For one adventuresome collie, all of Grounds is his backyard and all the students and staff merely owners. In the five years that Noble has lived on the Lawn, he has stolen many hearts and sandwiches of students and employees alike. In 2009, Student Council voted Noble as the official University dog - the third dog in the history of the school to hold that title.
Noble is a beautiful 9-year-old, tri-colored collie. His official owners are Pavilion residents Patricia Lampkin, vice president and chief student affairs officer, and her husband Wayne Cozart, the Alumni Association's vice president for development. They aren't the only ones who feel a special connection to Noble, however. Many students see him as a substitute for their own dogs.
"Seeing Noble on the Lawn makes us feel at home," third-year College student Emily Green said. "As students, we have all moved to a new city and left our pets behind," she said. "Even a few minutes to play or cuddle with him between classes makes U.Va. feel that much more like home."
On pleasant fall days, Noble lays in the sunniest spot in the garden of Pavilion V, trotting over to say hello to any guests who open the gate, expecting a pat or a scratch. His visitors come in many forms: students who regularly sit on the benches and do homework, children and their parents, random visitors popping in to say hello, other dogs, gardeners, policemen and even construction workers.
"Collies are sheep dogs, so he's a herder," Cozart said. "He wants to take care of people."
Noble is content to sit on the back porch when classes are in session, or in the back classrooms of his pavilion, because he knows that students coming in and out of the building will pet him.\nFor third-year College student Silvia Fuechsel, a visit with Noble is part of her daily routine. "We have a class here two times a week and he's always sniffing at the door and we're always like, 'Oh, Noble,'" she said. "He's my favorite dog on Grounds."
But Noble doesn't always stay put. Many people enter and exit the garden every day, and with insecure latches, the gates often remain unlocked. Like every good escape artist, Noble has a "sixth sense for when a gate is open," and is "very good at using his nose to open the gates," Cozart said. As a result, Noble sometimes makes his way to remote locations.
"[He] has been seen as far away as Jefferson Park Avenue and on the Corner and on Mad Bowl amongst the fraternities," Cozart said.
Noble has gained much of his fame through these excursions around Grounds. A number of tales about Noble have been told among students. Cozart said he can neither confirm nor deny that "Noble was found in the kitchen of [the former Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity] one Sunday morning with a handle of bourbon by his side."
One of Cozart's main concerns is that Noble may be crossing streets alone, but Cozart said his dog seems to have a good understanding of traffic.
Luckily these days, Noble's collar carries Lampkin's cell phone number as well as Noble's name, and it is not unusual for his owners to receive calls from complete strangers who know him and want to help him home.
For those looking for a study break or just a friendly dog to pet, Noble is always happy to make new friends. He is especially fond of any visitors who may come to the Pavilion V garden bearing his favorite Bil-Jac liver treats.
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