Redemption Prom

Over the span of two months, a team of three students and I produced an original event called "Redemption Prom," serving as our final class project for the University of Michigan course ALA 223 (Entrepreneurial Creativity), taught by the incredible Dr. Fretz. With the "COVID class" of 2020 nearing college graduation, our team wanted to throw a prom-themed celebration for juniors and seniors who missed out on iconic end of high school events due to the pandemic. Redemption Prom gave students an opportunity to turn back the clock for a night and reclaim what was once lost – except this time with something more exciting than awkward sit down dinners in a high school gymnasium.

On April 12th, 2024, our efforts throughout the semester came to fruition, with Redemption Prom welcoming nearly 200 students for an unforgettable night of food, drinks, dancing, and professional photoshoots at the Kensington Hotel Grande Ballroom. Throughout the night, we were thrilled to give away $1,000 worth of raffle prizes from our sponsors: Target, Celsius, M Den, Chipotle, Condado Tacos, Bakehouse 46, Cinnaholic, Liberty Athletic Club, Cherry Republic, Washtenaw Dairy, Michgrads, Slows BarBQ, and Monahan's Seafood Market. Redemption Prom proudly donated all of our profits to our beneficiary Garrett's Space, a local Ann Arbor nonprofit which addresses mental health treatment gaps in young adults. Given the vast effects COVID-19 had on our generation's mental health, we resonated with Garrett's Space's mission and hoped to support them in building a new residential center.

As the team leader of Redemption Prom, I was responsible for creative ideation, event planning, social media marketing, sponsorship outreach, and coordinating with our vendors and venue. I also led weekly meetings with my team, in which I delegated tasks and charted our progress, making strategic pivots to our plan when necessary. Thank you so much to Dr. Fretz and my fellow team members for bringing Redemption Prom to life!