Erie, Pa, March 14, 2023—A new psychology professor at Gannon intends to take his students to the Purrista Cat Café for a new learning experience.

Dr. Bradlee Gamblin is a new assistant professor in the psychology department. He is teaching an introductory psychology course in which there is a section on theories of personality.

Gamblin stated that a section of his course includes the discussion of personality traits in both humans and non-human animals.

The textbook Gamblin uses involves a section specifically surrounding the personality traits of cats, which is where Purrista Cat Café enters the picture.

Purrista Cat Café opened on February 14, 2022. The café mixes coffee, tea, and fun with the company of adoptable cats from the Because You Care Animal Rescue and Adoption Center in McKean.

Gamblin’s intro to psychology class will be going to the café in the middle of April to “evaluate” some of the cat’s personalities.

His goal is for his students to have an engaging activity where they can apply their learning to a hands-on experience.

“My hope is that by having a fun, unique activity applying personality traits,” Gamblin said. “The students will better recall how personality affects us once they have completed the class.”

By using the cat café Gamblin would like his students to have new experiences in the classroom and experience something new in the Erie community.

“A secondary goal is to introduce students to a local downtown business that they may not be aware of,” Gamblin said. “Purrista sometimes has student-oriented discounts or events, and our students might be missing out simply because they don’t know it exists.”

This new experience is meant to both engage students and embrace a small business that is near Gannon’s Campus.

Purrista Cat Café: https://www.purristacatcafe.com/

Because You Care Animal Rescue and Adoption Center: https://www.becauseyoucare.org/