Co-op student walks the walk for a good cause
September 02, 2010
Dale McNeely (centre) with Ryan Taylor (left) and Jeremy Kalenuik (right) from Molson Coors, who were the National Mentorship Sponsors for Catherine, during the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Event.
Third-year BCom student Catherine Kasongo is hoping to make high heels a social statement this fall season. But she’s not working in the fashion industry, and who she hopes gets spotted in stilettos might surprise you.
Catherine spent her summer working for the YWCA of Edmonton and helped plan the inaugural Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event, a fundraiser to battle and raise awareness of family violence. On September 14 at Churchill Square, men will raise funds for the YWCA before donning a pair of high heels and strutting their stuff around downtown Edmonton.
“It’s obviously a very serious issue, but we’re trying to make raising awareness of it fun,” she said. “By showing up, you’re making a statement that you’re not afraid to stand up to family violence.”
Catherine landed her position thanks to the Alberta School of Business’ Cooperative Education program. It allowed her to blend her formal marketing education and the School’s commitment to giving back to the community into a summer of practical experience.
Dale McNeely, director of Business Career Services, was so impressed with Catherine’s work in her co-op that he signed up to stroll alongside members of local media and city council during the event.
“Co-op gives students the chance to experience the real world of the professional work environment,” Dale said. “They can forget the theory from the classroom and the media images of the professional work environment, and get hands-on experience that builds their confidence and shows them what their future can be.”
During her placement, Catherine spearheaded a social media campaign to help promote the event, something she hadn’t done before. Using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, as well as contacting local bloggers, she arranged participants for the event and helped get the word out through new channels of communication.
“I was never huge on social media, so it was a good learning experience,” she said with a laugh. “But my boss liked the idea so I pursued it and it worked out well.
Aside from the practical experience, Catherine said that the co-op program has allowed her to grow on a personal level, becoming less shy and seeing the world in new ways. She hopes to do two more four-month placements, including one outside of Canada.
“I really want to experience as much as I can before I graduate, and the co-op lets you do that.”
UPDATE: Dale McNeely raised a total of $550 for YWCA of Edmonton during the event. The event raised over $20,000. Congratulations to Catherine and the YWCA!