Two pals, four paws and one dream

Tabitha and Winnie go everywhere together. They both love Mountie football games, and being each other’s chemistry lab partners. They’re both disability services aides with plans to work in nursing one day. They even have the same birthday. 

Winnie is a medical alert service dog who accompanies EOU student Tabitha Compton to classes, an on-campus job, and even chemistry labs. Compton’s disability is an invisible one, and Winnie’s assistance is the only aspect of it most people see.

“Even when she’s napping, [Winnie] is still aware of me the whole time: listening and smelling and being in tune with me,” Compton said. “Sometimes I choose to go places without her, but I usually choose to keep her close because she keeps me safe.” 

Since the two first got together in December 2017, Compton has enjoyed expanded freedom and peace of mind. Winnie can sense a medical situation before it occurs, alerting Compton to take proactive steps.

“It’s made such a difference having the freedom of not worrying constantly, and being able to avoid situations that could be dangerous for my health,” Compton said. 

Their powerful partnership is only one factor in Compton’s success on campus. The two attended a community college shortly after teaming up, but without additional support things went south. 

“I didn’t know who to go to for help and I was seriously lost,” she said. “At EOU, I didn’t experience that at all.”

Staff from the Disability Services Office (DSO) emailed Compton the day after she submitted an application. 

“Starting at a new school is intimidating, and they just took out all the questions before I even asked them,” Compton said. “[The DSO] had everything I needed in that moment and I really appreciated that willingness to jump in with me and give me the one-on-one attention I needed to get set up at the university.”

Today, Compton provides essential support for her peers as a student worker in the DSO. She transcribes lectures, proctors tests and connects students with accommodations. The DSO is housed under the Learning Center, which also offers tutoring, study groups and a computer lab. 

“The DSO and Learning Center are what keep me at EOU,” Compton said. “If it wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be here.” 

Compton plans to complete her pre-nursing requirements, and enroll in the OHSU School of Nursing’s La Grande Campus next year. She hopes to specialize in pediatric psychology and help people diagnosed with conditions that aren’t visible on the surface.

“I’m an average-looking person—I don’t look like I have a disability, but I do have one,” she said. “People see me with a service animal and they think I’m blind. There’s a huge disconnect where it can create a lot of issues for disabled individuals, and I want to be someone who helps with that. People can look ‘normal,’ but have a lot going on. There’s a larger population of people dealing with invisible illnesses and disabilities than we consider as a society.”

Compton chose EOU and the OHSU program for their small size and personalized approach. Getting to know professors and peers in her cohort guarantee an individualized education.

“I can have a one-on-one connection with my professors, and they can take the time because they don’t have enormous class sizes,” she said. 

But Compton and her companion find a way to fit in every crowd—bundled up at a November football game or conducting experiments in a chemistry lab. The only four-legged lab partner on campus comes with some special equipment. Winnie wears goggles, booties and a raincoat so she can safely do her job and stay close to Compton.

“Having a service animal and being in a science-based major can get a little bit tricky with lab environments,” Compton said. “They made sure I would still have the opportunity to be successful even though having a service animal in those environments is kind of unconventional.” 

At work, play and study, Compton has a sidekick she can count on. And both of them have a campus community that supports their ongoing success.

Follow Winnie on Instagram @Winnie.TheServiceDog!