Rebecca Allen (junior-architectural engineering) put her feelings about Thon into words and won.

Allen was searching last summer for scholarships and stumbled upon the Glamour Magazine and Sally Hansen fourth annual "Best of You" essay contest.

She wrote an essay about the hundreds of hours over the last three years that she has contributed to the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. The essay included the time spent on street corners in the cold
collecting donations and the more touching part of her work: meeting the families participating in Thon.

"I wrote about my passion for Thon and how much we can do as students," Allen said.

She was one of four recipients who received an all-expenses-paid trip for two to New York City, a makeover and a $2,500 check that will be donated in her name to benefit this year's dance marathon.

A Louisville, Ky., native, Allen is the president of Gamma Phi Beta sorority and one of this year's captains of security for the dance marathon.

"I'm pumped for Thon," she said. "We just get so close to people, and when it comes down to the end, we're like, 'What do we do now?' "

The "Best of You" contest required participants to write, in 200 words or less, what qualities they have that help bring out the best in others, said Jennifer Cherniske, Glamour's senior promotion manager.

"It gives women the chance to tell how they are beautiful on the inside," she said.

"It can be an outgoing personality, ability to talk to others or a way to better the world," she added.

Cherniske said she helped narrow down the finalists from a pool of 1,000 applicants.

She said that she and Sally Hansen worked to pick the four finalists.

"We judged on the scope of accomplishments, and the dance marathon really stood out to me," she said.

Cherniske said June's Glamour issue, which will be available in May, will feature a Sally Hansen ad of Allen and the other recipients. The ad will feature information for next year's "Best of You" contest.

Jennifer Prusinski (junior-secondary math education and elementary education), who is a friend and sorority sister of Allen's, said her friend is not happy unless she is doing something.

"There is nothing that the girl can't do," Prusinski said. "She works really hard for everything."

Allen said the trip to New York City with her mother and sister was her first and amazing.

"It is such a fast-paced city but really awesome," Allen said.

"I managed to get lost in the subway," she added.

Allen said she was given a warm welcome upon returning to State College.

"Everyone was really supportive and very excited for me," she said. "They wanted me to tell everyone."

Allen said she realizes there is a fine line between bragging and showing pictures and talking about receiving the money from Glamour.

"I just think it's really awesome for her," Prusinski said. "And it's amazing what we can do for these kids."

The three other finalists wrote about their work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the American Heart Association charity and a battered women's shelter.