The People for Animal Wellness Society (PAWS) partnered with the Office of Career Services, and will host the second annual Pawsitive Careers Conference on March 2, from 12–4 p.m. in the Rockland banquet room. Last year was PAWS’ first time sponsoring the event, which had a large turnout.
Kaya Roberts, treasurer of PAWS and event coordinator for the conference, said the conference is not necessarily career focused. The event is for students interested in animals, as well as students from a variety of majors.
Roberts said, “This year we tried to bring professionals from various fields such as marketing and criminal justice to interest a larger group of students.”
Five organizations are presenting at the conference including doggy day camps, dog trainers and a canine unit. There will also be free T-shirts and Jimmy Johns sandwiches for students who attend.
Baltimore Dogworks is a local dog training school that emphasizes reliability. According to its website, the association specializes in on- and off-leash obedience training and creating positive behavior changes in dogs. The dog trainers will explain how they made dog training into a successful career.
The Maryland SPCA is a nonprofit organization focusing on pet adoption and sheltering. The community and relations director will discuss some upcoming events, as well as her experience working for a nonprofit organization.
The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) canine unit will host an interactive session with its canines during which students will be able to see a simulated attack between a canine and a person of interest.
Camp Bow Wow is a doggy care facility with over 140 locations across the United States. According to its website, it is the largest pet care franchise in North America. The local marketing assistant, who has a background in design, will elaborate on how they received this position in the franchising industry.
Kayla Gibson, a Stevenson student, will discuss the importance and benefits of service animals. Gibson has a service dog that travels to class with her. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals can provide emotional support, well-being or comfort.
Kasey Ryan, public relations chair, said PAWS is very influential in her life. Being a nursing major, she does not have the opportunity to regularly pursue her passion with animals. Through the conference, she is able to learn more about the organizations that strive to protect and promote animals. Ryan says she is “super excited for the K-9 demonstration because it shows a real-life scenario.”
For more information regarding the event, contact PAWS through their Stevenson email or check their social media pages.