THON 2018: Faces in the crowd

Story posted February 18, 2018 in THON 2018 by Bellisario College of Communications.

One in four Penn State students at University Park are directly involved in the annual fund-raising spectacle called THON. During the 46 hours in which the event unfolds at the Bryce Jordan Center it dominates campus social life and media.

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Since its inception more than 40 years ago, the event has raised more than $100 million to benefit the families of children with cancer through direct financial support, pediatric cancer research funding and financial support of Penn State's Hershey Medical Center. This year THON raised $10,151,663.93, about $106,000 more than last year.

The event was live-streamed by student volunteers from 46 Live (see a recording of the live reveal of the final amount raised) and covered in great depth by student media including The Daily Collegian, Onward State, The Underground and CommRadio. Photojournalism students created a photo gallery for the Penn State news service and two galleries (Friday and Saturday, and Sunday) on CommMedia.

Here is how THON is affecting students at University Park this year, as seen through images and social media posts made by student journalists. View these posts on a timeline or in galleries below curated by day:

Timeline

 

Sunday: On the home stretch

All the energy inside the Bryce Jordan Center is focused on seeing the reveal of teh final fund-raising total at 4 p.m.

 

 

Saturday: Gaining momentum

Despite a scare when a chain fell from the ceiling of the Bryce Jordan Center, striking a dancer, the crowd quickly recovered. (The Daily Collegian is monitoring the condition of the dancer).
 

 

Friday: THON Begins

At 6 p.m. thousands of people packed the Bryce Jordan Center. They stood up together and THON was officially underway. Throughout the evening there was a steady stream of people waiting for their chance to enter the BJC.
 

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