Danielle likes watching 2000s movies, listening to ABBA and part-time tutoring Spanish to other college students. She has an internship at a marketing firm in Georgia. She has a tightly packed schedule but always makes time to sit on the couch with her friends, watching reality TV. She hopes to one day become a Public Relations professional in the entertainment industry. I can tell you from one conversation that you should probably remember her name because you might need her to restore your reputation. This week I spoke to her about her positions as a Dance Marathon Community Marathons Coordinator and Vice President of Hillel at FSU!
Her Campus (HC): Why did you start getting involved with Dance Marathon?
Danielle Pinto (DP): Well, I’ve always had a lot of friends that were involved, and I know what it is like to be a family member of someone who is always in and out of the hospital. So, I guess Dance Marathon really spoke to me and I got involved freshman year. Last year I was the recruitment captain, and this year I’m the Community Marathons Coordinator.
HC: What is Dance Marathon?
DP: Dance Marathon is a campus-wide fundraising effort that goes on throughout the year for Shand’s Children’s Hospital and the FSU College of Medicine Pediatric Outreach Program. Everyone involved helps raise money for children suffering from pediatric illnesses. After fundraising all year long, there is the ‘Dance Marathon’ where participants stand for either 10 hours or 20 hours (a total of 30 hours) and it is around 800 participants in each shift.
HC: What’s different this year from previous years?
DP: This year, as protocols have become more normal since the pandemic, we’ve gotten back to in-person events, but everyone understands the perspective of health and its importance. Because of this, the people raising money feel a deeper connection and commitment to the cause, hence our year-long slogan becoming “We’ll Be There.”
HC: What can we expect from the dance marathon this year?
DP: Expect up to four more fundraising pushes throughout the year and the actual marathon on March 3, 2023. During the marathon, people will stand for one of the shifts to show respect for the kids that cannot stand. At the marathon, expect to hear from and meet our miracle families in person. We have dance teams from FSU perform, and in past years, we’ve had a hypnotist come, people who shaved their heads onstage, and the (fan favorite) silent disco.
HC: How does your position fit into all of this?
DP: As a Community Marathons Coordinator, I was paired with a high school here in Leon country and I serve as the bridge between FSU Dance Marathon and the high school marathon. I truly support and help organize the marathon by advising the high school’s executive board about share-it nights, sponsorships, etc. I serve as their mentor and the main point of contact for any questions they have and work closely with the executive director of Lincoln High School’s Dance Marathon.
HC: How do you like working with the high schools?
DP: I think they are honestly so amazing, they give me their questions and I’m basically just here to support them and offer guidance. It’s inspiring to see how hard they work. I work hard as well to make all their ideas reality, but they work the hardest to achieve their dreams and it’s amazing to see them be so intrinsically motivated.
HC: Do you think that there are any lessons you learned at Hillel that have helped you with Dance Marathon?
DP: I would definitely say the leaders that came before me at Hillel taught me so much about leading with empathy and the importance of communication. Before coming to college, I didn’t really feel that the leaders around me emphasized the importance of mental health and I like to lead by example. I think communication is really important, and I tell everyone, whether at Hillel or Dance Marathon, that it is okay to express if you need help or that you’re not okay. It’s okay to express that you need support with a certain project if it’s too overwhelming or anything like that; just make sure to communicate that.
HC: How has your position as VP of Hillel been so far?
DP: I’ve been involved since the summer of my freshman year and having the position I do this year has been amazing. We’ve seen numbers like we haven’t seen before and we have a lot of people from different backgrounds come. Some people don’t know much about Judaism, so it is so special to see people come in and learn.
HC: What are some of the community events you offer at Hillel?
DP: We offer Shabbat dinner and services every Friday. We also have different social programs, such as the cookie decorating activity we had last month, and for labor day we had a barbecue and pool party. We also do a lot of social justice programming.
HC: Is there any final advice you would give to anyone interested in joining any club at FSU?
DP: Come in with a positive attitude. People always ask me how I do everything that I do while trying to balance clubs, work and holding positions. I honestly say I just love what I do. So my advice is to do things that you love and join things that you are happy to put in the work for! If you really put yourself out there, everything that is meant to be will come to you. You’ll never find the communities that are meant for if you don’t take that first step by putting yourself out there.
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