This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mizzou chapter.
Photo by Tanzi Propst
This week’s celeb is Annmarie Metzendorf, journalism major from Milwaukee, Wisconsin! Annmarie, sophomore, is the Marketing Strategist for MizzouThon, Mizzou’s large student-run philanthropy!
Her Campus Mizzou: What is your position with MizzouThon and what do you do?
Annmarie Metzendorf: This past year I worked on the Marketing Committee as the Marketing Strategist. My job involved communicating with local media outlets and going on shows (such as KCOU) to advertise and spread the word about MizzouThon. I also helped out the recruitment committee with brainstorming ideas and basically assisted the VP of Marketing with whatever she needed.
HCM: Why did you decide to join this organization?
AM: I joined MizzouThon for two reasons (at first, of course.) It was an organization I had never seen before and fell in love with it the more I talked to people already involved. Dancing 13.1 hours with the entire Mizzou community sounded like a blast and something that I would love to help plan. The fact that you become a family on leadership makes it that much better. The second reason has to do with our beneficiary – which is MU Women’s and Children’s Hospitals. When I was in high school, I had to go to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin a lot (almost once every two weeks) to get blood work for medical complications I was going through. I know how hard the doctors and staff at children’s hospitals work. It’s not just a job, it becomes your life. Joining this organization has let me serve and support children’s hospitals just like the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin supported me.
HCM: What’s your favorite memory with MizzouThon thus far?
AM: So both of the main events that I have been to have been absolutely amazing! This past one had to be my favorite because I got to donate eight inches of my hair and it was one of the most emotionally rewarding experiences I have ever had. However, one specific memory that sticks out in my mind was at our Valentine’s Day family event in February. I was sitting at a table making a valentine with one of our miracle kids and we were laughing and having a blast. Another person on leadership came over and asked him who his valentine was and he put his arm around me and said “Her!” It put a huge smile on my face, which I couldn’t wipe off for the rest of the day. This is just one example of how our miracle kids change affect my life just as much as MizzouThon affects theirs.
HCM: How can other Mizzou students get involved in MizzouThon?
AM: There’s a couple ways! First, anyone can sign up to be a dancer at MizzouThon.org for next year’s 13.1 marathon. We are a 365 day organization so dancers can be involved as much or as little as they want to be leading up to the main event. As an organization, we do a lot of cool stuff like family events with our miracle kids and go canning to raise money on the weekends. Students can also apply to be on Leadership and if anyone is interested in that, they should keep an eye on all MizzouThon social media.
HCM: Are you involved in anything else here on campus?
AM: Yes! I am involved in Greek Life and a Panhellenic Counselor for recruitment. I also write for The Odyssey Online (which is a USA Today subset). Other than that, MizzouThon, school, and The Bachelor take up the rest of my life.
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