SEAHO Report - Summer 2019 - 13

SEAHO Feature Articles
As I bring this piece to a close, I would be remiss if I did not mention the part of my SPRINT speech that
seemed to get the most laughter. No, it wasn't my mention of how my son basically wants to use all my
hard-earned money to purchase Fortnite skins, it was my play on words with the ever-dreaded staple Crossfit
movement, the burpee and how we should all strive not to be a burpee in someone else's life. For anyone
who has ever attempted, successfully or not to do a burpee or a series of them you realize quickly if you hate
them or love them. For the overwhelming majority of the population, the response would not be a favorable
one towards the ever-effective physical movement. We should all strive to not have our name, or the legacy
of our professional career elicit the same type of visceral reaction doing a burpee often causes people. You
should think of your professional legacy like a college GPA, once it takes a dip it's hard to bring it back up.
As the summer continues to run away faster than we would like, I hope you take some time to reflect on your
professional career whether it's just beginning, in the middle or even if you're close to retiring. It's never too
late to right some wrongs and make new connections with colleagues or friends. Challenge yourself to be open
to learning new things, take care of your people, practice humility and gratitude and spend some time outside
(in the shade) just to remind yourself how much bigger this world is.
Breathe deep and let's get ready to welcome back our students in August!

The Pittman Pup at Ole Miss
By Benjamin L. Huff, University of Mississippi
I have been living in a residence hall for going on eight years. Eight years! That is a long time! And for seven of
those years, I did not have a pet. Not even a Betta Fish or a house plant. I had a stuffed dinosaur that doubled as
a pet, with the added bonus of not having to buy food, take it to the vet, and more. It was a one-time investment.
Then, I began to think about what my life was missing. I had a steady career, a moderately-decent social
life, and I played way too many video games. So I decided it was time for me to adopt a dog, given that my
department allows pets. Enter: Oliver.
Oliver was a rescue found at the local Humane Society. He is a beagle-hound mix and is one of the most
precious creatures on the planet. I walked into where the dogs were and he was literally the only dog not
barking. He seemed unfazed by the noise! "Score!" I thought to myself, "He doesn't mind noise, he seems
chill!". And so, a few days later after the shelter was able to legally take ownership of him, I went and adopted
him. He was so excited, he jumped in my car without hesitation! I had the pet deposit in hand, the vet records,
and I was ready to go. And then, I realized-Oliver would be my roommate in an apartment in a building of
330 freshmen students. What if he gets overwhelmed? What if people-noise is different than shelter-noise?
Will all the students flock to him and he gets scared? Well, none of that happened. Instead, Oliver has gained
the moniker "Pittman Pup". The students love him and he has semi-regular Pittman Pup-Office Hours where he
comes and sits in my office and students can stop by, pet him, play with his toys, and talk about the stressors in
their life.
I cannot begin to count the number of times I have heard the phrase, "I haven't seen my dog in months and I
miss them," let alone the number of times my students have almost cried petting him because they miss their
animals back home. Oliver has been a phenomenal residence life dog-he even wakes up on queue when the

SEAHO Report Summer 2019

SEAHO Report - Summer 2019

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