The history behind the IPAW Collaborative
Dr. Laura Poleshuck (occupational therapy faculty, YWRI 129) began a research project on campus in August of 2020 with Orion, a Labrador Retriever who was originally training to be a seeing eye dog with Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Due to recurring ear infections Orion had to be released from her service training program in December of 2020; however, the Nazareth College administration approved Dr. P.'s proposal that Orion continue to come to campus as a therapy dog in training. During the spring of 2021, Orion was involved in many additional initiatives including informal hallways greetings, accompanying Dr. P. to classes and guest lectures, providing a vocational opportunity for a Life Prep student, and Wags and Wellness with Orion in the library with John Rigney from Health and Counseling. Orion passed her test to become an official therapy dog through Pet Partners in July 2021. The response to Orion's presence on campus was so positive that following another formal proposal to administration, a second dog was invited to participate in a new research study starting in Fall 2021, a project involving first and second year students. Professor Missy Reed's (music therapy faculty) dog Rosie, an English Springer Spaniel, has been coming to campus since the summer of 2021 and became an official therapy dog in May 2022; you may see her in Professor Reed's office (YWRI 272) and around campus. Dr.P. and Professor Reed are excited about the myriad possibilities that having two dogs on campus will bring. Please feel free to reach out to either of them with any questions (ipaw@naz.edu).
