Fulfilling the requirements for the Biological Sciences Scholars program has been genuinely enriching academically and professionally, as well as personally and socially. Some of the events I participated in during my fall semester included a Bingo night at Wesley Glen Retirement Community, and a dog adoption event through Canine Collective.

During the dog adoption event, I bonded with an older dog named Ireland (above). She was less energetic and social than the other dogs, and was slightly disobedient, but overall lovable and sweet. The Canine Collective staff shared that they had been bringing Ireland to every adoption event in the hopes of finding her a home as soon as possible, not only because she is a senior dog, but because her best friend in the shelter had recently passed away. Getting to spend time with these dogs, giving them attention, and seeing one of the six dogs get adopted that day helped me remember that not only can dogs make us, as humans, happy; we can so easily bring joy to a rescued dog, and one dog in a kill shelter can become another person’s beloved pet in the span of only a few days. We only need to take the small amount of time and effort.