By Caroline Martz ’25
Tatum Mogck ’25 had never walked the runway when she was given the opportunity to do so in New York Fashion Week. Any hesitation, however, was quickly cast aside by the cause behind the offer.
Mogck, a psychology major from Simsbury, Conn., was asked to represent the Spartanburg Humane Society. So, this past week, she and a 4-month-old puppy named Louie made their catwalk debuts.
The high-profile opportunity was sudden, but the Wofford senior’s passion for animals began at a young age. She was never allowed to have a dog, and therefore, they became a novelty to her.
“You know when your parents tell you can’t have something, and it just makes you want it more?” she asks. “My mom is allergic to dogs, so my family has never been able to own one.”
At 16, Mogck began volunteering in Connecticut with an organization called Dog Star Rescue. She carried her love for volunteering with animals into college, where she became involved with the Spartanburg Humane Society.
When the idea came about for the Humane Society to be featured in New York Fashion Week, Angel Cox, CEO of the Spartanburg organization, asked Mogck whether she’d be willing to walk in the show. Mogck said yes, and from there, plans fell into place.
The Humane Society put Mogck in contact with Christina Strayer, a designer in Greenville, S.C. Mogck sent her measurements to Strayer, who created an outfit using recycled dog leashes, collars and rabies tags.
“The message the team was sending by having me wear this outfit was that if these leashes, collars and rabies tags can get a second chance, so can the dogs at the Humane Society,” Mogck says.
Louie, Mogck’s runway companion, is a border collie-Australian shepherd mix with a playful and friendly demeanor. “Louie had so much fun walking the runway and interacting with the people watching him that he did not want to get off!” Mogck recounts. Louie is still available for adoption at the Spartanburg Humane Society.
Mogck plans to continue working with animals after graduating from Wofford. She will move to Aspen, Colorado, for work, but she hopes to continue her involvement with the Humane Society through fundraising.
She has experience raising funds for the organization by hosting thrift events, where she sells used clothes. She plans to continue such efforts. Mogck leads many of the Spartanburg organization’s social media accounts, and she plans to teach others how to run them before she leaves.
Her life is bringing about exciting changes, but Mogck’s dedication to animals won’t diminish. She plans to walk again next year for the Humane Society in New York Fashion Week, and she looks forward to contributing in other ways.
“My involvement with the Humane Society has greatly impacted my college experience,” Mogck says. “It has helped me relieve stress of busy days and meet more people around campus. Most importantly, it has given me the opportunity to be involved in something bigger than myself.”