Rollins College honored Canela, a golden retriever trained to work in a chemistry lab, for her years of service to student Cecilia Hernandez, proving science can be both smart and heartwarming.
When Cecilia Hernandez walked across the graduation stage at Rollins College this spring, she wasn’t alone.
Beside her trotted Canela, her golden retriever service dog, wearing a tiny vest patch of her own and earning a roar of applause from classmates.
How Canela Joined Cecilia’s Journey
When Hernandez began her studies in 2021, she faced an uphill battle. The aspiring chemist lived with cardiac issues, endometriosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, conditions that often left her dizzy or bedridden. After an emergency surgery and months of recovery, she realized she needed support to keep pursuing her dream.
That’s when she met Canela, a golden retriever puppy in training with John McGarth Training Services. The two quickly formed an inseparable bond.
“I began to have cardiac issues that led to a high heart rate and fainting,” Hernandez told People. “Canela can alert me when my heart rate is too high and tell me to sit down when I’m near fainting. During these episodes, she performs Deep Pressure Therapy to help diminish my symptoms.”
The service dog also detects early signs of allergic reactions, allowing Hernandez to take medication before symptoms escalate. “With Canela by my side, I’m much more confident about knowing my limits,” she added.
Their connection soon became more than medical. Canela was by her side in every lecture, lab, and study session, helping transform Hernandez’s college experience from uncertain to empowering.
Training for the Chemistry Lab
Becoming a service dog is no small feat, but becoming a chemistry service dog takes things to another level.
Since Hernandez majored in chemistry, Canela needed to learn how to safely accompany her into laboratories filled with fragile glassware, open flames, and chemical reagents. That meant special training sessions to desensitize her to the sights, sounds, and smells of the lab, and even teaching her to wear personal protective equipment.
“Having a service dog in chemistry is nearly unheard of,” Hernandez explained on Instagram. “It required many, many training sessions just to get her used to wearing PPE.”
Under guidance from John McGarth Training Services, Canela practiced staying calm around lab equipment and learned to “stay” on a protective mat during experiments. Professors at Rollins College also helped, allowing Hernandez to bring Canela into classes a few days a week to acclimate her to the academic environment before she became a full-time lab partner.
By the time she reached her senior year, Canela was comfortable donning booties, goggles, and a de-shedding vest—the full safety ensemble for a dog working in a science lab.
“After training, we realized that she could, and she did very well in the lab,” Hernandez said. “That allowed me to keep pursuing my passion in chemistry.”
Through patience and persistence, Canela became Rollins College’s first “chemistry service dog,” helping prove that accessibility and safety can go hand in hand in scientific spaces.
The Graduation Ceremony
On May 11, 2025, Hernandez finally reached the day she once thought she’d never see. As her name echoed through the auditorium, the Rollins College dean paused to deliver a few unexpected words—this time, for Canela.
“In addition to presenting Cecilia with her diploma, we also wish to recognize the service companion who has accompanied her throughout her Rollins career—Canela,” the dean said during the ceremony. “Cecilia majored in Chemistry, which required Canela to undergo special training to prepare her to join Cecilia in the laboratory. I am very pleased to present this service badge to Canela, in recognition of her contributions to Cecilia’s success at Rollins.”
The crowd erupted into cheers as Canela wagged her tail in excitement. “It was definitely a surprise,” Hernandez told ABC News. “Everybody was cheering. I was just so proud that I was able to make it this far with her.”
The golden retriever’s achievements didn’t end there—she even received a separate award from the Chemistry Department and graduated cum laude alongside her owner.
A New Chapter in Accessible Science
For Cecilia Hernandez, graduation wasn’t just a celebration: it was a statement about inclusion.
“It is incredibly important for science to be accessible for all,” she told People. “By allowing more voices into the room, we are helping expand the research field.”
As the applause faded and the tassels turned, Hernandez and Canela walked off the stage together, one hand gripping a diploma, the other holding a leash that symbolized something far greater than academic success.
The golden retriever who once wore lab goggles will now join her owner at the University of Central Florida, where Hernandez is pursuing a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry. Their shared goal: to continue breaking barriers for students with disabilities and to prove that accessibility and achievement can coexist in every field of study.
“Rollins College gave me the tools and support necessary to succeed,” she said. “But others may not be so lucky. I succeeded in chemistry by my own merit. However, I could have never physically made it this far without Canela by my side.”
For Hernandez, Canela is more than a service animal, she’s a symbol of resilience, representation, and the future of inclusive science. And as the pair begin their next adventure together, they remind the world that sometimes the greatest scientific discoveries are those that begin with love, loyalty, and a four-legged lab partner.
Feature Image from @rollinsalumni Instagram