Michele the therapy dog’s tenth birthday
Photo courtesy of Knight’s Life Editor, Regan Russell
On Thursday, Mar. 6, 2025, one of the greatest events ever occurred on campus inside the Milne Library. This event was the famous Michele the therapy dog’s tenth birthday party! All students and faculty were invited to celebrate this amazing milestone celebration.
For those unfamiliar with Michele, she is a certified therapy dog that visits Geneseo to provide students with much-needed puppy love and support. The Lamron featured Michele’s handler, Marci Frutkoff, in the “Invasion of Privacy” spotlight that can be read on The Lamron website!
Michele has been visiting Geneseo for over two years. Michele is a busy girl, coming to the Milne library every Thursday and visiting other places to provide her support as well. She is a very calm black labrador retriever and truly does her job of recentering students and providing a stress-free environment.
Leaving home for a first-year —or any year— student can sometimes be difficult. This can be even worse if a student is missing their own dog back home. Michele is a great resource for these students to visit in between breaks or visiting home on the weekends.
Michele works hard every week at Geneseo, so it was only right to have her very own birthday party. Her party started at 10:00 am and went on until around 11:30 am, giving students ample time to stop in before or after their morning classes.
Michele had her own special birthday treats, but there were human treats provided for students passing through. A variety of fruit was offered, which made for the perfect free breakfast— and, of course, what is a birthday party without a birthday cake! It is never too early for desserts when it comes to celebrating Michele, so a chocolate cake was also available for those at the event. Michele is trained very well, was not tempted by human food at all, and made no attempt to steal a bite.
Next to the food table was a massive birthday card for Michele. Students and faculty could use the markers provided to write Michele a special birthday note or even a thank you message for all of her hard work over the years. Even though she cannot read, I’m sure Michele was very grateful for all the support.
A highlight of the birthday party was the scavenger hunt that came along with it. Michele’s team hid three-dimensional printed dogs —loosely based on Michele— all over the library. Students did their best to search different floors of the library while also being respectful of students who were utilizing the space to study.
The team in charge of hiding these little dogs must have been professionals because I could not find any of them! But, other students found some and even included Michele in the joy by showing her the dogs found. She was absolutely content with all of the extra attention, even sporting her very special birthday bandana.
While this article may seem a bit silly, Michele’s job is truly very important on campus. Many college students struggle with adjusting to various elements and are unaware of what resources are available to them for support. Resources such as a therapy dog every week should be utilized by as many students as possible. They are there specifically for the students!
The Milne Library Instagram, @milne.geneseo, provides constant updates about when Michele will be visiting and always has a fun picture to accompany the message. Alongside every Thursday, she often comes to Geneseo for special events like GREAT Day. Follow the page to keep yourself updated for the chance to meet the amazing Michele!