Runway of Dreams Hosts Annual Adaptive Runway Show

Stacey Drew walking down the runway wearing JC Penny and Kohl's at Runway of Dreams on April 24. Photo by Ava Battinelli '26

The name “Runway of Dreams” truly encapsulates the club's mission: to empower people with disabilities and give them a moment to shine.

On April 25, Runway of Dreams at Marist University held its annual adaptive runway show in McCann. With a team of over 50 volunteers and an executive board led by President Lauren Maggio ‘26 and Vice President Kelly Holden ‘26, Runway of Dreams has grown significantly since its first show at Marist in 2022. 

“It's basically founded on the basis that clothing is a basic human need and everyone deserves to feel confident in what they're wearing, no matter what their physical needs are,” said Maggio. 


The show this year featured 18 models and opening and closing notes from Maggio and Holden, emphasizing the purpose of the show. Almost every seat in the crowd was taken, and the audience erupted in cheers as each model walked down the runway. 

As the fourth annual show, Runway of Dreams 2026 was the biggest event yet. “Our youngest model was four, and our oldest was 52,” said Maggio.

“Spreading awareness is the biggest thing for me, but also, on the day of the show, just working with the models and actually taking the time to get to know them and listen to them is one of the most special things ever,” said Maggio.

As a non-profit, Runway of Dreams relies on donations. But it’s no surprise that many people are willing to support their cause. On the night of the show, Rossi’s donated food, the DJ volunteered his time and an interpreter contributed her services for free, providing everything in sign language on the stage. 

The clothes for the runway were all donated from brands like French Toast Adaptive, Volo Santo, Solace Collective, JCPenney and Kohl’s adaptive line. 

“Even during a fitting we had a few weeks back, seeing [the models] being able to dress themselves and the magnetic zipper; just seeing their faces light up is really just why we do it,” said Maggio. 

Maggio has been working with the organization for three years. She served as the social media chair and ultimately worked her way up to serve as club president. 

“It's been an incredible experience,” said club advisor and fashion professor Jodi Hartmann. “Working with [Maggio] has been phenomenal… we bounce ideas off of each other.”

Maggio, Holden and the rest of the team start planning the show in the middle of the fall semester. To find models, the team reaches out to community centers in the area and has an active presence on social media. 

“I think this year I was kind of surprised. I feel like we didn't do as much outreach, but we got a lot of responses [from models],” said Maggio. This year, the show featured seven more models than in previous years. 

Holden participated in the Runway of Dreams internship and instantly joined the chapter at Marist. After graduation, she said, “I would be more than happy to stay a part of the nonprofit organization just because I think that it has such great things going on as well.” Maggio echoed this statement. 

“It's something so nice that, as my dad said yesterday, ‘if you're not crying, what are you doing here?’ So I think that really says something,” said Holden. “It's a very emotional show because it's so happy.”