Finance and Administration

Cedar, OSU’s wellness dog, along with staff from the Department of Public Safety visited with a College of Education class during their final project presentations last fall. The class is called ED 499 Trauma-Informed Care in Education, led by Dr. Beth Rankin, assistant professor of practice with the College of Education. This was Cedar’s second year visiting the class and Rankin said she also invited DPS to bring Cedar to a senior seminar/workshop class during finals week as well.

The ED 499 Trauma-Informed Care in Education course prepares K-12 teachers to identify and support students who have experienced trauma, and teaches strategies for managing associated triggers and behaviors in the classroom. Rankin said she asked DPS to bring Cedar to her students’ final presentations to help ease any nervousness associated with speaking in front of the class.

“I'm a big believer in not making students uncomfortable in public speaking - so my students ‘present’ their final projects seated in small groups,” Rankin explained. “This is where Cedar came in! He made his rounds throughout the classroom during their presentations to hopefully lower their affective filters and be more confident and calmer in their presentations.”

Cedar is available for visits with any class or department. Contact Chief Shanon Anderson’s office to schedule a visit.