University of Minnesota Alumni Association

Alumni Stories

Alumni Couple’s Dogged Pursuits

Although some say cats have the upper paw when it comes to most-beloved internet time wasters, dogs definitely have their day, too.

Although some say cats have the upper paw when it comes to most-beloved internet time wasters, dogs definitely have their day, too.

Alumni husband and wife duo Ahmed El Shourbagy (B.A. ’08) and Ashley Paguyo El Shourbagy (B.A. ’09) may have the distinction of being the U of M’s most followed alumni on social media. The two started @DogsOfInstagram eight years ago, curating adorable and amusing images of man’s best friend from all over the world. They now have more than 4.6 million followers. Three years ago, to capitalize on their strong group of devoted viewers, the El Shourbagys founded a business called Lucy & Co. (lucyand.co), named after their pug, to sell all things dog-related, from outfits to accessories.

“I never anticipated that I would start a career in finance and then, five or six years later, find myself sorting through dog pictures, trying to identify which one is cutest,” says Ahmed.


Web Exclusive: Watch a video feature of Ahmed and Ashley.

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