For the first time since its inception in 2007, the executive speaker series at the Penn State Smeal College of Business, Leadership in Focus: Executive Insights, will host a current Penn State student as a featured speaker. Elaine Tanella, overall chair of the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, will be the college's guest speaker on Feb 24.
Tanella, a senior Schreyer Scholar majoring in bioengineering with a minor in Italian, will join Smeal Dean James B. Thomas for an interactive on-stage conversation at 11:15 a.m. in the Business Building's Struthers Auditorium (110 BB) on the University Park campus. The talk is free and open to the public. (more)
As of Monday (Jan. 16), Penn State's Dance Marathon (THON) is conducting mandatory "canning workshops" for all Penn State student volunteers who wish to participate in canister solicitation, also known as "canning." These workshops will continue in future years to educate students about personal and travel safety, THON guidelines and policies, general courtesy and safe, legal canning practices while they are off campus raising funds to fight pediatric cancer. The workshops are being held "in an effort to ensure complete understanding of the policies and guidelines for canning," and will review "safe canning practices, travel safety guidelines, general courtesy and THON information," according to a notice to THON volunteers, posted at http://thon.org/students/THONCanningWorkshops online. (more)
The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon's 11th annual 5K race -- the largest 5K in central Pennsylvania -- is accepting applications for its race and "fun run" to be held Sunday, Oct. 23, on Penn State's University Park campus. All proceeds from the race will go toward the 2012 Dance Marathon fundraising total, which will be donated to the Four Diamonds Fund and the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. (more)
Of the $9,594,880.17 the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) raised during its 2010-2011 fiscal year, more than 96.5 percent was donated to The Four Diamonds Fund, according to its Summary of Fundraising Activities, released Oct. 4. The summary report presents THON's sources of income and expenses incurred. According to the American Institute of Philanthropy, the most highly efficient philanthropies donate 75 percent of their revenue directly to their beneficiary. (more)
Six male engineers showcased their brains and brawn Tuesday to compete for the title of "King of the Calculator" in this year's Mr. Engineer mock pageant, held by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). The event took place in Heritage Hall in the HUB. Half the ticket proceeds benefited the Penn State Interfraternal Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) through the Four Diamonds Fund, an organization devoted to battling pediatric cancer. (more)
Compared to 30 days of radiation treatment, staying on her feet for 46 hours may feel like a walk in the park for Meghan Trahey. A civil engineering student and member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Trahey was diagnosed with medulloblastoma--pediatric brain cancer--in October 2008. After nearly three years in remission, she comes full circle as a dancer in the Penn State Interfraternal Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) this weekend. (more)
Engineering students are making their mark on the fight against childhood cancer with more than 15 organizations and four overall chairpersons working with Penn State Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) 2010. Elyse Adams, a fifth-year student in bioengineering and mechanical engineering; Michael Audey, a fifth-year student in mechanical and nuclear engineering; Eric Peltier, a computer engineering senior; and Caitlin Zankowski, an industrial engineering senior, all serve as overall chairpersons for THON 2010. (more)
Catching up on homework, spending time with friends or relaxing are just a few of the ways that many Penn State students spend their Sunday afternoons. Unlike the average student, Caitlin Zankowski spends her Sundays working for the kids. When Zankowski, an industrial engineering senior and THON's overall chairperson, was in high school in Pittsburgh, her sister introduced her to THON at Penn State. When she attended the weekend-long event for the first time, she knew that it was something special and that she wanted to be a part of the organization in any way that she could. (more)
The American Red Cross THON 2010 Blood Drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 16, in Kunkle Lounge, in the Hammond Building on Penn State's University Park campus. The American Red Cross will donate $4 to the Four Diamonds Fund in honor of each presenting donor. The donation can be credited to any THON-registered student organization's THON total. The blood drive is being sponsored by the American Society of Women Engineers, the Engineering Graduate Student Council and the Society of Women Engineers. To view upcoming drives and to make an appointment to donate visit http://www.psuredcross.org/ online. (more)
The seventh annual "Mr. Engineer" mock beauty pageant will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9, in the HUB's Alumni Hall. Male engineering student contestants will be judged not only on their looks, but on their ability to think on their feet and demonstrate a unique personal talent. The winning student will be crowned "Mr. Engineer 2010." Entrance to the pageant is $3 and all proceeds benefit THON. The event is hosted by the Society of Women Engineers and sponsored by Cisco. (more)
