime = new Date(message.createdAt).toLocaleTimeString(
     "de-DE",
@@ -38,14 +38,8 @@ export function ChatItem({ message }: { message: MessageWithMember }) {
 
   return (
     <div className="flex items-start gap-3 group p-2 rounded-xl hover:bg-surface transition-colors">
-      {/* Avatar */}
-      <div
-        className={`w-10 h-10 rounded-full flex items-center justify-center font-semibold text-white shrink-0 ${
-          user?.color || "bg-indigo-500"
-        }`}
-      >
-        {initial}
-      </div>
+      {/* Avatar Component */}
+      <UserAvatar user={user} size="md" />
 
       {/* Message Header & Content */}
       <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
diff --git a/components/members/MemberItem.tsx b/components/members/MemberItem.tsx
index 0729b73..4b66387 100644
--- a/components/members/MemberItem.tsx
+++ b/components/members/MemberItem.tsx
@@ -4,11 +4,8 @@
  */
 
 import type { UserStatus } from "@/db/schema";
-import {
-  MEMBER_COLOR_CLASSES,
-  MEMBER_STATUS_COLOR_CLASSES,
-} from "@/lib/constants/member.styles";
 import { clsx } from "clsx";
+import { UserAvatar } from "../ui/UserAvatar";
 
 /**
  * Interface representing a member user.
@@ -45,9 +42,6 @@ interface MemberItemProps {
  * @returns {JSX.Element} The rendered member item.
  */
 export function MemberItem({ member, isOffline = false }: MemberItemProps) {
-  const userBg = member.color && MEMBER_COLOR_CLASSES[member.color];
-  const statusBg = MEMBER_STATUS_COLOR_CLASSES[member.status];
-
   return (
     <div
       className={clsx(
@@ -56,23 +50,10 @@ export function MemberItem({ member, isOffline = false }: MemberItemProps) {
       )}
     >
       <div className="relative shrink-0">
-        <div
-          className={clsx(
-            "w-8 h-8 rounded-full flex items-center justify-center font-bold text-xs text-white",
-            userBg,
-          )}
-        >
-          {member.username ? member.username.charAt(0).toUpperCase() : "?"}
-        </div>
-        <span
-          className={clsx(
-            "absolute bottom-0 right-0 w-2.5 h-2.5 rounded-full ring-2 ring-surface",
-            statusBg,
-          )}
-        />
+        <UserAvatar user={member} size="md" />
       </div>
       <span className="text-sm font-medium text-muted group-hover:text-white truncate">
-        {member.username || "Unbekannt"}
+        {member.username}
       </span>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/components/sidebar/UserPanel.tsx b/components/sidebar/UserPanel.tsx
index 2feea3b..d2da64b 100644
--- a/components/sidebar/UserPanel.tsx
+++ b/components/sidebar/UserPanel.tsx
@@ -7,48 +7,38 @@
 
 import { LogOut, Settings } from "lucide-react";
 import { signOut, useSession } from "next-auth/react";
+import { UserAvatar } from "@/components/ui/UserAvatar";
 
-/**
- * Renders the user panel footer component showing current session profile details and authentication controls.
- *
- * @returns {JSX.Element} The rendered user panel component.
- */
 export function UserPanel() {
   const { data: session } = useSession();
 
-  /**
-   * Triggers the NextAuth sign-out procedure and redirects the user to the login page.
-   */
-  const handleLogout = () => {
-    signOut({ callbackUrl: "/login" });
-  };
+  if (!session?.user) return null;
 
-  const username = session?.user?.name || "User";
-  const userInitial = username.charAt(0).toUpperCase();
+  const { user } = session;
 
   return (
     <div className="p-2 w-full bg-surface shrink-0">
       <footer className="h-14 bg-background/80 hover:bg-background/90 border border-background/50 rounded-xl flex items-center justify-between px-3 gap-2 shadow-lg backdrop-blur-md transition-all duration-200">
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2.5 min-w-0 flex-1 cursor-pointer group">
-          <div className="relative shrink-0">
-            <div className="w-8 h-8 rounded-full bg-accent flex items-center justify-center text-white font-bold text-xs shadow-sm transition-transform group-hover:scale-105">
-              {userInitial}
-            </div>
-            <span className="absolute bottom-0 right-0 w-2.5 h-2.5 rounded-full bg-emerald-500 ring-2 ring-background" />
-          </div>
+          <UserAvatar
+            user={user}
+            size="sm"
+            className="transition-transform group-hover:scale-105"
+          />
 
           <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
             <p className="text-sm font-semibold text-foreground truncate leading-tight group-hover:text-accent transition-colors">
-              {username}
+              {user.username}
             </p>
-            <p className="text-xs text-muted truncate leading-tight font-medium">
-              Online
+            <p className="text-xs text-muted truncate leading-tight font-medium capitalize">
+              {user.status.toLowerCase()}
             </p>
           </div>
         </div>
 
         <div className="flex items-center gap-1">
           <button
+            type="button"
             className="p-1.5 text-muted hover:text-foreground focus:outline-none cursor-pointer transition-colors"
             aria-label="User Settings"
           >
@@ -56,7 +46,8 @@ export function UserPanel() {
           </button>
 
           <button
-            onClick={handleLogout}
+            type="button"
+            onClick={() => signOut({ callbackUrl: "/login" })}
             className="p-1.5 text-muted hover:text-red-400 focus:outline-none cursor-pointer transition-colors"
             aria-label="Log Out"
           >
diff --git a/components/ui/UserAvatar.tsx b/components/ui/UserAvatar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..681cdfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/ui/UserAvatar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/**
+ * @file components/ui/UserAvatar.tsx
+ * @description Renders a user avatar with initials and an online status indicator badge.
+ */
+
+import type { UserStatus } from "@/db/schema";
+import {
+  MEMBER_COLOR_CLASSES,
+  MEMBER_STATUS_COLOR_CLASSES,
+} from "@/lib/constants/member.styles";
+import { clsx } from "clsx";
+
+/**
+ * Size variants available for the UserAvatar component.
+ *
+ * @type AvatarSize
+ */
+type AvatarSize = "sm" | "md";
+
+/**
+ * User object properties required to render the avatar.
+ *
+ * @interface AvatarUser
+ * @property {string} username - The display name of the user used to derive initials.
+ * @property {string} color - Color key mapping to the avatar background style.
+ * @property {UserStatus} status - The current online status of the user.
+ */
+export interface AvatarUser {
+  username: string;
+  color: string;
+  status: UserStatus;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Properties for the UserAvatar component.
+ *
+ * @interface UserAvatarProps
+ * @property {AvatarUser} user - The user object containing display details and status.
+ * @property {AvatarSize} [size="sm"] - The display size variant of the avatar.
+ * @property {string} [className] - Optional custom CSS classes for styling adjustments.
+ */
+interface UserAvatarProps {
+  user: AvatarUser;
+  size?: AvatarSize;
+  className?: string;
+}
+
+const SIZE_MAP: Record<AvatarSize, { container: string; badge: string }> = {
+  sm: { container: "w-8 h-8 text-xs", badge: "w-2.5 h-2.5" },
+  md: { container: "w-10 h-10 text-sm", badge: "w-3 h-3" },
+};
+
+/**
+ * Renders an avatar element displaying user initials along with a status badge.
+ *
+ * @param {UserAvatarProps} props - Component properties.
+ * @returns {JSX.Element} The rendered UserAvatar element.
+ */
+export function UserAvatar({ user, size = "sm", className }: UserAvatarProps) {
+  const { container, badge } = SIZE_MAP[size];
+
+  const userBg = MEMBER_COLOR_CLASSES[user.color];
+  const statusBg = MEMBER_STATUS_COLOR_CLASSES[user.status];
+
+  return (
+    <div className={clsx("relative shrink-0", className)}>
+      <div
+        className={clsx(
+          container,
+          userBg,
+          "rounded-full flex items-center justify-center font-bold text-white shadow-sm",
+        )}
+      >
+        {user.username.charAt(0).toUpperCase()}
+      </div>
+
+      <span
+        className={clsx(
+          "absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full ring-2 ring-surface",
+          badge,
+          statusBg,
+        )}
+      />
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/lib/types/next-auth.d.ts b/lib/types/next-auth.d.ts
index 0422129..9a5e5fb 100644
--- a/lib/types/next-auth.d.ts
+++ b/lib/types/next-auth.d.ts
@@ -4,32 +4,28 @@
  */
 
 import { DefaultSession } from "next-auth";
+import type { UserStatus } from "@/db/schema";
 
 declare module "next-auth" {
   /**
    * Extends the default NextAuth Session interface to include custom user properties.
-   *
-   * @interface Session
-   * @property {Object} user - The session user object.
-   * @property {string} user.id - The unique identifier of the user.
-   * @property {string} user.color - The custom user interface color preference or avatar fallback color.
    */
   interface Session {
     user: {
       id: string;
+      username: string;
       color: string;
+      status: UserStatus;
     } & DefaultSession["user"];
   }
 
   /**
    * Extends the default NextAuth User interface to include custom properties.
-   *
-   * @interface User
-   * @property {string} [id] - The optional unique identifier of the user.
-   * @property {string} [color] - The optional custom color attribute associated with the user.
    */
   interface User {
     id?: string;
+    username?: string;
     color?: string;
+    status?: UserStatus;
   }
 }