The Office of Student Engagement has ventured into Marywood’s next biggest event.
Inspired by the success of schools like Penn State and Indiana University, Marywood is hosting its first ever dance marathon, benefitting the Lehigh Valley Reilly’s Children’s Hospital in Allentown.
The dance marathon will take place on Friday, April 19 and will last for 12 hours. Although those who sign up as “dancers” are not required to dance for the entirety of the event, they will be expected to raise a certain amount of money determined by the event committee. The night will be a mix of dancing, music, food, games and plenty of entertainment.
Director of Student Engagement Kevin Farrell, who also serves as adviser to the event committee, admitted to suggesting the idea to Marywood students.
“At the last institution I worked at, we started a dance marathon there. I brought the idea up to a few students [at Marywood], as I try to do with most new things, and the students that I did bring it up to were overly excited about the opportunity to do something like this for our community,” said Farrell.
Students had the opportunity to apply for board of director positions last summer.
“I thought that being a part of something bigger than myself would be an incredible experience,” said Abbie O’Brien, a psychology student who serves as the event’s director of operations. “Being that this is Marywood’s first-ever dance marathon, I did not want to miss out on the chance to participate in a great organization for a great cause,” explained O’Brien.
Coordinator of Faculty and Staff Relations Zachary Witte is responsible for encouraging staff to spread the word of the dance marathon across campus.
“I help recruit staff [to] get involved themselves to help reach the goal towards the children’s hospital [by] keeping them updated and keeping lines of communication open,” said Witte.
As a preview for the main event, the committee will host Pacers Dancing with the Stars. This Disney-themed event will feature student dancers paired with campus favorite “celebrities” as they compete for the mirrorball trophy. There will be a $2 admission fee at the door, in which all proceeds will go directly to the Lehigh Valley Reilly’s Children’s Hospital.
Pacers Dancing with the Stars is scheduled for March 1, at 7:00 p.m. in the Munley Theatre of the Performing Arts Center. You can find the list of campus “celebrities” here!
Skylar Gagnon, one of the coordinators for Pacers Dancing with the Stars, shared how her career path inspired her to take advantage of this opportunity.
“I am a communication sciences and disorders major, hoping to work as a speech-language pathologist. The prospect of working with children is within an SLP’s professional scope of practice,” explained Gagnon.
“I strive to work to help others and am heavily involved with service, so being able to plan this event gives me the opportunity to advocate and be a part of the larger cause, as well as the chance to make a meaningful impact to help others,” said Gagnon.
Farrell revealed that he understands students will have hesitations in deciding to participate in an event so new.
“As people look at what other schools can do [and are doing], there’s the potential to see Marywood in those lights and have that same success on a different level. Even if we raise a few thousand dollars, to us and our campus and our size, that’s like millions.” said Farrell.
Lehigh Valley Reilly’s Children’s Hospital offers comprehensive healthcare services to families throughout the region. The hospital offers specialized pediatric care in a number of departments, including emergency services, neonatal intensive care units, children’s cancer center, and general surgery. The dedicated team of healthcare professionals at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital is committed to ensuring the well-being and health of all children, and 100% of the proceeds from the marathon will go to the hospital.
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