A cute cat named ‘Max’, who has been residing near the university campus for the past four years, has received an honorary degree of “doctor of litter-ature”.
According to the Vermont State University’s Castleton campus, the ceremony is scheduled to take place on Saturday and Max will be awarded an honorary doctorate degree for his friendly and welcoming behavior with campus students.
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In a post on Instagram, the school announced, “Max the Cat has been an affectionate member of the Castleton family for years.”
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“While his adventures may have slowed, Max exemplifies the #CastletonWay and we are honored to have him as a member of VTSU’s #firstclass.”
“With a resounding purr of approval from the faculty, the Board of Trustees of the Vermont State Cat-leges has bestowed upon Max Dow the prestigious title of Doctor of Litter-ature, complete with all the catnip perks, scratching post privileges, and litter box responsibilities that come with it.”
Reacting to the post, one user wrote, “Dr.Max Congrats”, while another said: “This is the sweetest story I have ever seen on Instagram. congrats Dr Max!!”
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Know about Max’s owner and his campus life
The adored feline belongs to a family who lives on the street leading to campus’s main entrance. Therefore, Max decided to visit campus and gradually started getting friendly with college students. He has been hanging out and socialising with them for nearly the last four years, owner Ashley Dow told AP.
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Stressing that how excited students get on seeing Max, the owner highlighted that they all take selfies with him, pat him while he purrs, and even take him for campus tours.
“They pick him up and take selfies with him, and he even likes to go on tours with prospective students that meet at a building across from the family’s house,” Dow said.
“I don’t even know how he knows to go, but he does. And then he’ll follow them on their tour,” she added.
Dow recalled a time when Max stopped visiting to campus and quipped that the students had put up a shrine for him. “It had candles and everything. And the picture of Max that they had printed out and put in a frame.”
Dow is known as Max’s mother among the students, and graduates who return to town occasionally inquire about Max’s well-being.
While Max will not be attending the graduation, the degree will be later handed over to Dow.
Max, a beloved tabby cat known for his friendly interactions.
A beloved cat named Max has been awarded an honorary degree from Vermont State University’s Castleton campus. Max, a tabby cat who lives near the university’s main entrance, has become a fixture on campus, known for his friendly demeanour and love of attention.
For several years, Max has been wandering the halls of the university, charming students and staff. The university recognised Max’s contributions to the campus community with the honorary title of “Doctor of Litter-ature.”
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Max’s owner, Ashley Dow, says the curious feline started venturing onto campus years ago, seeking out interaction with the students. He enjoys being picked up, played with, and even participating in campus tours, somehow knowing when and where to meet the prospective students.
According to The New York Post, everybody knows Max, who laps up the attention he’s given, allowing himself to be picked up and played with, and even posing for selfies. The social creature also loves to join campus tours, designed to show prospective students the ropes, running across the street to the meeting point at the right time.
“With a resounding purr of approval from the faculty, the Board of Trustees of the Vermont State Colleges has bestowed upon Max Dow the prestigious title of Doctor of Litter-ature, complete with all the catnip perks, scratching post privileges, and litter box responsibilities that come with it. Congratulations, Dr Max Dow,” the university’s alumni wrote in a social media post.
University officials say Max won’t be able to walk across the stage at graduation, but they will deliver his honorary degree to him soon.
A four-legged fixture on the campus of a New England knowledge factory has been awarded an honorary degree — for adorable service to the academic community.
Max, a friendly tabby living adjacent to Vermont State University’s main entrance in Castleton was named a “doctor of litter-ature” — after spending a string of semesters wandering the halls of the institution of higher learning, charming students and staff with his positive energy.
“Max the Cat has been an affectionate member of the Castleton family for years,” the school said in a Facebook post.
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The curious kitty first wandered down the street in search of a social life roughly half a decade ago — and the rest was history 101.
“So he decided that he would go up on campus, and he just started hanging out with the college students, and they love him,” owner Ashley Dow told the Associated Press.
Everybody knows Max, who laps up the attention he’s given, allowing himself to be picked up and played with, and even posed for selfies.
The social creature also loves to join campus tours, designed to show prospective students the ropes, running across the street to the meeting point at the right time.
“I don’t even know how he knows to go, but he does,” Dow said. “And then he’ll follow them on their tour.”
Dow, known as “Max’s mom” around Castleton, said that she’s spoken to graduates who return to town and want to know how Max is doing.
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The friendly feline won’t be seen walking on stage at the upcoming graduation ceremony, but the school has promised to deliver Max’s degree soon.