Every Florida State University student has heard of the massive fundraising event known as Dance Marathon. FSU student organizations have come together for over 25 years to raise money for both Children’s Miracle Network and FSU College of Medicine’s Pediatric Outreach Programs. The fundraisers work directly with Children’s Miracle Network families throughout the year, leading up to the 20-hour event itself.
Today, we had the opportunity to speak with the Dance Marathon Executive Director for this year, Evalee Mason. Evalee is a senior at FSU and a member of Phi Mu Sorority. Even as the school year kicks off, it is safe to say the entire Dance Marathon community is inspired by Evalee’s hard work and passion for the cause.
Her Campus (HC): What inspired you to first get involved with Dance Marathon?
Evalee Mason (EM): Before I came to college, I had no idea what Dance Marathon was! My high school didn’t have it, so the only knowledge I had about it was through a cousin and family friend who participated at their university. However, after going through formal recruitment my freshman year, I was introduced to Children’s Miracle Network as my new chapter’s philanthropy.
I instantly fell in love with the cause, specifically Phi Mu’s miracle child, Powie, and was encouraged by all my sisters to seek out a leadership role in Dance Marathon. I started as an Inspiring New Leader, which was previously an extremely new Freshman Interest program, and instantly found my home.
HC: What positions have you held throughout your time in Dance Marathon?
EM: Throughout my four years in DM, I’ve held what feels like a lifetime of leadership positions (in the best way)! I started as an Inspiring New Leader, where I learned about how the inside of the organization worked while shadowing different internal teams. I wanted to see what would be the best fit for me.
During my sophomore year, I served as a coordinator on the Membership Team, which allowed me to work and support our Delegate Program and their external organization’s dancers. After one of the best years of my life on membership, I decided to become the organizational delegate for my own Panhellenic chapter, leading them to become connected to both our cause and our organization! Now I’m in my fourth and final year here at DMFSU and am proud to say I am the Executive Director. I oversee just about everything, including making miracles alongside my amazing Management Team.
HC: What is your favorite memory working with Dance Marathon?
EM: My favorite memory is total reveal last year, where we sat on top of our cars in the Civic Center parking lot after a very long weekend. I was so exhausted and surrounded by so many of my amazing dancers and team members. I just remember sobbing and seeing the final numbers go up.
Getting to see the accumulation of all the hard work and time we put into such an unprecedented year was one of those experiences that I will never forget. Knowing that a total of over 1.4 million dollars was going towards helping so many people was incredible!
HC: How was your experience last year with the semi-online marathon?
EM: My experience with a hybrid marathon last year was genuinely one of the most amazing, albeit very stressful, times of my life. I, along with other organizational delegates, essentially had to rework everything we knew Marathon Weekend to be. Because we could not hold our traditional event in the Civic Center, we had to host our entire weekend at our own locations.
My chapter held Friday night and Saturday afternoon in our chapter facility and rented out a location to hold all the overnight programming. Although this was unconventional, it allowed me to bond with my sisters over our love for the kids and be so much more appreciative of all that we have. I enjoyed being able to express my creativity while planning the programming.
The DM internal was extremely helpful when it came to readjusting and replanning. Many of our traditional Marathon aspects were brought directly to us, like our Gong and Silent Disco. This was so special to me because it felt like we were reliving old traditions in the most intimate and special way (aka on the back patio of our house). Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better Marathon in a global pandemic and I learned so much from it.
HC: What are you looking forward to this year as exec director?
EM: I genuinely think I’m looking forward to everything this year as Executive Director. I am so excited to phase back into in-person events and getting to actually see and hear those who make our movement what it is.
I am also really excited to build on what we learned last year from our participants and turn it into a Marathon season that everyone feels appreciated and heard in. Finally, I’m ready to usher in a new generation of miracle makers and make Dance Marathon a landmark program on FSU’s campus.
HC: Do you have any advice for people new to DM?
EM: GET INVOLVED! This organization has so many opportunities to grow as a leader and a change-maker, and all of them will wholeheartedly change your life. I honestly and truly never thought I would be in the position I am in today but I am so grateful for all that it has taught me.
I would not be half the woman I am today if not for Dance Marathon. I encourage everyone new to our program to take the time to discover their why, come out to events, learn about our kiddos and find their passion for making miracles!
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