Melissa McConnell is graduating this spring with degrees in accounting and economics; she plans on working for John Deere following her commencement. McConnell has previously worked in the Student Success Center as a tutor and has been involved with Accounting Club, Dance Marathon and TOMS Club.
At the start of her freshman year, she took interest in TOMS Club during Club Fest, intrigued by a campus club focused on shoes. She then learned more about the TOMS Company and what is called the One for One movement. When a pair of TOMS shoes is purchased, another pair of shoes is delivered to a child without shoes. Upon learning about the One for One mission, McConnell wanted to become more involved with the TOMS Club on campus. TOMS Club has been active at Taste of Ambrose and served mocktails with other clubs. For fundraisers, TOMS Club has sold popcorn at sporting events, as well as asked for pocket change during “Trick-or-Treating for TOMS.” Events with a specific connection to the TOMS Company include Style Your Sole and One Day Without Shoes. Style Your Sole is an event where club members and students gather and paint a pair of TOMS shoes, decorating them to fit their personal style. One Day Without Shoes is an annual event, meant to raise awareness about the millions of children who go without shoes throughout the world.
McConnell has played a major roll in this year’s events, after becoming Co-President for the 2013-14 academic year. McConnel has helped with the planning of this year’s One Day Without Shoes event. TOMS Club is encouraging all of campus to go barefoot all day on April 22. At 3:00 p.m., students can gather on the Rogalski Center Patio to walk around campus together. Later, at 9:00 p.m., there will be a barefoot concert in the Rogalski Center Ballroom. TOMS has asked Dan Vaugh, Molly Conrad, and Reason For Now to perform at this event. Along with wonderful music and time with friends, door prizes will be offered.
McConnell has developed a strong interest in TOMS and a passion for spreading the One for One mission. She hopes to stay connected and informed with TOMS in the future, as the company is creative in finding new ways to help those in need. TOMS not only offers One For One in terms of shoes, but they help in other ways, too. Recently, TOMS has offered sunglasses for purchase which, in turn, allow the restoration of site to someone in need. Just a month ago, TOMS added another product to their One For One mission: coffee. When a bag of coffee is purchased, the TOMS Roasting Company provides a week of clean water to someone otherwise without access to a safe source of water.
“TOMS is an awesome company with such a humane mission, but it is really more than a company–it’s a whole movement. Becoming involved with this movement has had a profound effect on me, and I see that really playing a role in my desire to help others well into the future, however and wherever that may be,” McConnell said.