Incoming students to receive their own husky puppy

When Northeastern’s newest crop of students arrives on campus this fall there will be a new, cuddly addition to their welcome materials.

The university has announced a first-of-its-kind initiative, Pups for Pupils, that will see all incoming students get their very own husky puppy. Ranging from just a few weeks old to two months old, the huskies will be distributed following the President’s Convocation.

Along with a puppy, each student will get a Northeastern branded leash and chew toy.

K.C. Jo Bear, Northeastern’s junior vice president of puppy distribution, came up with the idea after seeing how excited people get any time there’s a dog on campus.

“We bring dogs to campus during exam time for the students to play with, and it’s just a cuteness overload that we want to maintain throughout the whole academic year,” Bear said. “And it aligns with the university’s experiential learning model, as it will teach our students responsibility.”

When reached for comment, incoming students were silent, their excitement having rendered them speechless.

As part of this initiative, the university will convert the event space on East Village’s 17th floor into the King Husky Center for Puppy Care. There also are plans to turn Centennial Common into a campus dog park.

This article is part of Northeastern’s 2016 April Fools’ Day coverage.