JILLIAN HOLBROOK
Leading with Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, Ambition, and Empathy.
Dubs II Live Mascot Handler for University of Washington Athletics
Leading the pack by empowering University of Washington spirit, tradition, and community
Overview
As a student handler for the University of Washington’s live mascot, Dubs II, I act as an ambassador of the school across outreach, athletics, and media events, where I spread Husky spirit and foster positive interpersonal relations with fans, students, and alumni.
In addition to interpreting cues in Dubs’ body language and applying situational adaptability to novel environments, this multifaceted position includes facilitating meet-and-greets and photo opportunities, knowledgeably answering questions about Dubs and the history of the live mascot program, developing merchandise, public speaking, upholding university traditions through public appearances, and, most importantly, ensuring Dubs’ happiness and safety. Under the mentorship of Live Mascot Coordinator Anne-Lise Knight, I leverage my resourcefulness, disciplined work ethic, and collaborative skills with pride and professionalism—thinking critically, solving problems interdisciplinarily, and actualizing dual achievements of community engagement and personal leadership development.
Personal Importance of Work
Through my position, I have been able to deliver diverse displays of joy to the broader University of Washington community and witness the essence of Husky spirit at every scale—from racing across the field for football runouts in front of roaring Husky Stadium crowds to giving fans the opportunity to get a high five or “Go Dawgs!” woof from Dubs. It is a unique privilege to serve others and spark engagement, unity, and tradition. Although my experience with animals is a necessary aspect of this role, being a handler for Dubs also requires significant interaction with people. I continue to learn about myself as a leader, communicator, and problem-solver in this position, where I am exposed to diverse people, atmospheres, and challenges.
Tasks Accomplished:
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Traveled with Dubs to New Orleans, Louisiana, for spirit appearances at the 2024 Allstate Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff and New Year’s Parade
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Collaborated with the University Bookstore to design and market a Dubs Merchandise Collection
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Fosters Husky spirit and community by upholding University of Washington values and traditions through appearances for athletics, campus, and public events, including 271 events between 2023 and 2024
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Develops interpersonal relations with fans, students, and alumni through athletics, outreach, media, and other community events
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Ensures Dubs’ well-being, safety, happiness, and engagement through environmental and body language cues
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Public speaking at media engagements and appearances on social media and filmed promotional material for the B1G Network, Fox Sports, the University of Washington, the PAC12 Network (formerly), and other affiliates
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Leads the University of Washington football team out of the locker room by running Dubs across the field at Husky Stadium
Winter 2024: Purple Reign. 2024 Allstate Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff, New Orleans, LA.
Leadership Competencies Gained
Excellence
The student handler position makes me a University of Washington ambassador, which charges me with the responsibility of representing the institution with pride and professionalism. Whether I am appearing for a media engagement or interacting one-on-one with fans, I practice and inspire excellence through my enthusiasm and accountability. For every diverse role I take on as a handler, I commit to demonstrating dedication, passion, precision, and quality regardless of the challenges I encounter when navigating environmental or interpersonal conflicts. The public nature of the appearances I work with Dubs and my teammates requires operating under public scrutiny. Media and public perception influence the number of event request bookings our program receives and reflects on the University. It is a point of importance that I apply my integrity to approach every event with quality and care; however, my intrinsic drive for excellence is paralleled by the extrinsic necessity of excellence by working in the mascot program, as the University of Washington mascot is the face and embodiment of the school, its values, its spirit, and its traditions.
Problem-Solving
One of the most important tacit skills of a student handler is applying situational adaptability to respond to rapidly changing environments. Each event with Dubs is different due to the atmosphere and attendees. For example, at a UW gymnastics meet, there was a young girl with a sensory processing disorder who wanted to meet Dubs, but our official meet-and-great venue was overstimulating due to a high volume of fans crowding the photo line. I had her and her family move with me and Dubs to a quieter area temporarily and commanded Dubs to take a dropped, or lying down, position—reducing the chaos of the environment and helping Dubs appear approachable to a smaller child. Their family was delighted to meet Dubs, take photos, and engage in a manner that accommodated their needs respectfully and empathetically. Moreover, it takes special attention to Dubs’ body language and disposition to ensure his needs are met. For events in warm climates or the summer season, Dubs may need to wear a special type of heat-reducing jacket called a “cool coat”, or I might work with an event coordinator to move public photos to an area with shade to reduce Dubs’ sun exposure. In louder venues, I can shift communication tactics to emphasize hand-signal commands to Dubs and my teammates or reward Dubs with treats for unexpected intrusive noises. Ultimately, I apply problem-solving skills to minimize distractions and safety issues, enforce breaks for Dubs when needed, and manage event environments by directing fans and event coordinators to create a positive experience for the community and Dubs.
Verbal Communication
My work as a student handler requires a variety of verbal communication skills—from answering questions about Dubs and the mascot program’s history to enforcing boundaries with members of the public for safety purposes. Since Dubs represents the University of Washington, my role serves to help promote unity and Husky spirit through a combination of public and media appearances. Different event types require different combinations of verbal communication skills. Social media content for students or fan interactions with younger audiences and children often provide opportunities for colloquial or conversational speech, where I might have Dubs run through a combination of tricks or provide fun facts. However, filming promotional materials for broadcast or interacting with University of Washington officials, like the President or Athletic Director, often requires more professional public speaking skills, like describing my role as a handler or describing the role of the live mascot in upholding school tradition. My earliest media partner/affiliate appearance consisted of a filmed interview for a PAC12 Network segment, where I described my experience and responsibilities as a student handler as well as performed tricks and a field runout with Dubs. By tailoring my verbal communication, I can clearly convey information about Dubs and the mascot program, encourage positive relationships with partners and key public figures, or direct event coordinators and fans to manage appearances in an engaging way with quality, efficiency, and pride.
Non-verbal Communication
Beyond verbal communication, I am an expert in non-verbal communication with Dubs. Although Dubs is chatty in his own way and loves to give a “Go Dawgs!”, I rely on my ability to interpret his body language to ensure his health and happiness. The position of his ears and tail, how long he wants to hold my eye contact, or whether he might be fidgeting all provide me information to make decisions—these signals can indicate to me whether or not I should enforce a break for water and stretching or take action to minimize an environmental distraction, like an unfamiliar dog or noisy stimulus. My command delivery typically combines verbal cues and non-verbal hand signals; however, in exceptionally loud environments, I may rely exclusively on hand signals to communicate with Dubs and my teammates. Video content for live network coverage or social media should also emphasize Dubs' reactions without picking up on verbal commands from me, necessitating non-verbal cues to stand on their own.
Winter 2024: Lights, Camera, Action. This shot from the 2024 Allstate Sugar Bowl emphasizes a scenario where I relied on nonverbal communication to direct Dubs' attention to the camera crew and give a "Go Dawgs!" for their interview coverage. As a handler, I directed Dubs from behind the camera to run through popular tricks. In addition to the noise of the 68,791 fans in the stands, I also wanted to avoid having my commands picked up by the microphone.
Husky Stadium for a UW football game is the epitome of a loud and spirited environment, where Dubs runs across the football field to lead the team out of the tunnel. Through the combination of purple smoke and screaming fans that make the stadium vibrate with energy, I need to command Dubs to hold our position until we receive a hand signal from Dubs’ trainer that tells me to initiate the run. Across the field or the basketball arena, I might need to indicate a route change or alert my teammates to potential obstacles or safety concerns. Ultimately, non-verbal communication with Dubs and my team serves as an essential skill in navigating our appe
Collaboration
Dubs handlers work as a team, and I often handle events with one or two teammates and the support of our mentor, Anne-Lise. Each of us assumes a rotating set of specific responsibilities, like handling Dubs on leash, delivering focused commands, or controlling crowds and engagement during interactions. Thus, it is essential that we are able to trust each other and Dubs to make appearances successful. When I am running with Dubs for athletic appearances, I often collaborate with another handler as a target which gives Dubs and myself a focal point to route toward. Through teamwork, my teammates keep our route clear, and I trust their signals to move with Dubs between locations at pace.
Confidence
In the front-facing role of a student handler, I build confidence by utilizing poised communication and problem-solving to bring others together, answering questions, and relying on my trusting relationships with Dubs and my teammates. Dubs II is an Alaskan Malamute—a breed of dog within the Spitz family. Dogs in the Spitz family are incredibly intelligent, but they use their intelligence to test boundaries. Working with these dogs requires earned respect and trust, and the dog’s loyalty only continues to flourish through positive interactions together. My chemistry with Dubs II was necessary to succeed in a working interview to become a handler, but through hundreds of successful events and even quieter downtime together, we have developed a deeper understanding of each other. I approach community events with confidence and trust in the bond I share with Dubs and my team members because experience and responding to novel situations and challenges have cemented my capability to excel in the multifaceted handler role.
Self-Development
In addition to confidence, the Dubs II handler role has significantly influenced my personal development, especially in terms of public engagement. Although my leadership is geared toward effectuating community impact and I grew up playing soccer and doing performance arts like ballet, the student handler position places my leadership under a public magnifying glass in a novel way. Leading through an obvious public platform where all my actions are observable to the community has challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and adapt to an enhanced level of visibility as a leader. By appearing in a variety of public settings and interacting with diverse populations of people across physical and virtual platforms, I build confidence in my position as a leader and my ability to advocate for Dubs and my team. I recognize that I am continuously learning as an individual and as a learner; however, this enables me to actively apply my knowledge to direct event staff, faculty, athletes, fans, or other individuals on how to best interact with Dubs or ensure appearance goals are met.
Mentorship
Training four new students to transition into the student handler role after my graduation reinforces my ability to guide, support, and develop others. As a mentor, I can tailor my approach to each individual’s strengths and challenges in a team setting, providing constructive feedback and fostering confidence. Beyond technical skills, mentorship in this role extends to leadership development and teamwork, as handlers must work together to protect Dubs on leash, engage with crowds and audiences in event settings, or deliver focused commands. By modeling professionalism, adaptability, and dedication, I pass on my years of learned experience to empower future handlers to grow into their responsibilities with pride. Part of succeeding with problem-solving in fast-paced environments is learning from past mistakes on how to improve response time and quality regarding external stimuli and internal dynamics with Dubs and other teammates. With patience and active listening, I foster the importance of a growth mindset among the future handlers, which uplifts them to carry on our program's values and legacy.
Lessons Learned
Through the student handler role, I have grown immensely as a communicator and learned how to more effectively approach interpersonal relations. These qualities are critical for a potential career in translational medicine as an aspiring physician-researcher, where it is necessary to tailor written and verbal communication to patients, scientists, or the general public. My public speaking progresses when I am in a front-facing position that allows me to interact with diverse populations, which has practical applications for my interests in clinical psychology and medicine—whether that manifests through my future bedside manner, sharing research in conference settings, or developing better interventions for neuropsychological treatment or preventative care.
Moreover, each event with Dubs is unique due to the setting, atmosphere, and attendees. The novelty of these environments allows me to apply critical thinking and creative problem-solving independently or with my teammates while bolstering my trusting relationship with Dubs. By continuing to practice situational adaptability, I learn to improve my response and reaction to adversity, which will serve me throughout my life when navigating conflict or unexpected circumstances. Taking on a new leadership-oriented challenge by mentoring the next team of student handlers leading up to my graduation allows me to reflect on my own learning experiences and joy for the position with gratitude—setting up the next group for success with our program’s traditions and esteem in the community. Although I am reluctant to have to move on from the position after my graduation, I can learn how my core competencies encourage my ability to teach and guide the mentees in a positive and constructive way—meeting individual handler needs to thrive in team dynamics and enjoy the opportunity to bring happiness, spirit, and unity to others as I have throughout my tenure in the role.
Artifacts
Autumn 2024: Fast and Furriest. As a student handler and runner, I lead the football team out of the tunnel at Husky Stadium on game days with Dubs. This dual perspective runout footage was captured by the B1G Network for UW Football’s November 2nd, 2024, Homecoming matchup against USC, which ended in a 26-21 victory for the Huskies over the visiting Trojans.
Runouts require both confidence and communication because I often make split-section decisions to route Dubs through smoke, media personnel, or other field obstacles while interpreting signals to and from my team to initiate a run or change directions. Dubs relies on my ability to remain calm and firm in my leadership, issue clear commands, and remove or navigate safety issues to make game day event executions, like our runs, possible.
Summer 2023: Part of the Pack. One of my first major media appearances with Dubs was an interview with the Pac-12 Network for UW Athletics, which aired throughout the 2023 Husky Football season. This engagement allowed me to develop comfort and confidence with the public speaking elements of my position as a Dubs handler. Although serving as a live mascot handler requires considerable animal skills, the role is equally demanding of communication and people skills.
While the final footage shows an abbreviated version of the complete interview, I appreciate this coverage for illuminating my enduring excitement about representing the University of Washington and serving as a stepping stone for future growth and self-development in thinking on my feet and communicating in a clear and engaging way.
Working as a Dubs Handler reminds me of the joy that comes from bringing out the best in myself to spread positivity, kindness, and spirit. My mini gallery collects a few of the many snapshots from my time working with Team Dubs.