Cadet Eleanor Franc, a sophomore from Washington, D.C., majoring in international studies with minors in Arabic and leadership studies, is one of nine cadets who make up Growley's team. The team members follow a strict daily care, exercise, and training schedule required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"I got involved with the Growley team because I saw the potential for the program, not only within the Corps of Cadets, but also as a conduit between the corps and the campus community," Franc said. "It is really important that we maintain and strengthen our relationship with the whole campus, and having Growley around has made it easier to do that."

When alumni, faculty, staff, students, and campus visitors stop to pet or take a picture with Growley, the door opens to conversations about the corps and how its graduates are serving around the world. During the fall semester, Growley and the team attended more than 40 events, including visits to residence halls during study hours, football tailgates, alumni events, and more.

Besides prompting smiles and interest wherever they go, working dogs embrace Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) instinctively. A number of four-legged heroes serve alongside military men and women around the world. And a long tradition of such ambassadors endures at the few remaining senior military colleges, including Texas A&M and The Citadel.

According to Corps of Cadets folklore, a Depression-era commandant owned a dog named Growley. Food was somewhat scarce, so the cadets kept a portion of their breakfast to help feed him.

With such history and tradition in mind, cadets asked during the 2015-16 academic year to "bring back Growley," and the university and corps leadership agreed.

Cadet Amanda Jacobson, a junior from Charlottesville, Virginia, majoring in industrial systems engineering with minors in leadership studies and business, sees an opportunity to make a difference.

"It's a chance to reach out, meet a whole bunch of different people, and, hopefully, leave them with a positive impact," she said. "So far, the best part has been watching people light up and get so excited to see Growley. There's something about dogs that gets people smiling and talking, and Growley is no exception."

Shay Barnhart is the corps' communications director.