Beyond the Leash: Strengthening Advocacy, Education and Awareness through STEP @ UCF

Authors

Morgan Nickerson, University of Central FloridaFollow
Jacob Lombardo, University of Central FloridaFollow
Nicole Acosta, University of Central FloridaFollow
Karl Johnson, University of Central FloridaFollow
Amy Jones, University of Central FloridaFollow
Matthew Siverio, University of Central FloridaFollow

Streaming Media

Files

Course Code

LDR

Course Number

3215

Faculty/Instructor

Dr. Haley Winston

Faculty/Instructor Email

Haley.Winston@ucf.edu

About the Author

Hello! We are a group of students from the LEAD Scholars Academy here at the University of Central Florida. This was an amazing project to work on, and we would like to thank Carla Lozano, the president of STEP @ UCF, and Haley Winston, our professor.

Abstract, Summary, or Creative Statement

Our project partnered with STEP at UCF, the Service Dog Training and Education Program, to address widespread misconceptions surrounding service dogs and promote accurate awareness on campus. Misunderstandings about service dog laws and etiquette can create mistrust and make public access more difficult for legitimate handlers, which directly conflicts with STEP’s mission of education and inclusion. To help address this issue, our team created a two-part educational presentation series in collaboration with STEP. The first focused on common myths and facts about service dogs, including legal questions, vest requirements, and breed assumptions. The second clarified the differences between service dogs and emotional support animals in terms of training, function, and legislation.

We engaged students through discussion and an interactive Kahoot to measure what they learned. Many participants demonstrated a strong understanding, and several expressed interest in joining or supporting STEP. Our work was guided by the Social Change Model, especially the values of collaboration, consciousness of self, and citizenship, which shaped how we planned and delivered our outreach.

Overall, this project strengthened campus knowledge of service dog etiquette while supporting STEP’s ongoing commitment to creating a more informed and accessible community.

Keywords

Service dogs, animal rights, service dog etiquette, social change model, disability awareness

Recommended Citation

Nickerson, Morgan; Lombardo, Jacob; Acosta, Nicole; Johnson, Karl; Jones, Amy; and Siverio, Matthew, "Beyond the Leash: Strengthening Advocacy, Education and Awareness through STEP @ UCF" (2025). High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2025. 47.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hip-2025fall/47