Campuses continue Thon involvement

By NICK FALSONE
Collegian Staff Writer

As one of University Park's largest events, the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon has been drawing student groups from all over the campus since 1973.

But for the first time last year, all 19 Commonwealth Campuses participated in Thon as well. During last week's meeting of Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, student leaders already began discussing plans for this year's Thon.

Encouraging more student involvement in Thon is a priority for CCSG, said CCSG President Jon-Michael Roman.

"It brings unity to CCSG," Roman said. "It's one of the only times when University Park and the other locations come together."

Commonwealth Campuses have been involved in Thon since the mid-1980s, said Brian Sperling, overall chair for Thon 2000, adding turnouts from the campuses weren't big until CCSG started organizing commonwealth participation for the event a few years ago.

Two years ago, representatives from 15 campuses participated and raised funds for the philantropy comparable to many University Park groups, Sperling said.

By 1999, the money raised for the Four Diamonds Fund, Thon's benefactor, doubled from the total from the previous year. The Four Diamonds Fund of the Hershey Medical Center benefits children with cancer.

Sperling said the enthusiasm from the campuses last year was incredible.

"It was a big step to get all of the campuses involved," said Holly Newell, CCSG Thon director. "Each year we've progressed a little more."

Despite participation from all the Commonwealth Campuses, both Sperling and Roman said more involvement from the campuses is possible through raising more money.

"They (Commonwealth Campuses) are not as explosively interested as we are at University Park," Sperling said.

Other student groups from Commonwealth Campuses are welcome to participate, but Sperling said they are encouraged to do so through CCSG.

Currently, one dance couple participates from each campus, Newell said. She added campuses have different ways of choosing which couple represents them in the event.

Some campuses hold mini-dance marathons to choose the participants while others have incorporated a point system based on individual involvement in fund-raising activities, Newell said.

Although only one couple from each campus participates in the actual marathon, anyone can contribute through fund-raising from their respective campus, said Jeanine Dormer, CCSG Thon chair for the Mont Alto campus.

"Last year there were about seven people who participated from our campus," Dormer said. "This year, with more people, we hope to do awesome."