Joanna Sallay

STUDENTS IN NEED SAY ‘YES TO THE PROM DRESS’, THANKS TO QSB ALUMNI Volunteering for a cause you believe in to support your local community is extremely rewarding. So says Joanne Sallay, BCom’04, Co-Chair of Toronto’s Corsage Project, a non-profit program dedicated to giving the authentic prom experience to high school students otherwise unable to attend owing to the excessive costs involved. “Some graduating students have to juggle school and part-time jobs to help support their families,” says Joanne. “The cost of the prom is simply beyond their means. Our purpose is to help such young people celebrate this important milestone with their peers.” A year’s worth of planning goes into the annual spring Boutique Ball, where hundreds of deserving young women referred by teachers, guidance counsellors and social workers are outfitted for their prom free of charge. More than 200 volunteers create a spectacular shopping bazaar featuring new dresses, shoes and accessories. Participants also receive a mini-makeover and leave with goody bags. (Young men are outfitted with suits at a separate event.) All is made possible by generous donations from retailers and the local fashion community. Joanne was inspired to get involved by her mother, Rhona Sallay, who cofounded the program with Carole Atkins. The two colleagues had worked with at-risk and special-needs youth throughout their careers in Toronto high schools and were determined that no student would be denied the opportunity to celebrate their high school graduation because of cost. Thus was born the Corsage Project, which debuted in 2000 in partnership with Toronto’s Children’s Aid Foundation. Since the project’s inception, nearly 4,000 students have been outfitted for their proms. More recently, the program has expanded to offer scholarships to students in need to help them realize their postsecondary dreams. The QSB community, including both alumni and students, has rallied around the Corsage Project says Joanne. Her BCom’04 classmates Nicole Clark and Jennifer (Krentz) Robitaille have been on board since graduation: Nicole as cosmetic-donations lead and Jennifer as an ambassador and volunteer. The program has been supported by several Queen’s student organizations, including Queen’s Women in Leadership (Q.WIL), Queen’s Business Forum on the Fashion Industry (QBFFI), and Queen’s Conference on Philanthropy (QCOP). As a result, many new graduates have been inspired to volunteer and donate to the cause. “The promise of the prom and the ability to attend can brighten the lives of young people and enable them to feel special, sometimes for the very first time,” says Joanne. “It provides them with hope and the knowledge that their community cares about them. It also has inspired many to give back in a meaningful way when they reached adulthood.” For more information on how to get involved, visit corsageproject.ca, follow @CorsageProject on Twitter and Instagram, and like /CorsageProject on Facebook. QSB Commerce alumni pictured above in the top row:  Joanne Sallay ('04), Jacie DeHoop ('14), Julia Di Lena ('14), Alexis Kennedy ('14), Ashley Moraca ('14), Jennifer Robitaille ('04) and Sonya Gleeson ('13).  In the front row are Leia De Guzman ('13), Gillian Lee ('13), Yuki Micha Djaja ('14) and Anna Ta ('14).