'Gary' A New Friendly Face On Endicott's Campus

BEVERLY, MA —When Endicott College students are in need of a friendly face to give them a little pick-me-up the hope is that Gary will be there to make life at least a little bit easier on campus.

Gary, the new Endicott College comfort therapy dog, will be officially sworn in during a ceremony on March 23 at 3:30 p.m. to work alongside his handler, campus police officer Elliot Lanciani.

"Everyone dreams of working their dream job someday," Lanciani said. "I am fortunate to have that opportunity already. Having a permanent furry partner only makes things that much better. I cannot wait to serve the community alongside Gary."

Gary's role will be to help deescalate stressful situations, reduce anxiety and help students with the stress of finals week., offset homesickness, provide a welcomed distraction and assist those students struggling with mental health issues.

Gary will also help with the Endicott Public Safety & Police Department's engagement and outreach efforts.

"The pandemic has exacerbated feelings of loneliness and desperation in young people and colleges will experience the fallout for years to come," Endicott President Steven R. DiSalvo said. "We're excited to welcome Gary to our campus and proud to further the national conversation about student mental health."

Hero Pups, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides service dogs to veterans and first responders, delivered Gary to Endicott.

The school said Gary is one of several recent efforts it has made to address student mental health, including a new wellness center, a change in health care providers and increased clinical staffing.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)