On Feb. 25, Student Alumni Association (SAA) brought the moves to UCI with its annual Care-a-thon. Each year, SAA puts together its philanthropy event: a dance-themed marathon. This year’s Care-a-thon featured local caricatures, a balloon artist, raffle pack stations, a card-making booth for Neonatology Services (NICU) babies, food (pizza, fruit, bagels, other sweets), photo booths (featuring Peter the Anteater) and, of course, a glamorous dance floor and stage – where the real event took place.
(Photo from UCI SAA)
The dance-a-thon featured more than just dancing. There were amazing performances from dance crews at UCI such as Urban Motus, YouTube sensation Leroy Sanchez, a testimony from a family cared for in the NICU, and more. With a local UCI DJ and MC, the Care-a-thon was fully equipped and able to provide the amazing night it had advertised!
(Photo from UCI SAA)
HC was able to sit down with SAA member, Maria Ramos, and find out the true meaning behind the event and club.
What exactly is SAA?
SAA is a group of roughly 70 UCI undergrads that get grouped with a mentor – a UCI alum. The club is great for networking, as you meet alumni who have taken flight with their careers after graduating from UCI. With your matched alum, there are events such as dinners where alumni will take their undergrads out for food, or invite them over to their homes.
Why a baby-funding philanthropy event?
Babies are the future. Just as the alumni reach out to the undergrads, the undergrads reach out to the babies. The hope of SAA is to provide UCI undergrads with a bright future because UCI undergrads are the bright minds of this generation. Babies are also the minds of our future.
How successful has Care-a-thon been?
This is the eighth consecutive year of SAA’s Care-a-thon. Over the last eight years, the club has raised over $26,000 to fund the NICU babies at the UCI Medical center. Although the alumni fund the event, it is completely student-run. This year, SAA raised $30,293.
(Photo from UCI SAA)
Congratulations to SAA for their hard work and amazing cause! HC wishes you the absolute best!