A busload of about 40 students departed at 1 a.m. today to promote the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon on CBS's The Early Show.

While the other students gather outside CBS studios, Patty Hoffmann, Thon's overall public relations chair, and Caitlin King, Thon celebrity recruitment committee captain, will speak about Thon to a national television audience.

The Early Show, hosted by Bryant Gumbel and Jane Clayson in New York City, is CBS's morning news program.

"It's great national coverage for us," said Anne Cohen, Thon corporate relations captain.

Rob Pennington, Thon public relations captain, said Thon will benefit from an appearance on national television.

"It's exactly one of our goals for this semester to get some good national coverage," he said. "We'll get a larger event because of this."

Hoffmann and King's interview will last no longer than two minutes, Hoffmann said.

Hoffmann said she hopes to address that this year is Thon's 30th anniversary and that Thon benefits The Four Diamonds Fund, an organization sponsoring families with children afflicted by pediatric cancer.

In addition to appearing on television, The Early Show will link its web site to Thon's so that people across the nation may make donations, Hoffmann said.

In thirty years, Thon, the world's largest student philanthropy organization, has raised $16.6 million for the Four Diamond's Fund, she said.

The morning's trip is not funded by Thon money. Instead, those attending the trip have paid for their own transportation.

Students traveling to New York are missing an entire day of classes without excused absences, Cohen said.

Most of those who left this morning from the HUB-Robeson Center are involved with Thon in some manner, Hoffmann said.

Once Penn State students arrive outside the New York studio, Hoffmann and King will enter the green room at 6:30 a.m., Hoffmann said. At 7:35 a.m., the women will be promoting Thon live on television.

Cohen attributed the television appearance largely to the efforts of King, who was unavailable to comment yesterday.

"She's worked so hard on this connection, and it's so great that it came through," Cohen said.