By Thomas Gray, Broadcast Journalism Major.
The senior class council will donate an English Bulldog puppy to Union University as the new school mascot. Ten-week-old Buster will be on campus Sunday, April 10.
Senior Class President Anna Goodman said the decision to get a bulldog was one of many options senior council considered for the class gift. The council kept the gift a secret for months while making arrangements to bring the puppy on campus.
“I’m just so excited to finally have him on campus so that the students, and the graduating class in particular, can finally meet him,” Goodman said.
One of the challenges they faced was searching for a breeder that could work with the university.
“After exploring all our options, we found a breeder that had some puppies in the timeframe we wanted,” said Andrew Graham, senior class secretary. “And when we contacted them they seemed really happy to work with us.”
Buster will stay with Assistant Residence Director Rusty Tuders and his wife, Susan. The senior council will host Buster’s homecoming celebration April 22 at 3 p.m.
Senior council asks that everyone be respectful of the puppy and give him space while he adjusts to his new home. He is very young, and the class officers want to make sure the student body does not overwhelm him with more affection than he can handle.
“We just really ask that everyone be respectful and remember he’s a puppy,” said Anna Goodman, senior class president. “Everyone is going to want to meet him and pet him. We want that, but we also want to give our boy the time he needs to adjust. So we ask you be respectful of the guidance given by Rusty and his wife, as well as senior class officers, when we have him out and about.”
Follow Buster on Twitter and Instagram: @uubuster.
