From Monday, Sept.15, to Friday, Sept.19, HuskyTHON members will be lined up along Fairfield Way looking for students to join UConn’s largest student-led organization.
According to the HuskyTHON website, HuskyTHON’s mission is to help kids in their local community. They do this by raising money for Connecticut Children’s, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, which provides thousands of children with life-saving treatments. After a year of fundraising, HuskyTHON hosts an 18-hour dance marathon.
Molly Normandin, a seventh-semester Allied Health Sciences student is the vice president of membership for HuskyTHON. She said she has been on Fairfield Way all day educating students on the benefits of joining HuskyTHON.
“Our entire management team of 32 people are out on Fairfield Way from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Normandin said. “The goal is basically to get as many people involved in our organization and teach people about the cause and what we’re actually doing here.”
Normandin said that each day of the week, there are different themes to incentivize students to get involved. Monday is “Memory Monday,” which focuses on the memories and bonds made from HuskyTHON. Tuesday is “Teamwork Tuesday,” which focuses on encouraging students to make teams with their friends or their clubs. Wednesday is “Why I Registered,” which shares the reasons why students joined HuskyTHON. Thursday is “Thankful Thursday,” where current HuskyTHON members share their gratitude for people who participated last year and encourage them to register again. Friday is “Future Friday,” which targets first-year students who are the future of HuskyTHON.
“The people I met in [HuskyTHON] just kept me coming back because everyone in it was so special and so inclusive,” Normandin said.
Sydney Brown, a fifth-semester education student, is the co-director of campus affairs for HuskyTHON. She shared how HuskyTHON is a great way to be involved on campus and make friends.
“I think other people should register because of the people who are in the organization,” Brown said. “You meet some of the most passionate individuals.”
Bailey Brake, a seventh-semester political science and human rights student is the co-director of hospital relations. Brake reflected on her last year at HuskyTHON, and said she sees each event as a milestone that other students should get involved in.
“Do it. No matter where you are in your college years, you can register,” Brake said. “So, there is nothing holding you back.”