From Oregon State to Rutgers University, colleges across the country have started their own dance marathons in recent years in the spirit of Penn State's Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

Penn State's Thon, the world's largest student-run philanthropy, began in 1973 by raising more than $2,000 for children's charity. Last year, the event raised more than $3 million.

Students at Indiana University, inspired by Thon's burgeoning success, initiated a charity dance marathon of their own in 1991. In October, the 36-hour marathon raised more than $400,000, said Shannon McElvenney, director of public relations for Indiana University's dance marathon.

To push their dance marathon over the $400,000 plateau, a group of Indiana University students will visit Penn State this weekend to experience Thon, McElvenney said. They will return with ideas on how to improve their own marathon.

"We want to be able to raise $2 million like Penn State," McElvenney said.

Several schools such as Indiana University with existing dance marathons or those looking to establish one also visit Thon each year for advice on running their marathons, said Scott Phelan, Penn State dance marathon adviser and director of fraternity and sorority life.

It can be daunting sometimes for the other schools to see how large Thon is, Phelan said.

In the last few years, dozens of colleges have started dance marathons, spurred by Thon.

Children's Miracle Network, based in Salt Lake City, saw the potential for many schools to become involved in dance marathons after noticing the Penn State and Indiana University programs. Emily Hornak, director of campus activities at CMN, said the network began a program for marathons at colleges in the 1994 to 1995 academic year.

The number of schools has grown rapidly over the last few years. Hornak said there will be 83 schools signed up for dance marathons by 2003. New schools on the roster this year include University of Toledo, Ohio University and South Dakota State University.

After attending several marathons, Hornak said she was in awe of the amount of work the students put into planning the events.

"It's amazing to see what these college kids can do," she said.

Hornak said the students at the marathons "are 100 percent committed to dance marathon and the healthcare of children.

"They (the students) are so respectful of the miracles that happen at our hospitals," she added.

CMN has raised $2.75 million from college marathons so far this academic year, Hornak said. The network benefits 14 million children at children's hospitals across North America each year.

Hornak also acknowledged that students across the country realize that their marathons exist today because of Penn State's Thon.

"Fundamentally, at one level or another everyone knows the legend of Penn State," she said.