Zoey and Sage Students from every major learn that compassion may be one of the most valuable skills they take with them after graduation.
Technical skills may open doors, but compassion is what often changes lives.
Compassion is both innate and nurtured. It grows through relationships, experiences and a willingness to see others as Christ sees them. In a world where anxiety, loneliness and grief have become all too common, learning how to care for others may be one of the most valuable skills a person can develop.
Sometimes that learning begins with an unexpected teacher, like a beloved family pet. At CUW, it often begins with a comfort dog.
Through the Compassion Care Certificate, students combine coursework in trauma-informed care and social-emotional learning with hands-on experiences alongside Concordia’s comfort dogs. Along the way, they develop the confidence, empathy and practical caregiving skills needed to serve others in every profession and every season of life.
When Kylie Kapler visited Concordia, the comfort dogs stood out as something she hadn’t seen at other universities. Now a senior interior architecture and design major, a student in the Compassion Care Certificate program, and the current treasurer of Concordia’s Comfort Dog Club, she says learning about the certificate changed her college experience.
“When I learned that there was a program on campus, it really sparked my interest to become a handler,” Kapler said. “I was excited about developing handling skills with comfort dogs and learning compassion caregiving skills that I can use now and into my future.”
Learning with purpose
Launched in 2021, the Compassion Care Certificate prepares students to serve others through coursework in trauma-informed care, social-emotional learning and compassionate caregiving. Students pair classroom learning with hands-on experiences alongside Runner, one of Concordia’s comfort dogs. The beauty of the program is that they develop practical skills they can carry into any profession.
Rhonda Verdegan, PhD, professor of athletic training and co-creator of the Compassion Care Certificate, has watched students grow through the program since its inception.
“The dogs open the door,” she said. “They give students a way to connect with people who are hurting, grieving, struggling or simply having a difficult day. The certificate gives students tools they can carry into whatever profession they choose.”
Compassion isn’t limited to one profession
Fun fact: Although education students make up the largest group in the program, the certificate attracts students from psychology, counseling, social work, athletic training, physical therapy, occupational therapy and many other majors. Compassion has value in every profession.
“The classes help develop relationship-building skills that everyone can benefit from, regardless of what they are majoring in,” Kapler said. “I’ve developed leadership skills and have grown my self-confidence throughout this program. This is something that I can share with others.”
Verdegan sees that same growth in students each year. Through weekly handling responsibilities, reflection assignments and community outreach, students build confidence, strengthen interpersonal skills and learn to recognize when someone needs support.
Learning through service
The classroom is only one part of the experience. Student handlers accompany Concordia’s comfort dogs during visits to schools, nursing homes, hospitals, churches and other community organizations. They learn that compassionate care often begins with simply showing up.
Some visits are planned in advance, while others come with little notice—a request from an alumnus whose parent is hospitalized, a school seeking comfort after the loss of a student or a call asking Runner to support those affected by a tragedy on campus.
“We’ll get invites from community people quite frequently,” said Verdegan. “Going to nursing homes, going to schools—we’ve gone to hospitals in the past. We’ll sometimes get special messages from people who know about Concordia or graduated from here saying, ‘My mom is really sick in the hospital. Is there any way Runner could come visit?'”
Those experiences reinforce the idea that compassionate care isn’t limited to one profession or setting. Whether supporting a grieving family, visiting residents in a nursing home or sitting quietly with someone who needs a listening ear, students learn that one of the greatest acts of service is simply being present.
A campus of care
That same spirit of care extends across campus. Junior accounting major Brenna Bennett, president of the Comfort Dog Club, says students naturally gravitate toward Runner and Sage wherever they go.
“When I walk around campus with Runner, we always get stopped by students who want to pet him and say hi,” Bennett said. “I can always tell where Sage or Runner are because there will be a crowd of students sitting on the floor around them. The dogs help students forget about their issues for at least a few minutes.”
While the program prepares student handlers for this work, the Comfort Dog Club gives the entire campus an opportunity to experience it. Open to all students, the club hosts monthly gatherings featuring crafts, games, snacks, calming music and time with the comfort dogs.
“The goal of our events is to provide a way for students to take a break from their workload and de-stress with some furry friends and relaxing activities,” Bennett said.
Preparing students for a lifetime of service
Verdegan believes the need for compassionate caregivers is greater than ever. Through Concordia’s comfort dogs and the students who serve alongside them, she has witnessed the difference a simple act of kindness can make in someone’s life. With tears in her eyes, she reflected on the lesson she hopes students carry with them long after graduation.
“I don’t think any of our struggles are going to go away,” she said. “Having someone recognize you and say, ‘How can I help you?’ or ‘How can I listen to you?’—those are really important things that we all need to continue to be thoughtful about when it comes to helping others.”
Kapler said the certificate has strengthened her understanding of Concordia’s mission and the importance of serving others through faith.
“CUW is deeply rooted in faith, focusing on how we can provide comfort and service to people on campus as well as out in the community,” she said. “There is always a need for giving and providing comfort, and I’m so grateful that the certificate offers this opportunity to students.”
Verdegan hopes the program continues to shape students for years to come because, in the end, it has never really been about the dogs alone.
“The dogs remind us that sometimes the most important thing we can do for someone is simply be present,” she said. “That’s why I hope the program continues to grow and remains part of Concordia for a long time.”
Like this article? Check out “The legacy of Concordia’s first comfort dog.”
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Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.