COLUMBIA, Mo. – Searcy Hall, closed since summer of 2009, will re-open this fall as Stephens’ “Pet Central,” a single residence hall that will be home to all of the College’s resident dogs and cats (and birds, and fish, and turtles ...) and their owners.

“Students don't have to leave their best friends behind when they head off to college,” says Dr. Dianne Lynch, president of Stephens College. “At Stephens, they can bring along that very special ‘family member’ – even if he has fur, fins, scales or feathers.”

Centralizing pets in Searcy will allow the College to improve its pet program, provide greater support to pet owners, and accommodate the increased numbers of students who want to bring their pets to campus with them next fall.

“We're establishing ‘Pet Central’ on campus because it allows us to create an all-new living and learning environment for our students who love animals,” says Lynch. “We're expanding a longstanding policy on campus into an active, energetic and innovative program.”

The decision to create “Pet Central” on campus opens up many opportunities around one of Stephens’ most distinctive extracurricular programs. The College will be adding a “doggie daycare” program that will allow resident dogs to play together in the yard behind Searcy and to spend time together outside the confines of residence hall rooms. Plans to establish a Pet Committee to develop new programs and policies that will enhance pets’ (and their owners’) experiences on campus are also underway.

“Doggie Daycare is not only a great gift to our furry friends,” says Lynch. “It's also an opportunity for entrepreneurial students to organize and run a nonprofit organization. And our new Pets Committee will recommend policies for our pet owners, but it will also work with me and other senior administrators to develop new ideas for programs and projects associated with Pet Central. I expect that we'll have all kinds of new initiatives, which will make Stephens an even better college choice for students interested in careers in veterinary science and other animal-centered professions.”

Stephens College, established in 1833, is historically committed to meeting the changing needs of women. Stephens engages students in an innovative educational experience focused on pre-professional fields and the performing arts and grounded in the liberal arts.

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