Help Desk Coordinator Grace Hoppie ’25 brought her snakes to be blessed by a minister on Oct. 30. The annual pet blessing is an Eckerd tradition. Photo by Penh Alicandro ’22
One does not need to attend class to be an integral member of the Eckerd College community.
This is certainly the case for Soup, Desdemona and Waco the snakes. Soup, a corn snake and Desdemona, a ball python, have been honorary students since 2020 when their owner Grace Hoppie arrived on campus with them as a first-year student. After graduating in 2024, Hoppie became the Help Desk coordinator at the school and continues to keep her animals close.
Oct. 30 was an exciting day for Hoppie and her reptilian comrades as it was Eckerd’s annual pet blessing ceremony. The event is welcome to all animals. Students, faculty and staff eagerly brought their companions.
All animals received blessings from Rev. Ethan Cole, a priest from St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in St. Petersburg. While it was his first time performing this service at Eckerd, Cole has blessed plenty of animals ranging from cats and dogs to lizards and birds.
The animals gathered at the Triton’s Pub patio with Student Ministry Coordinators and Pet Life.
Rabbi Ed Rosenthal (right) has been taking part in the blessing for years as the Hillel director.
“Pets and companionship, and [the] companion ability from animals really is one of those things that enriches life,” he said.
For this reason, Cole appreciates the friendly pet policy at Eckerd.
“[The pet policy] is really cool because, you know, folks leave home and that transition can be hard, and to be able to have that companionship of animals seems to me to be just a really natural way to make college feel like home,” he stated.
This sentiment is shared by Hoppie, who noted the importance for students to become independent and responsible—both traits can be fostered through owning pets.
“Also, [having pets] offers a really good physical, emotional and mental release from stress,” she added.
The inclusion of pets in campus life stretches far beyond the pet blessing. In fact, Pet Life, a department at Eckerd dedicated to registering animals, recently held a Halloween costume contest for pets.
Hoppie recalled dressing her snakes up for the occasion during her first year.
“I dressed Soup up as a witch and he had a very tiny paper hat that was very delicately taped onto his head… I made a tiny broom out of a single paperclip and a little piece of felt,” she explained. “And I took him to class with me and I was a witch as well… I think that was one of my fondest memories.”
It is a common sight to see dogs walking along South Beach and students introducing their turtles, fish, birds, and hamsters to their peers. It is simply a part of the Eckerd culture and the Pet Blessing is merely an example of that.
