Frederick Community College's canine companion, Diego, blows out his birthday candles on Aug.27 at his birthday party. (Bel Dominesey/The Commuter)
FREDERICK, MD: On Aug. 27, Frederick Community College’s resident canine companion, Diego, had his fourth birthday party. The celebration was electric, with students everywhere and events galore. The college had balloon artists, caricature artists, and giveaways, but the main attraction was Diego himself.
Live Well employees and volunteers were handing out goodie bags at the start of the event, each containing a self-care kit with items such as lip balm and a candle. At the beginning of the event, FCC campus police officers were distributing shaved ice. Of course, the main attraction during the event was Diego himself. He was over the moon to be receiving all the attention and having a blast.
This event brought together the tight-knit FCC community. For students, Diego is a welcome sight on campus. As a member of the Frederick Community College community, Diego, or “Diggy,” serves as a Wellness Ambassador and facility service dog.
Diego was trained by Canine Companions to work alongside his handler, Emily Gebhart, an FCC counselor. Trained on 40 cue words, Diego supports students’ well-being through Live Well, FCC’s student wellness and success initiative.
Gebhart was later asked what Diego’s favorite part of being on campus was. “Diego’s favorite part of being on campus is getting to see people. He loves making his rounds, visiting familiar friends, and meeting new students and employees. He seems especially happy when someone stops what they are doing just to sit with him for a few minutes and give him their full attention.”
Gebhart was also asked about when she realized that Diego was so important to our community. “What stood out was hearing people talk about what he meant to them. For some, he is a fun and comforting presence on campus. For others, seeing him has helped them through genuinely difficult days. He has become part of the FCC community and a meaningful source of connection for many people here.”
Live Well, the event organizer, focuses on students’ mental and physical health, as well as their basic needs. Cody Rosen Barker from Live Well helped organize the celebration and spoke about the role Diego plays on campus. “Of course Diego is an amazing presence on campus,” Rosen Barker said.
The event also introduced students to FCC Quest: Level Up, a program designed to help new students become familiar with the college and its resources. Aliya Merhi explained that students can complete different objectives listed on the Quest flyers and enter raffles for prizes. Students who complete even one quest have the opportunity to win an FCC T-shirt.
During the event, student reporters interviewed a few of the artists present to learn more about their work and experiences. One of the balloon animal artists, Carol Turmen, shared her experience with balloon artistry and face painting. Carol loves what she does and has traveled all over the world for her work. One notable place she mentioned during the interview was Dubai; her craft and experience took her there for an event.
“I have a degree in Psychology, Social Science, and Math,” Turmen said, “but I would rather do this!” Turmen’s favorite animal to create is a cat, and she said that she loves coming to school events instead of an office job.
In addition to campus resources, students also had the opportunity to learn about employment and internship opportunities. Skyler Ehrenreich represented Jersey Mike’s and spoke with students about current hiring opportunities and upcoming job fairs.
While the event provided students with information about careers and campus resources, Diego remained the center of attention.
The event ended, of course, with a birthday cake and song. By the end, Diego was understandably exhausted and went back with Gebhart to take one of his daily naps in the Zen Den with Gebhart. Being a facility dog is, of course, very hard work.
Diego’s fourth birthday was more than a celebration. The event also gave students an opportunity to discover the people, programs, and resources available to support them throughout their time at FCC.
