By Taylor Provine
KSU Division of Communications and Marketing
MANHATTAN — The Kansas State University campus is bustling with Wildcats, but the newest face among the crowd is a dog named Oakley. The three-year-old golden retriever is a therapy dog, and he's on campus to provide companionship and comfort to students, faculty and staff.
Jenneen LeMay, assistant director of the Morrison Family Center for Student Well-being, is Oakley's owner and handler. They completed the training together as a team to become pet therapy certified. Most days, Oakley and LeMay can be seen walking on campus ready to bring joy and comfort to anyone who might need it — and they're almost always approached by a student or group that stops to pet Oakley."The reaction from students, faculty and staff has just been incredible," LeMay said. "It is so rewarding to see how happy they are when they're with Oakley. I cannot tell you the number of students who say, 'This is what I needed today.'"
Oakley is easily recognizable with his purple harness featuring his name and the "therapy dog" red heart tag. He also sometimes wears a green bandana as part of the Green Bandana Project.According to LeMay, Oakley primarily serves students and programs in the Morrison Family Center for Student Well-being, but students, faculty and staff are always welcome to stop by to see if he is available or request that he visit a class or office. He will also attend campus events and meetings, and he'll eventually have drop-in hours, as his schedule allows.
Born for the role LeMay got Oakley when he was just eight weeks old. Even as a puppy, she noticed something in him that made her think he'd be a good candidate for a therapy dog."I kew early on that Oakley would be a great therapy dog because he was so good at getting close to people and enjoying physical contact," LeMay said. "He's very emotional, and he just wants everybody's love all the time."
In fall 2024, LeMay began therapy dog training with Oakley. They completed the training in May 2025, and he received his certification in June 2025. During the training, Oakley also received the Canine Good Citizen certificate, a prerequisite for obtaining therapy dog recognition, LeMay said.As a certified therapy dog, Oakley is not the same as a service dog or an emotional support animal."Since Oakley is a therapy dog, he doesn't have legal access to public spaces," LeMay said. "We as a therapy team must be invited into spaces on campus to provide comfort and support to groups of people." To request Oakley and the therapy team for events, complete the online form.
Oakley is in: A face of well-being This fall semester, the staff at the Morrison Family Center for Student Well-being are working on a schedule for Oakley to be available to meet with students on a regular basis. LeMay, who oversees all of the programming offered by the center, said Oakley will also be involved with the THRIVE Navigators, well-being workshops, Green Bandana Project trainings and WellCAT chats, a collaboration with Lafene Health Center's Counseling and Psychological Services. As part of the university's Health and Well-being Month, Oakley will be available for "Paws Breaks" where students, faculty and staff are invited to spend time and have a space to relax with him. The next event is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 29.