Expanded History

History Home | THON 2011 | Dynamic History | Plain-text History

For a more eye-catching history, check out the dynamic history in brief here. 

Jump to a year on this page:

1973   1974   1975   1976   1977   1978   1979   1980   1981  

1982   1983   1984   1985   1986   1987   1988   1989   1990  

1991   1992   1993   1994   1995   1996   1997   1998   1999  2000

   2001   2002   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010

1973 - When former IFC President Bill Lear ('72 –'73) proposed a Dance Marathon to raise money for a worthwhile cause, no one ever imagined that it would grow into the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.

The first Dance Marathon was held in held Penn State's HUB ballroom on Friday, February 2nd, 1973. Thirty-nine couples paid $10 to participate in the 30-hour competition that began at 6:00pm. Each couple earned one point for every minute they danced and an additional point for each dollar they raised. Proceeds from the event were donated to the Butler County Association for Retarded Children. The original planning committee was wary of promising too much, and warned the BCARC not to expect more than twenty dollars. When the first ever Dance Marathon came to an end, 17 couples were still standing and more than $2,000 had been raised. The couple that had successfully raised the most money and danced the most hours was Cris Guenter and Sam Walker, representatives of Leete Hall. In its first year, Penn State's Dance Marathon had exceeded all expectations.

1974 - In its second year, Dance Marathon was extended to 48 hours and started at 11:00pm. The time was not the only thing to change - the fraternity Kappa Delta Rho and sorority Delta Delta Delta set a new precedent for fundraising by becoming the first paired organizations. Together, they contributed an astounding $1,633 to the event. In addition, new rules were introduced this year that penalized dancers for taking bathroom breaks and failing to dance to the rhythm of the music. Despite the strict new rules, the second Penn State Dance Marathon successfully raised a total of $10,825, which was donated to the American Heart Association.

1975 - In 1975, Dance Marathon continued to grow and evolve. For the first time, a premium was placed on staying on the floor for as long as possible. One couple succeeded in spending only 51 seconds of total time off of the dance floor. Kappa Delta Rho and Delta Delta Delta's dancer couple won the marathon, which raised more than $12,000 for the Easter Seals Society. This year, Dance Marathon took place between Friday at 7:00pm and Sunday at 7:00pm. Dance Marathon continued to occupy this time slot for many years.

1976 - In 1976, Dance Marathon revealed its first ever theme: “Dance for Those Who Can't.” A total of $15,282 was raised and donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon.

1977 - The changes of the next two years - 1977 and 1978 - were very important for Dance Marathon. For the first time, bleachers were erected in the HUB to accommodate the large audiences that supported the dancers for the duration of the event. Kappa Delta Rho and Delta Delta Delta continued their streak as top fundraisers, contributing to the 1977 total of $28,685. However, the most important change was that a little known charity called The Four Diamonds Fund became the beneficiary of Dance Marathon's efforts. This marked the beginning of a long lasting partnership: today The Four Diamonds Fund is the sole recipient of Dance Marathon's funds. To date, more than $69 million has been raised for The Fund.

1978 - In 1978, Nittany Lions wide receiver and All American football player Jimmy Cefalo made a pact with Hershey Medical Center that all proceeds from Dance Marathon would benefit The Four Diamonds Fund as long as the funds would be used towards researching and combating pediatric cancer. "Give Hope a Chance, Come On and Dance" was the theme of the 6th Annual IFC Dance Marathon, which raised $52,800. Again, Kappa Delta Rho and Delta Delta Delta topped the competition.

Following Dance Marathon that year, a tragic event further sealed the bond between Dance Marathon and The Four Diamonds Fund. A few weeks after the event, a group of students were driving to Hershey to visit the Medical Center and deliver the check to The Fund. Outside of Harrisburg, a car accident occurred, and one student, Kevin Steinberg, lost his life. Kevin was the typical Penn State student who became involved with the Dance Marathon as the Interfraternity Council Vice President. Today, Kevin's legacy lives on through the Kevin Steinberg Award, which is given to one THON volunteer every year to recognize service to Dance Marathon and The Four Diamonds Fund.

1979 - Several more changes were made for the Dance Marathon of 1979. The very first Road to THON Celebration was held to kick off the THON season even earlier. Dance Marathon also moved into its new home, The Mary Beaver White Building. The move was made to accommodate Dance Marathon's ever-increasing capacity demands. Also new this year, dancers no longer competed against each other. Instead, their shared goal was to remain standing for the entire duration of the event. An unprecedented 286 dancers participated in 1979! The fraternity and sorority pair of Delta Kappa Phi and Kappa Delta broke the Kappa Delta Rho/Delta Delta Delta streak and helped Dance Marathon raise $72,132 for The Four Diamonds Fund.

1980 - Almost 400 dancers came to "Dance the Night Away" at the 1980 Dance Marathon. The total raised was $86,863.

1981 - Dance Marathon 1981 ran from January 30th to February 1st, making it the last Dance Marathon that did not take place entirely in February. 464 dancers came together for a total of $99,600.

1982 - The 10th Annual IFC Dance Marathon theme, "Let's All Dance For Diamonds," proved that the bond with The Four Diamonds Fund was as strong as ever. At that year's Road to THON Celebration, Penn State Football star and 1972 Heisman Trophy winner John Cappelletti spoke about his experience losing his younger brother to leukemia ten years earlier. Kappa Delta Rho and Delta Delta Delta returned to the top spot as 502 dancers took to the floor of the White Building. The total raised for 1982 was more than $95,000.

1983 - In 1983, Dance Marathon broke the 6-figure mark for the first time, raising $131,000. Kappa Delta Rho and Delta Delta Delta took first place for the tenth time.

1984 - Penn State Dance Marathon was noted for being the largest philanthropy of its kind in 1984. As Dance Marathon continued to evolve, more activities were included during the weekend to keep dancers busy for the entire 48 hours. Alpha Sigma Phi and Alpha Sigma Alpha emerged this year as winners, starting their rein as fundraising leaders.

1988 - In 1988, the 15th Annual IFC Dance Marathon saw the adopted form its current official name, THON. Since that year, the event has been affectionately referred to as THON by students, alumni, and families alike. Four hundred and seventy-two dancers took to the floor this year to raise $297,311 For The Kids.

1989 - In 1989, Alpha Sigma Phi and Alpha Sigma Alpha continued to be leaders in the fundraising competition, raising more than $100,000 on their own. Miss America 1998 was the inspirational speaker at the Road to THON Celebration.

1990 - Penn State Dance Marathon was officially renamed in 1990 by adding "Panhellenic" to its title. The now Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon raised $671,572. The support of the Greek Community has been vital to THON's continued success.

1991 - 1991 saw THON's logest theme yet, "Standing Together So They Can Stand On Their Own." $785,835 were raised For The Kids this year.

1992 - As THON's popularity grew on campus, so did its fundraising efforts. On Sunday, February 16, 1992, shortly after 7 p.m., Overall Chair John Ferenchak took a deep breath and began to announce the grand total, "One million…” The rest of the number was lost in the eruption that shook the White Building. It was a milestone that seemed impossible 20 years earlier. Although THON has made it a point to never set a goal, this 20th anniversary set a standard for the future.

1995 - In 1995, THON chose its first female Overall Chair, Stacy Bingler. For the 12th year in a row, Alpha Sigma Phi and Alpha Sigma Alpha finished first, contributing to a grand total of $1,169,697. Today, Stacy remains active in THON, serving as a board member of the Dance Marathon Alumni Interest Group.

1997 - In 1997, Four Diamonds Families and THON's student volunteers met a few months before THON for the first ever Family Carnival. The Family Carnival has since grown into an annual fall celebration during which students prepare carnival booths for the children to enjoy. That February, Alpha Tau Omega and Zeta Tau Alpha contributed $175,802 to THON's total, becoming the top fundraising pair for the second year in a row. "Miracles in Motion" celebrated THON's 25th anniversary by raising $1,528,425.

1998 - Another milestone was reached in 1998 when a grand total of $2,001,831.51 was raised, as students danced to the theme "Hoping, Inspiring, Believing." Once again, Alpha Tau Omega and Zeta Tau Alpha were the top fundraising organizations.

1999 - In 1999, the theme "One Step Closer" reaffirmed THON's dedication to finding a cure for pediatric cancer, and the event raised a record-breaking $2,530,142.48. This year, THON pledged an additional $5 million, to be raised during the next five years, to create an endowed research scholarship for The Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. In addition, THON moved to a new home on the west side of campus: Rec Hall.

2000 - For the new millenium, "Love Never Fails,” enjoyed its second year in Rec Hall. The students' efforts shattered the previous year's total, and the $3 million mark, by raising $3,076,983.97.

2001 - Because of THON's continued success in 2001, raising $3,609,830, THON was able to fulfill its $5 million pledge to Hershey two years early! THON's theme convinced spectators and participants alike that a cure for pediatric cancer is "Within Reach."

2002 - In 2002, the first ever THON 5K was held. "Planet THON" was the space age theme at this year's Family Carnival. THON continued to raise awareness about pediatric cancer and support the families with its theme, “...With All Your Heart.”

2003 - Dancers for THON 2003 numbered more than 700 for the first time ever. Huge crowds cheered on the dancers with this year's theme, "Hope Surrounds Us."

2004 - In 2004, THON pledged to contribute $10 million during the next six years to build the Pediatric Cancer Pavilion at the Hershey Medical Center. The theme, “Always Believing”, showed the true spirit of THON and its dedication to The Four Diamonds Fund.

2005 - The introduction of blue “THON For The Kids” bracelets helped THON 2005 reach a fundraising milestone, with $4,122, 483.65 being raised For The Kids! Students and families rallied around the theme “Embracing Dreams, Sharing Tomorrow.”

2006 - Record breaking crowds entered THON 2006 for Rec Hall's “final dance.” THON's continued growth and popularity required that the event move to a larger venue—the Bryce Jordan Center. The THON webcast allowed viewers in more than 30 countries to watch as the $4,214,748.18 total was revealed.

2007 - THON's 35th anniversary, in 2007, centered on the “big move” to its new home in the Bryce Jordan Center. With a capacity of 15,000 - double that of Rec Hall - the BJC proved to be a perfect fit for THON. The excitement of the new location propelled THON to raise $5,240,385.17 for The Four Diamonds Fund. THON's theme this year, “Many Hearts, One Home,” was inspired by the change of location.

2008 - THON 2008's theme, “Hope Finds A Way,” gathered record-breaking crowds for the second Dance Marathon held in the BJC. Several new fundraising initiatives and the unwavering support from all THON organizations made it possible for THON to raise $6,615,318.04 For The Kids!

2009 - THON 2009 saw the first logo to directly incorporate Sir Millard, the hero of Chris Millard's story of the Four Diamonds. Dancing to the theme, "Dream Forward," THON 2009 raised a total of $7,490,133.87 For The Kids!

2010 - THON 2010 saw record participation in the 5k, record traffic to THON.org, and all-time high interest being a THON volunteer. With the theme of "Love Belongs Here," more than 300 Captains, 700 dancers, 3300 Committee Members, and 15,000 student volunteers made it THON's most successful year yet. THON 2010 raised $7,838,054.36 For The Kids!