Graduate Team: H. & Barben
About the Team: Barben, a female yellow Labrador Retriever; H.’s first guide dog
Location: Geneva, New York
Training: June 2026, On Campus
H. originally hails from West Lafayette, Indiana, and is the child of two college professors. They have since built an accomplished academic and theatrical career as a theatre professor. After earning a PhD, they received tenure at Auburn University before accepting their current position at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where H especially appreciates the liberal arts curriculum and working with artists and scholars across disciplines. In addition to their work on campus, H. is a Full Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and a stage management member of Actors’ Equity Association. As a director, H. enjoys drawing out the talents of others, incorporating the broad skills students bring to their work in the theatre, and using theatre to promote social justice. Away from the stage and classroom, H. is a two-time Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier who can often be found running the scenic shores of Seneca Lake.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Barben is extremely smart, curious, driven, and food-motivated. A high-energy pup, Barben loves working and problem-solving, and moving through the world. She has a hilarious snore, loves to play fetch, and catch balls mid-air. We definitely share a deep desire to always be on the go. For a young dog, this makes settling the hardest skill to master. We are still learning each other. She is learning her place, and I am learning how to be a handler, and even in the short time since graduation, there has already been significant improvement.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “With degenerative eyesight that was diagnosed in 2016, I’ve learned to navigate the world kinesthetically, rather than visually. But then I started bumping into props in the theatre and tripping on the lake path while running. Giving up driving was hard; giving up running was absolutely unimaginable. As a cat person who has never had a dog, the idea of a guide dog (or any dog) was entirely new. Even so, I sought out Guiding Eyes because it is the only organization with a specific training program for running guide dogs.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Never having had a dog, everything about life with Barben is new, from how to be with a dog to how to navigate the world with a dog. I’m grateful to now be putting the skills I learned in training to use in my home environment. That said, I don’t yet have a good answer for how Barben has impacted my life, because we are still getting to know each other and our current schedule doesn’t match the school year or day-to-day life. Once the school year begins and we are in a regular routine, I am sure I will have more to reflect on.”
Were there any training highlights? “As an educator, training reminded me what it is like to be a student learning a new skill set – and it’s HARD. The trainers, staff, and my fellow graduates have been endlessly patient and enthusiastically insightful. We have a small WhatsApp chat with a few of the graduates I was on campus with and those folks are a tremendous source of support, especially as I settle into my regular environment, which is so different from White Plains. During training, everything was taken care of by Guiding Eyes so that I could fully focus my energy on developing my skills as a handler; I really appreciate that level of detail and care. And the kitchen and housekeeping staff deserve a huge shout-out; they were amazing.”
DOB: 6/19/2024
Litter ID: 7CC24
Color/Breed: Yellow/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Female
Brood: Quest
Stud: Benny
Littermates: Clementine, Crosby, Coconut, Celine, Charity, Camille
Region: Southwestern VT
Regional Puppy Instructor: Kate Gardner
Puppy Raiser: Emma Radler & Douglas Schmidt
Facebook: Southern Vermont Puppy Raisers
Special Recognition: Barben was special named by the Barbara and Bentley Kassal Foundation. Bentley has passed on, and Barbara Kassal shared: “The Bar is my name and the Ben is Bentley’s, so we are both, as always, together sharing the moment.” ❤️
Raising Barben was such a joy! She has a big personality, takes on any challenge with full force, works hard, plays hard. We couldn’t imagine a better partner for Barben than H. We wish them all the best, and look forward to their adventures ahead! ~ Emma Radler, Doug Schmidt
