Therapy Dogs Visited SCC During Finals

SCC Psychology/Sociology Club members Krista Burks, Human Services major, and Kaylie Rank, Medical Laboratory Technology major, enjoy time with the Healing Hearts therapy dogs on Tuesday.

Amy Lou Doss

SCC Psychology/Sociology Club members Krista Burks, Human Services major, and Kaylie Rank, Medical Laboratory Technology major, enjoy time with the Healing Hearts therapy dogs on Tuesday.

Amy Lou Doss, Lincoln campus reporter

The SCC Psychology/Sociology Club hosted Healing Heart Therapy Dogs for students during final exams, as it has done for several quarters.

On every day of finals, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Lincoln student union, the club offered students the opportunity to pet therapy dogs to help deal with the stress of final exams.

On hand on Tuesday were Sonny Boy, 10, a large breed Akita, and Nala, 9, a small breed Corgi.

Club founder and psychology instructor Nicole Trevna-Flores said, “We bring in therapy dogs from ‘Healing Hearts’ to help promote relaxation among students.”

“We are conducting a research study on the use of therapy dogs for the purpose of diminishing stress among undergraduate students during finals week,” Psychology instructor Dr. Katherine Zupancic said.

Zapancic, the principal researched related to the therapy dogs, added, “This research is among one of the few studies conducted in higher education with therapy dogs.”

Malinda Ortlieb, left,  pets Nala while Nanci Kyhn, owner of Nala from healing Hearts Therapy Dogs, holds the small breed Corgi.
Amy Lou Doss
Malinda Ortlieb, left, pets Nala while Nanci Kyhn, owner of Nala from healing Hearts Therapy Dogs, holds the small breed Corgi.
Left to right, Sunny, a ten-year-old Akita; Lisa Rank, president of the SCC Psychology/Sociology Club; Dr. Katherine Zupancic, principal researcher; and Corgi, 9.
Left to right, Sunny, a ten-year-old Akita; Lisa Rank, president of the SCC Psychology/Sociology Club; Dr. Katherine Zupancic, principal researcher; and Corgi, 9.