Lakeland University Pawsitism is a student-led nonprofit organization that supports the mission of Pawsitism, Inc. The group helps raise and train specially trained service dogs for children with autism. These dogs are intended to improve safety, encourage social interaction and enhance overall well-being while helping children build confidence and emotional stability.
Through this work, Lakeland students actively assist in caring for and training the dogs, directly contributing to the impact and outreach of Pawsitism, Inc.
Bailey Johnson, who is the president of LU Pawsitism Inc, explained how the club operates.
“Pawsitism is a non-profit organization created with the aim of providing service dogs to children with autism. We brought the club to the university in order to help the dogs get exposed to new environments and help college students learn about training dogs,” Johnson said.
The president emphasized the significance of using service dogs in helping the autistic and their families.
“Service dogs are extremely important to specific groups of people,” Johnson said. “They perform specialized tasks to help lessen the burdens that having a disability can take on their everyday lives, provide more independence and improve quality of life significantly. Starting and promoting Pawsitism brings more dogs to more people in our community, and it is a meaningful way to give back.”
She also reflected on her role as president and the responsibility that comes with it.
“It is a lot of responsibility, but the cause is so worth the work,” Johnson said. “I am proud to be leading an organization that helps children grow their character and confidence through their service animals. It is beyond rewarding.”
Ashlyn Jimenez, social media head for LU Pawsitism, shared how the organization has impacted her experience at Lakeland University.
“Being able to help and contribute to something bigger than myself is something I take pride in,” Jimenez said. She also highlighted the strong relationships formed within the organization, noting that collaboration among members has created a supportive and meaningful environment.
Ariana Vaitkeviciute, secretary and head of event fundraising and planning, joined the organization to become more involved on campus and contribute to a meaningful cause.
“I wanted to get more involved on campus and find ways to help make a difference,” Vaitkeviciute said. She explained that her experience has included learning more about autism and service animal work through training sessions while also helping plan events and fundraising efforts. Vaitkeviciute added that increasing awareness and participation will be key to the organization’s future growth.
Vice President Anna Hays highlighted her experience working directly with service dogs in training and the impact of those experiences.
“I love getting to work with the dogs,” Hays said. “Getting to train the dogs that go to families that need them and getting to meet new people on campus is the best part.” She added that training sessions and board meetings have been especially meaningful parts of her involvement.
Hays also emphasized the broader purpose of the organization, noting its role in promoting kindness and community support. “This world just needs a little more kindness, and this club helps with that,” she said.
As the organization grows, the team sees the need for continued expansion, specifically recruiting new members and raising awareness about autism. At present, the organization is concentrating on visibility within the campus through participation in recruitment fair events and other initiatives to engage students.
The future of LU Pawsitism is bright as the organization seeks to raise its profile by training more service dogs and promoting greater awareness about autism. They hope to foster leadership within students and create a self-sustainable project that will continue to grow.
LU Pawsitism combines aspects of both service learning and community engagement. Service learning involves training service dogs to help autistic children. Students involved in this project are not only able to assist families in need but also learn important life skills such as leadership and empathy.
To find more information about LU Pawsitism Club, look up on Instagram: @pawsitismlu
