How did you first get involved in Huskython?
I signed up for my first HuskyTHON in Fall 2011 after being promised that I would get to hang out with little kids for 18 hours. I’m a total mom type, and that was enticing enough for me! I danced first with Best Buddies UConn, a group fostering friendships with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There were less than 10 of us dancing and I don’t think we broke $300 in our team fundraising, but after one HuskyTHON, I was hooked.
For the next two years, I wanted to get more and more involved with HuskyTHON, and represented Kappa Alpha Theta as a Morale Captain for 2013 and 2014. With being a Morale Captain, I loved every opportunity I had to go to Game Nights at the hospital in Hartford. Meeting patients and seeing where all of your hard earned donations go makes HuskyTHON that much more rewarding to participate in.
What’s your position this year and how have these new responsibilities gotten you even more involved?
I am the Vice President of Community Relations for HuskyTHON 2015. To put it simply, it’s my job with my team to get the CT community as excited about HuskyTHON as the students. This job is challenging at times – the position was created for HuskyTHON 2013, so there’s a lot of wiggle room with what I can do in my position. I’ve worked on initiatives ranging from involving branch campuses in HuskyTHON like THON at Penn State, to creating a state holiday celebrating all of the Dance Marathons around the state, to having notable faces of UConn show their HuskyTHON pride by wearing CT Children’s lapel pins. My favorite part of my job is supporting my team. I oversee the Co Directors of Hospital Relations, the Co Directors of Campus Involvement and the Director of JonaTHONs. Because of their hard work, I’ve traveled to high schools around the state, met dozens of patient families, and have been able to interact with organizations from all parts of campus. When I’m not dancing for the grateful patient families of CT Children’s, it’s those 5 amazing women who keep me going!
What made you apply for this position instead of being a morale captain again?
The reason I chose to not apply for Morale Captain was because of my desire to interact more with the families of CT Children’s and to play a larger role in UConn’s contribution to hospital. While we’re being honest here, I originally applied for creative director. Now I laugh my ass off at that notion because a) I couldn’t imagine myself any happier than I am as VP of CR, and b) our current Creative Director is the most magical individual I’ve ever met. Applying to the Management Team is a physical notion that you’re willing to put it all out there for those kids, those families, and that hospital that does so much – it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made at UConn.
What advice can you give to people doing their first Huskython? Any tips for handling the 18 hours of dancing?
Ugh. There’s so many words of wisdom for anyone nervous about doing their first HuskyTHON! First, you never know what you’re capable of until you try it. You’d be surprised how doable 18 hours of standing is when you spend the night hanging out with inspiring kiddos, doing zumba, learning the morale dance, and making new friends. Second, get to know your Grateful Patient Family’s story and why they love CT Children’s Medical Center. Hang out with your Team’s child in the Kid’s Corner, and make that kiddo – who has already been through so much – feel nothing but loved by UConn students. It’s your job as a participant to be a beacon of fun, joy, and hope for these families, and meeting them in person makes being a participant the best job on campus. Third and finally, bring a bunch of socks and snacks! Standing for 18 hours is made so much better by your feet feeling clean and a nice stash of Cheetos for 3 AM. You can do it, UConn!