Campus just got cuter. Father Marina adopted a puppy named Gracie over the summer. She became an instant hit with the university community.

Gracie is a five-month-old miniature bernedoodle. She has her own dedicated Instagram page which has garnered over one thousand followers. The page announced Gracie’s debut Aug. 24, saying she would soon be around for students to see on campus.  

Father Marina said he is very excited to have her.

“I’ve been a dog lover my whole life. We got our family dog when I was five years old…actually, I’ve never had a dog since then. My life just didn’t allow for that,” Marina said.  

Father Marina said now is the perfect time for him to have a new furry friend in this life, and of course the royals as well.  

“But now the circumstances were just right. You could say the stars aligned themselves. I was able, because of the support from colleagues here at the university, to finally get another dog.” Marina said.  

Gracie quickly became popular with people across the university community. She can often be seen walking around campus, accompanied by Father Marina or a member of her dedicated team of student dog-walkers. Several faculty and staff members, such as Dean Rivera, take care of her while Father Marina is away on business.

“When I used to walk around the campus without her, students would say, ‘Hi, Father Marina.’ Now, they say, ‘Hi Gracie.’ And she loves it.” Marina said.

Gracie has appeared at several campus events, including Open Houses and CHEW’s Walk for Wellness. Several organizations have incorporated her in their promotions, such as the RoyalsVote election day initiative and the New Student Orientation team looking for applicants.

“I wanted our students to be excited about having a kind of mascot, if you will. And it seems to be working. She's getting some really great responses from our community.”  Marina said.  

Many students love dogs or miss their pets at home, which has made Gracie very popular.

Sophomore Connor Farrington said when he sees Gracie on campus, it always makes him smile.

“Seeing Gracie around campus always brightens my day. It’s always nice to have a dog to pet and see, especially as someone who misses his own dog.” Farrington said.  

Gracie’s many fans are excited to see what she does next, now that she has become such an icon of the campus community.

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