Fordham University’s Walsh Library held a “Bark the Vote” event, including information tables, raffle prizes and pictures with President Tania Tetlow’s dog, Archie Tetlow, on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The event began at 11 a.m. in the Walsh Library lobby and ran until noon. The information tables had different election-themed games, including a crossword puzzle and matching game, a raffle, voting FAQs, postcards, stickers and a Constitution handbook. The event was run by the library staff and student workers.

Students had the opportunity to talk to different library staff about voting and registration questions. The raffle winners were chosen every 10 minutes from the event’s start until the end and winners received painted pumpkins or t-shirts. The event was posted on the Fordham Library Instagram page. Archie Tetlow became the event’s headliner, turning the phrase “Get out the vote” to “Bark the Vote.” 

Director of Fordham University Libraries Linda LoSchiavo said, “When I attended the State of the University address in Keating First, I was able to chat with President Tetlow for a few minutes. With the Vote event in mind, I asked if Archie would be available. President Tetlow was very enthusiastic and told me to just give her the date of the event, and she’d make sure Archie was there.” 

Archie Tetlow was not accompanied by Tetlow, but remained very social with those working the event and students who stopped by. Fordham’s mascot Ramses was also at the event from 11 a.m. to about 11:30 a.m. 

The Walsh Library staff and student-workers joined forces to plan this event. Fordham University Emerging Technologies Librarian Hannah Herrlich said, “Fortunately, the library has a great team of staff and student-workers who have all been invaluable assets in this planning process […] We hit the ground running in securing decorations, props and prizes. We also focused on designing games and information voting brochures so that students have all the voting information they need for Election Day. Overall, this event could not come to fruition without our dedicated library staff.” 

There were three information tables at the event. One included election-themed games and information on voter registration for students. The other two tables had props for pictures with Archie Tetlow, raffle prizes and other election-themed goodies. One of the student workers at the event, Lauren Walccyk, FCRH ’25, said, “[The event is] catered towards all students because we think that it is important to get students active in the community.”  

LoSchiavo also said, “From the moment I conceived this, the goal was to make students aware that their vote really matters, that voting isn’t difficult due to the various options available, and that although you cast a single ballot, you are part of a larger community that is affected by the votes of everyone.”

Students who attended the event said that they predominantly found out about the event through the Fordham Library Instagram page, while others came across the event while coming into the library. Julia Dellapena, FCRH ’27, a student attending the event, said that she wanted to meet Archie Tetlow, but she also said that she values the importance of voting.

“I also think it is important for people to learn how to vote and register and it is important to spread the word so that everyone knows how to do their civic duty,” said Dellapena. 

Another student who attended the event and won a pumpkin during the raffle, Kate Stover, FCRH ’28, said, “It is good for universities to advertise voter registration especially because they have a lot of eighteen to twenty-year-olds on campus that have never voted before and need help with registration.”

Herrlich also handed out bags of candy at the lobby entrance to students who were unable to stay for the event. These bags also included QR codes for resources on voting and elections, a link to the League of Women Voters and a link to the “FitzSimons Presidential Initiative on Civics and Civility.” The links to resources for voting and elections included links to national polling, voting history, voter resources, recent books about politics and more.