Last Wednesday, a group of community dogs arrived on campus for a little tail-wagging and love before final exams officially began the next day. Since 2011, the Pet Party has become something of a stress-alleviating tradition.

"As students, we're not allowed to have pets," said Ontario, Calif., native Azucena Lucatero '16, "so it's really nice to spend time with animals."

Gathering outside the "Danawell" trailer, Dobby the Shih-Tzu, who belongs to Diane Watson in the Deans' Office, kindly allowed students to pet him on their study break. Also in attendance were Izzy, the Pomeranian, and Rudy, a Dachshund-Chihuahua mix, who sings on command and is featured on YouTube.

"I had a clown car of furry creatures," says dog-lover Kristen Moore in Financial Aid, who helped coordinate the event and rounded-up the various "foster dogs" that she babysits. Moore added she has talked with alums who were inspired to purchase a dog after graduation based on breeds they'd encountered at the pet party.

"It's an excellent alumni question," she added.

Hope Brinn '15, a special major in sociology & anthropology and educational studies from Wilmington, Del., expressed a desire for a Labrador-German Shepherd mix. Brinn's preference might have been based on the popular German Shepherd, Eddy, who belongs to Professor of Statistics Philip Everson. Students about to take their International Politics exam called Eddy a natural "peace ambassador."