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This fall, Claudia, Scheetz, a junior social work major, was assigned a field experience at the Knox County Developmental adult day care facility as a part of her educational preparation. The adult day care facility usually has about 13 to 15 people who spend the day there. They range in age from 30 to 94 and there are a variety of disabilities represented.

Claudia's assignment was to go to the center twice a week to observe. Not long after her assignment began, one of her professors, Bernita Nicholas, mentioned in class that she had inherited her parents' dog, and because of her busy schedule the dog was getting very little attention and exercise. Claudia decided that she could provide a way to help her professor's dog get his much needed exercise and attention and also bring some fun to the lives of the clients at the adult day care. So, a plan was born to take "Snickers" along on the field experience.
It took some preparation and training for Snickers, a very intelligent Border Collie, to be ready. Claudia took him out several times and played with him by herself. She wanted to make sure that Snickers would respond to her commands. Claudia and Snickers were soon working out the details that would enable him to go to the adult day care facility.

From the very first visit, Snickers was a big hit. If Claudia arrived without the dog, the clients were very disappointed. "Snickers was more popular than me with the clients," explained Claudia. "When I arrived without him no one said hello to me. The first comments were, 'Where is Snickers?'" Snickers played ball with each person and was very careful to return the ball to a place where the person could reach it to throw it again. Two of the people at the center are blind and Snickers was taught to place the ball in their laps when they were playing. Snickers brightened the lives of several people with just a wag of the tail and maybe an occasional slurp with his tongue.

The social work program here at MVNC is a growing program with creative and innovative professors. Students are encouraged both in class and on the field to be problem solvers and critical thinkers. This philosophy gives students like Claudia the courage and confidence to try new things while still under the consultation of professors. Snickers had a good time, too.