by Lauren Medico

Hospitality (HOS)

In the Hospitality Committee, everyone is all about food, and who doesn’t love to eat? The Hospitality Committee is responsible for serving dancer meals, restocking fridges and working concessions and snack stations THON Weekend. In addition to this, the committee also coordinates fundraisers with local restaurants, such as Playa Bowls, Roots, and Noodles & Co., to name a few. Hospitality Committee Members volunteer to hand out water at the THON 5K and work concession stations at Penn State athletic events leading up to THON.

This is Gillian Brooks’s first year as a Hospitality Captain, but you might recognize her from football games and pep rallies as the Blue Sapphire! As part of that role, she has the opportunity to perform on the stage during the THON Weekend Pep Rally. “This is one of my favorite performances to do because there is so much meaning to it and I get to represent something that is so important when I am on that stage,” Gillian explained, “I will admit I do get nervous to perform at THON, but last year my committee was amazing and sent me so many sweet and encouraging messages before I performed. All their support meant the world to me, and it made me feel so welcome on the stage.” 

Gillian Brooks (right) at THON 2020
Gillian Brooks performing at THON 2021

Even though being the Blue Sapphire is time consuming, Gillian knew that she wanted to spend more time with THON. “I am an out of state student from Michigan and when I came to Penn State I did not know much about THON, but I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of. I thought being on a committee would be a great place to start, so during my freshman year I joined Rules and Regulations. I remember being at my first THON and seeing the Hospitality Committee making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and serving dancer meals and it seemed like a great time. I really liked how interactive Hospitality is as a committee and that there was a lot of time to bond with other members and dancers whether it be serving meals or working concessions.” 

Gillian is happy that she found her place in the Hospitality Committee, concluding, “Hospitality has given me an opportunity to meet some amazing people at Penn State, and I have enjoyed being a part of it the last two years. Who wouldn’t love being on a committee that works with food!”