On April 30th, 2024, Shippensburg University’s beloved Dogs in the Quad event took place in the afternoon. This gathering occurs three times a semester and has become a memorable tradition on campus that offers students, staff and faculty some much-needed attention from friendly canines on campus.
Kurt Dunkel, Shippensburg University’s Connection AOD Program Coordinator is the one behind the scenes putting the event together. Pulling inspiration from Kindly Canines, a non-profit all-volunteer group of handlers and registered therapy dogs, English faculty Laura JC Cella suggested the idea of Dogs in the Quad. Dunkel ensures that all participating dogs meet the criteria of being “good citizens”, meaning that they are friendly towards both humans and other dogs and that their vaccinations are up-to-date.
Cella exclaimed that seeing the joy that dogs on campus bring to students’ faces serves as a testament to how dogs can truly warm up a person’s day.
One of the stars of the event was Sage the Saint Bernard owned by Miranda Fisher, assistant director of sports medicine. Sage is a gentle giant who is quite popular on Instagram! She is approximately a week and a half away from being a therapy dog for Kindly Canines, and she also helps to comfort and support injured athletes in the department of sports medicine.
Another special canine guest who made their first ever appearance to the quad was Presley the miniature Australian Shepherd, owned by psychology faculty member Amber Norwood. Norwood has a strong understanding of the therapeutic benefits that dogs can provide, firmly believing in their ability to alleviate stress and increase well-being.
Ship U seeks to offer everyone on campus various ways to unwind, find joy and feel a sense of belonging on campus. Dogs in the Quad is one of the many different events that the university offers as a way to alleviate stress and bring a smile to everyone’s face. Ship hopes to see you at its next Dogs in the Quad event!
