The university’s facility dog, Archer, celebrated his 5th birthday on Oct. 1 at Schaaf Lawn.
Dozens of students gathered to celebrate Archer and helped themselves to a wide array of desserts at the stands near the Schaaf Hall breezeway.
Archer also made an appearance; he allowed pets and hugs from students and faculty members that came by for either a quick picture with him or to get a sweet bite to eat.
Loud pop music coming from speakers indicated that this was not just a stop for a quick treat, but it also was a celebration to honor all that Archer contributes to campus life.
The day proved to be yet another one of Archer’s happiest moments.
Sophia Wilson, the director of the Office of Student and Community Engagement (SCE), is one of Archer’s primary caretakers alongside Meredith Fine, a psychotherapist at the university.
Wilson said that Archer became certified through Paws with a Cause (PWAC), a nonprofit organization that specializes in training dogs to offer support to individuals and communities.
In 2021 and 2022, the university received grant funding from COVID-19 to “support mental health programs and initiatives on campus.” Through the funding, Fine and Deanna Wagner, a former associate provost, were able to start the process with PWAC to get Archer certified.
Three years later, Archer has become a part of campus that everybody looks forward to seeing.
“People come and see Archer a lot in the [SCE] and the Center for Health and Wellness (CHW), but the most frequent place people will come and see Archer is when we are walking across campus or hanging out at the fountains,” Wilson said.
Kya Coe, a senior social work major, said the birthday celebration was her first time officially meeting Archer.
“Last year, I was in the CHW a lot and [I] gave him a few pats while passing by,” said Coe.
Other students such as Rory Phillips, a first-year music education major, said she saw him in the student union just last week.
“I see him walking across campus all the time,” said Phillips.
Part of Archer’s duty is interacting with people every day. Despite his obvious pleasure in garnering attention and providing the community with comfort, he has his limits.
Wilson said Archer lets her or Fine know his limits by sitting at their feet to “avoid other people” or choosing to lay down at a more secluded area with less people.
“Archer typically does well with a lot of people, but just like humans, he gets tired and overwhelmed,” Wilson said.
Even with such a big presence at the university, the gear shop currently does not have any merchandise dedicated to Archer. Wilson said she was in talks with the shop “on a small scale,” but the options have not been “great.”
For now, the only Archer-themed merchandise are small stickers with his face on them, which students could grab for free at the celebration.
“We are always open to exploring more options!” said Wilson.
The SCE celebrates Archer’s birthday every year. Students are welcome to join in on the celebration next October.
