Abigail Dunagan, Campus Carrier arts and living editor

Life in “the Berry bubble” can quickly become overwhelming with classes, work and social obligations. The Berry campus is full of deer, cats and other wildlife. For many students, animals are stress-relievers. Students will often find themselves pausing on their walk to class to pet a cat or to take a picture of a baby deer. One of the draws of attending Berry is the small class sizes and the close relationships that students can form with professors and along with getting to know professors, students may also have the opportunity to get to know their pets. Some professors occasionally bring their dogs to campus to join in on classroom learning, and many students find the presence of the animals to be calming and stress-relieving. 

Associate Professor of communication Daniel Sipocz found that bringing his 12-year-old dog, Norton, to class served to benefit both Norton and the students. Sipocz first started bringing Norton to class a few years ago when Norton was going to have to be by himself at home for 10-12 hours. Sipocz said that he did not think it would be good for his dog to stay inside for such an extended period, so he decided to bring Norton to Berry for the day. 

“It’s exciting for him,” Sipocz said. “He gets to adventure, get new smells and all sorts of things. He gets extra exercise, and that is beneficial for him. It also provides a lift to students emotionally, and it puts smiles on their faces. They really enjoy those days where he runs around class, and they can give him lovins. That of course makes my day happy, so it is a blessing all the way around.”

While having a furry classmate is exciting for students, professors who bring their pets must make sure that all students are comfortable with the animal. Associate Professor of communication Curt Hersey often brings his dog Fable to class with him. According to Hersey, he always lets students know ahead of time that he will be bringing his dog to class, and he asks that those with concerns let him know. Hersey said that he often has students stop by his office to see Fable, and this allows him to connect with his students.  

“Fable loves everybody,” Hersey said. “He has never been aggressive towards anyone, so I have never had any fear of that. He just wants to be petted, and he wants to hang out. I started bringing him to class, and the students loved it. Students even started asking for ‘Fable Friday.’” 

Hersey said that when he was a student at Berry, one of his professors would occasionally bring his dog. This helped create a bridge of connection between the students and the professor, and when Hersey began working at Berry, he wanted to do the same. 

“I loved the idea that I knew my professor, I knew his wife and I knew his dog,” Hersey said. “It just made him more human.”

Junior Victoria Severiche has been in several classes where the professor has brought a pet. Severiche said that while she is not personally a dog person, many other students find dogs to be very calming. Some animals may not be able to handle being brought into a classroom, but the dogs that these professors have are able to remain calm when around large groups of people. 

“I love Norton, he is so well behaved,” Severiche said. “He is so sweet. If I had to be in the room with a dog, I would want it to be a small dog.” 

Many students enjoy interacting with pets like Norton and Fable during class hours. While there are some challenges that come with bringing a pet into a classroom setting, these dogs help students to relieve stress, as well as reminding them of their pets back at home. 

“My favorite part is seeing how happy everyone gets,” Sipocz said. “No matter what is happening in class or in our lives, this is one of those moments where we can release some of that tension.”