Madison Love is a UConn senior who has a burning passion for HuskyTHON. This year, herself and the rest of the HuskyTHON Mangement Team are beyond excited for another successful event #FTK. This 18-hour dance marathon will take place this March at the UConn Field House. Check out this amazing video for more inspiration, and be sure to register for this amazing cause today!
What year are you?
Senior (wahhhh)
What is HuskyTHON?
HuskyTHON is a year-long fundraising effort that culminates in an 18-hour dance marathon that raises funds for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center to care for children with life-threatening illnesses. From humble beginnings, we’ve grown to become the largest student-run philanthropy in New England and was recently named one of the top 10 dance marathons in the country. Since 2000, HuskyTHON has donated $1,735,514 to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, which is run through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Can you talk a little bit about your current position with HuskyTHON?
I was named Vice President of Communications for HuskyTHON 2015. I oversee the Social Media Director, the IT Director and the Creative Director who really are the basis and foundation for this position. I am very lucky to have such a supportive team.
My job is to lead the HuskyTHON team in spreading the word about our cause across campus, the community and the entire state. I am responsible for managing all media relations, from internal and external communications to marketing the various events HuskyTHON puts on throughout the year. In this position, I draft press releases, work with reporters and photographers, manage social media accounts, including the revamping of our blog, and handle all publicity and advertising initiatives.
Why did you want to be on the HuskyTHON Mangement Team?
As a dancer in HuskyTHON, I always looked up to the individuals who had positions on the HuskyTHON Management Team. I admired their dedication to the cause and determination to reach their goals. Even in the early hours of the morning when most people in the field house look like zombies, the members of the Management Team came out with the same energy and excitement that we saw from the beginning of the night, dancing and having fun with a smile on their face. After knowing many people on the Management Team from past years through my sorority and seeing how much they loved it, I knew that I wanted to have a similar experience. HuskyTHON has come so far in such a short amount of time; I wanted to be apart of the team that takes the fundraiser to the next level.
What are some of your past experiences with HuskyTHON? When did you first begin participating?
I have been involved with HuskyTHON since my freshman year at UConn, acting as a dancer and morale captain. I first heard about it through my sorority and all of the older members seemed so dedicated and passionate about it, which encouraged me to sign up right away. As a freshman, I was really not sure what I was getting myself into. Now, in my senior year, I cannot imagine what my college experience would be like without HuskyTHON.
What most people aren’t aware of is that HuskyTHON is more than the big 18-hour dance marathon; we actually have so many events throughout the year that I have loved being apart of as well. From walking as a model in Miracle Walk to dancing at ZumbaTHON, I have always jumped at any opportunity to be involved in anything HuskyTHON-related. Becoming a member of the HuskyTHON Management Team seemed like the perfect next step.
What is your favorite/best part about HuskyTHON?
My favorite part about HuskyTHON is the morning right before the reveal of the grand total. Looking around the Field House, you can tell that everyone is just worn out from the long night, and yet there is still a sense of excitement and energy while we wait for the final amount to be calculated. After a long year of hard work, followed by spending 18-hours on your feet, seeing the numbers grow and grow until it stops on the grand total is the best kind of anticipation one could ever experience.
What are you most looking forward to about HuskyTHON this year?
One initiative that we wanted to make in this year’s HuskyTHON was to really get everyone involved in the event, not just UConn students. Members of our Management Team have been working very diligently to set up a series of Mini-Marathons which will be held at elementary, middle and high schools in Connecticut. Students at these schools will conduct mini dance marathons and donate their proceeds to HuskyTHON. I am so excited to see how passionate these mini-marathoners will become towards HuskyTHON. Hopefully, their dedication to dance marathon will carry on throughout their education career, breeding more awareness and more dedication to the cause.
Why should UConn students sign up for HuskyTHON?
At UConn, there really is no organization, fundraiser or event that even comes close to the magic of HuskyTHON. Imagine dancing alongside 2,000 of your closest friends all night long until the sun comes up the next morning, knowing the entire time that your dedication to HuskyTHON could save a child’s life.
For one night out of the year, college students leave all of their stress and worries at the door and get to be silly and act like kids. I think that college can be a really selfish time for most students and we tend to live inside the “bubble” of UConn. Being apart of HuskyTHON truly opens your eyes and makes you realize how lucky we are. Standing on your feet for 18-hours is no easy task, but when you realize that there are children who would give anything to be out of their wheelchair, it really puts things into perspective. For a night, the children get to be just that: kids. They are taken outside the hospital walls and are able to jump on the moonbounce, run through the inflatable obstacle course, sing karaoke, get their face painted and dance on stage. Parents always say that to their children, HuskyTHON is on the same level as Christmas; they countdown the days until the big event arrives.
As the night goes on, every hour on the hour, dancers get to listen to the miracle stories from children who have been treated at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center; a reminder as to why we dance at HuskyTHON.
Some people dance to honor a lost loved one. They dance on their feet for 18-hours because some simply cannot. Others dance to be one step closer to finding a cure. Everyone has their own story as to why they dance. We invite the entire UConn community, and beyond, to find their reason at HuskyTHON 2015.
Can you participate in HuskyTHON without staying for the entire 18 hours?
Yes! There are so many ways to be involved with HuskyTHON if you don’t think you can last the entire 18-hours on your feet. You can participate in the events leading up to HuskyTHON such as Miracle Walk, ZombieTHON, ZumbaTHON and Spin-a-THON. These events, held throughout the course of the year, all raise funds that go towards the grand total. If staying on your feet for 18-hours isn’t your thing, you can also sign up to be a volunteer at HuskyTHON which is only a 3 commitment.
How will you keep HuskyTHON in your life after you graduate?
When I decided to apply to be VP of Communications for HuskyTHON, I knew that it would be a huge time commitment and a very demanding position. I also knew that becoming apart of the HuskyTHON Management Team would introduce me to lifelong friends. The Management Team has already turned into my second family. We work together, we support one another, we butt heads at times, but it is all because we know that we can make a difference in so many childrens’ lives.
HuskyTHON has also given me the skills and experience needed to succeed in post-grad life. As I am currently in my final year as a Journalism and Communications double major (gasp!), having the opportunity to apply what I have learned in my four years in the classroom towards this position has already made me a more confident worker.
When it is time to leave UConn, I know that I will continue to donate to HuskyTHON, to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. I may be the one donating, but these organizations have given me more than I could have ever hoped for.
Do you have any advice to the people who have already signed up?
First of all, great job on signing up already! My biggest piece of advice is always be on the lookout for the next fundraising tool. There are so many unique and fun ways to raise money for your team; always aim to go above and beyond your fundraising goal. You would be surprised to learn that by doing simple things, like opting out of buying Dunkin each morning or putting $1 in a jar for 100 days, can provide the kids at CT Children’s 18 warming blankets, 30 feeding bags or 12 bottles of Dialysis solution. Be creative, bond with your team and have fun!