The History of Cinderella Project Elon
The Cinderella Project Elon is an organization that has certainly progressed substantially since its inception in 2011. The trailblazer of this cause, Samantha Simunyu, transformed this initiative from a simple exchange of prom dresses into a full-blown conference focusing on scholarship and empowerment.
We wanted to share our history with you and show just how far we have come. Our founder was gracious enough to share some of her favorite memories and experiences with us through a phone interview. Read more to learn about how a one-woman project turned into a popular volunteer opportunity at Elon University:
Why did you decide to get involved with this cause?
Samantha Simunyu: “When I first started, there was a guidance counselor at Cummings who was overseeing a similar program that they already had in place. I first got in contact with her because I had an internship on campus the summer after my freshman year.They were getting all the interns in the area to do community service projects. I was surprised that Elon did not already have something like [The Cinderella Project]. We had it in my town and I had seen things about it online. So, I reached out to a bunch of schools about starting it and Cummings High was the only one that got back to me about doing the project. When I first went, I noticed that most of the dresses were outdated and I wanted to do something about that.”
What was your motivation for wanting to start a conference? Why was this so important to you?
SS: “I have a little sister who was around the age of a Cinderella Project participant at the time. Through my interactions with her, I could see that the high school years are your most formative. I just wanted the opportunity to reach into the students’ lives and provide them with professional and personal development. Getting a free dress is one of the perks, but the conference is about so much more than that.”
What were some difficulties that you encountered during the first year of planning the conference?
SS: “Attracting the girls to come. It had been in place before, so the girls weren’t as interested. I found out it was hard for some of the girls to admit that they were in need. The counselor told me that they would choose to not even go to prom, so that’s why prom wasn’t even as big of a thing at Cummings. They didn’t want to be seen as being a handout. That’s why we decided to add more fun components so it’s not all about just coming to get a dress. The next year, we had a much larger audience and it increased during the years after that.”
From your experiences with Cinderella Project, what has been one memory that stuck with you?
SS: “During the second annual conference, I had a sorority sister who had two cousins that live in South Carolina. She asked if her cousins could come to the conference. We had a lot of things to give away that year, so I said that was completely fine. They drove three hours to come to Elon. One of our grand prizes that year was a new iPod, and and one of them ended up winning it. To me, that was just the sweetest moment to see her come all that way and win it. I remember she was so excited that she was crying. That was a great moment.”
In what ways have you seen The Cinderella Project transform over the years?
SS: “When we first started, it was mostly a one-man show with the help of a counselor. I was so absorbed, and I did everything. The hardest thing was letting other people in because it’s my baby. So, we let three girls on the planning committee the next year. The third year, there was a whole new team of girls and it was way more than we’ve ever had. Also, the partnership with the Kernodle Center has been a major change. So, the biggest change has been the support we’ve had behind the project.”
What would you say to Elon students in terms of what they would potentially get out of volunteering?
SS: “Elon students have a great opportunity to come to a great school. There’s a lot of high schoolers that don’t have that same opportunity. Since we have the blessing to be educated, we have a responsibility to reach out to other people in our community and show them that it is a possibility for them as well. When you volunteer, yes you are ultimately giving away dresses, but you also build relationships with the students and show them that anyone can go to college. You show them that college is fun and that it’s a possibility for them.”
After speaking with Samantha, we can tell that she has the same passion for The Cinderella Project that she has had since the beginning. We thank her for sharing with us, and for paving the way.