The highest bidder for an evening with Paul Cronin, in Sunday's date auction benefiting Dance Marathon, certainly got more than she bargained for.

Jen Tingo (senior-science) may have to compete with all of Cronin's other activities for the time she bought with him.

On Monday, a typical day for Cronin (junior-political science), he was out of the house from about 9 a.m. until midnight. He was running a little late because there was a line for the shower at his house, Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, 321 E. Fairmount Ave.

"I'm not a morning person by any means, but I have to get up early to get things done," Cronin said.

Cronin is director of town affairs for Undergraduate Student Government (USG), marketing captain for Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (Thon), member of the Student Advisory Committee to Information Technology Services, student representative for the Downtown State College Improvement District, and a cook at The Gingerbread Man, 130 Hiester St.

Meetings, events and appointments occupy most of his day -- and he takes some classes too.

On Monday, his first order of business was to greet everyone in the USG office at the HUB-Robeson Center, where he spends most of his time. Nicole Sandretto (junior-business logistics), a fellow USG executive board member, said she notices not only how often Cronin is in the office but also how positive the atmosphere is when he is around.

"He's always good for a hug," Sandretto said. "When you have a bad day, he notices."

Cronin talks to almost everyone that occupies second-floor office in the HUB because he is there before, between and after classes.

"It's like a high school up here," he said. "Everyone knows each other."

While in the USG office, Cronin often chats on the phone with such State College personalities as Mayor Bill Welch or State College Police Chief Tom King. They discuss events planned by his committees or issues concerning communication between students and the local community.

Cronin helped plan the construction of the cineplex on Hiester Street. He is also planning "A Taste of State College," the working name for a fair where students, for a small cover charge, can sample food from many downtown restaurants in one place.

Cronin's meetings are usually reserved for after classes.

"I usually work weekends, 9-to-5 every Saturday and Sunday, and then I have meetings throughout the week at night," he said.

Sometimes conflicts occur but his biggest initiatives right now are the USG off-campus student union and the plans for "A Taste of State College." Cronin sacrifices chapter meetings at his fraternity because they are the same time as the union meetings.

"My role in the union is bigger than my role in the chapter," he said.

At Monday evening's union meeting, Cronin sat behind the podium, socializing with other committee members with an air of leadership. As committee members waited for the union president to arrive, a fellow member suggested to Cronin that he lead the meeting. He shook it off and suggested waiting a little longer.

His time to talk came later, when he explained to the committee more about "A Taste of State College."

Cronin does not usually get home until around midnight, his roommate Bill Rubin (junior-business logistics) said. Rubin always sees him encouraging new members of Alpha Tau Omega to get more involved, especially in IFC or USG committees.

"He's just a good guy to have around," Rubin said.

Between USG conferences, 15 credit hours, representation of students to the State College community and auctioning his bachelor-self for Thon through the South Halls Residence Association, just being "around" is hard to come by, Cronin said.

"I feel overwhelmed a lot," he said. "Next year I'm going to focus more narrowly on one or two things. That's definite."