The Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (Thon) will be held for the first time in the Bryce Jordan Center next year, Overall Special Events Chair David Brownstein announced last night.

"The larger and more advanced facility will make Thon grow and flourish," Overall Evan Jacobs said.

The 33rd annual dance marathon will be help for the last time in Rec Hall this year after seven years at that location.

Jacob said further details about the move will be released Thon weekend so not to overshadow the importance of this year's dance marathon.

"Let's rock the Rec one last time," Jacobs said.

Kristyn Babiak (junior-marketing) said Rec Hall is not as safe and the Bryce Jordan Center because it is a small space for a large amount of people, which is hard to control.

"Thon needed to go to a better facility," Babiak said.

Kari Lucas said Thon deserves to move to a larger location. Lucas was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in 2004 and was a Four Diamonds child.

She said the cause for raising money for research is only getting bigger and better.

"It saves so many lives, including my own," Lucas said.

The Interfraternity Council began Thon in 1973 as a competition in which the winners and a charity of the year split the proceeds. In 1978, the partnership with the Four Diamonds Fund was official, and in 1979 Thon moved from the former HUB ballroom to the White Building because of a space demand.

Lauren Bischoff (junior-elementary education) said her favorite part of Thon is when the total money amount raised is released the last night. She said everyone on the floor seemed so unified, even though the dancers are tired, and it is inspiring.

"It's great to see so many people come together for one cause," Bischoff said.

Michael Funk (senior-architectural engineering) said his favorite part of the Thon weekend is playing with the four diamonds children. Funk said meeting the children is what got him hooked to Thon in the beginning, and he finds motivation through these kids for both Thon and life.

"That last part of the night was icing on the cake," Bryant Covelli (senior-supply chain and information systems) said.

Covelli said he has heard rumors in the past few months of the possible move, but the announcement at the Thon Kick-Off Dinner was "the last thing I expected."

The Thon Kick-Off Dinner was a formal event at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel for students, families and sponsors to get excited about Thon, which is 21 days away.

"The people here are heroes," Dr. Craig Hillemeier, chair of the department of pediatrics at the Hershey Medical Center, said.