It all started with a bag of tiny yellow plastic ducks. When Peter Scianna moved onto campus in the fall of 2022, his mom left him the bag of ducks to place around his room. Peter quickly forgot about the ducks until stumbling across them the next semester and decided to have a little fun. He was taking Glenn Bugh’s Greek City course at the time and brought the ducks with him to class. Peter’s friend was taking a different class with Bugh, so he gave some ducks to him, too. Each day, both students left a handful of the tiny ducks on Bugh’s desk.

At first, Peter and his friend didn’t tell Bugh who was distributing the ducks, so the tiny trinkets kept mysteriously appearing throughout the semester. At one point, Peter even enlisted the help of Bugh’s wife to put ducks around their house! Peter says, “Dr. Bugh has always been a good sport about it, so we kept having fun with it and adding in new students to help every semester.” Now, a year and a half later, Peter’s duck shenanigans have turned into an ongoing tradition.

Peter has taken 5 classes with Bugh during his time at Virginia Tech, including a study abroad trip to England this past summer. Peter describes Bugh as “an incredible professor and so much fun to study under.” He convinced his friend and roommate, Austin, to start taking Bugh's courses, too.

The types of ducks Bugh receives from Peter and his friends is continually evolving. Austin added a twist by bringing Disney-themed rubber ducks and small plastic rabbits into the mix. Peter even packed some ducks in his suitcase to bring on the study abroad trip to England, continuing the tradition across the pond!

Peter and Austin decided they needed to raise the bar for every midterm and final exam by bringing larger ducks. For the Fall 2024 semester, the pair surprised Bugh with a large, plush mallard duck for the midterm and a set of 4 holiday themed plush ducks for the final. Bugh, an associate professor in the History Department, now has more ducks than he could have ever imagined. Bugh laughed as he exclaimed, “I didn’t realize I was going to end up with a collection!”

What’s even more remarkable than the plethora of ducks is the bond it has helped create between Peter, his classmates, and Bugh. When asked what makes Bugh’s classes so special, Peter shared that it really all comes down to the passion he shows as a professor. “Dr. Bugh really has a drive to help you succeed and learn. He is lighthearted and fun and gives actual feedback and advice. His courses are interesting and challenge you to think harder – they can be a little difficult, but you can really feel that Dr. Bugh cares about us and is passionate about what he is teaching,” explains Peter.

Peter, a history major with minors in classical studies and war and society, graduates from Virginia Tech this month. While he says he’ll miss the atmosphere on campus, he’s excited to move onto the next chapter of his life. He plans to earn his teaching license over winter break and hopes to become a local middle or high school history teacher.

Even though he’s graduating, the duck tradition may not be going anywhere just yet. When asked if more ducks will make an appearance in Bugh’s classes since he plans to stay in the area, Peter smiles and says, “No comment.”

Written by: Cammie Sgarrella