25 Graduating Seniors Receive 2020 Miracle Network Dance Marathon Distinguished Leadership Award
Miracle Network Dance Marathon has named 25 graduating college student leaders as recipients of the 2020 Miracle Network Dance Marathon Distinguished Leadership Award. The honorees are being recognized for making an exceptional impact within their Dance Marathon program, on their individual campus and for their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.
Miracle Network Dance Marathon is an international movement, involving over 400 colleges, universities and K-12 schools across North America that fundraise for their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. These students work tirelessly throughout the year to raise funds one dollar at a time by making the ask to family and friends. Their hard work culminates in a 6-40 hour celebration on their campus, where participants have the opportunity to rally together as a community for their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Students involved in Dance Marathon gain valuable skills in fundraising, peer management, delegation and philanthropy. Miracle Network Dance Marathon programs have collectively raised more than $300 million since 1991.
See a historical list of all Miracle Network Dance Marathon Distinguished Leadership Award winners here.
The 2020 Miracle Network Dance Marathon Distinguished Leadership Award recipients are:
Audrey founded Bowdoin College Dance Marathon her freshman year. In the first three years of the program, Bowdoin College has raised nearly $90,000 for the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital and she has personally fundraised over $28,000. Learn more about Audrey here.
Entering the year as the Morale Captain, Rachel had no idea she would be transitioning into a new role before the year was over. Rachel stepped up into the Executive Director of Internal Relations role, when the position needed to be filled. She has been the Executive Director of Internal Relations for three years now and still leads the Morale Committee. Learn more about Rachel here.
Allison and her brother were both treated at their local children’s hospital growing up. The impact on these hospitals that she has seen come from Dance Marathon has led her to strive to become a Child Life Specialist and work in a children’s hospital. In the further future, she plans to also expand into ABA therapy for children and adults with autism. Learn more about Allison here.
Daniel took his interest in data analytics and applied it to Soonerthon. He created a real-time database and an automated tracking tool that fundamentally changed how Soonerthon makes decisions. This design added many insights, allowing their program to make real-time shifts to their actions and messaging on push days to best activate their campus and community. Learn more about Daniel here.
Mercer University’s motto is “every student majors in changing the world” and that is exactly what Tara is set out to do. “Without Dance Marathon, I would just be an Engineer working in the lab every chance I have. With Dance Marathon, I am a student leader on campus and an Engineer who has significant experience in leadership that I can apply in my career and the future.” Learn more about Tara here.
Dance Marathon helped Molly realize that there is more than just one way to change lives; there is more than just one way to honor her best friend, Maddie, who had passed away from a pediatric illness. Learn more about Molly here.
Lillian has a goal of being a lifelong learner. She wishes to accelerate and better herself, whether it be through academic, career-related, or personal advancement. Her primary career goal is to be in a position that will allow her to grow from encounters and experiences with people of different cultures and perspectives. Learn more about Lillian here.
Tori’s involvement in West Virginia’s Dance Marathon, along with inspiration from her grandpa, has motivated her to attend medical school with the hopes of becoming a pediatric surgeon. Learn more about Tori here.
In Ryan’s time as executive co-director for Dance Marathon at Iowa State University, their executive team was able to accomplish so much. They raised over $340,000 for the Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital and increased their retention rate by over 30%. Learn more about Ryan here.
When Shayna was 15 months old, she was diagnosed with a rare blood anemia affecting her bone marrow. Being a part of Dance Marathon has allowed Shayna to support these families that need the most help during these times. Learn more about Shayna here.
IlliniThon’s Big Event 2019 had many “firsts” thanks to Jessica’s hard work in her new role. It was the first year with record attendance from their Miracle Families, the first year in a new venue that was accompanied by new security, food logistics and bag check logistics. Learn more about Jessica here.
Shodair Children’s Hospital is the only psychiatric hospital within the Children’s Miracle Network, and Montana State University’s Dance Marathon is one of a kind. Caitlin is the co-founder of Montanathon and began this incredible journey in the summer of 2018. Their program has already raised over $62,000 in its first two years. Learn more about Caitlin here.
Cindy shifted through many important roles throughout her time in Clemson Miracle, and finally her senior year she took the lead as the Executive Director. Throughout her four years in Clemson Miracle, she has personally fundraised a total of $48,599.03. Learn more about Cindy here.
Emma not only led an organization that raised $1,520,234.98 for Connecticut Children’s, but was also able to navigate her own path amidst such unfamiliar territory and facilitated a new collaborative leadership that created that outstanding impact. Learn more about Emma here.
As a future elementary school teacher, Daniella knew that she could not wait to make an impact on children when there was a perfect opportunity for her through Dance Marathon. Why wait to make an impact on a group that she has such a passion for when she could start to make a change right now? Learn more about Daniella here.
Within Mackensie’s time in Dance Marathon and working so closely to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, the CEO of Rady Children’s offered her a job as a Registered Dietitian. Mackensie will get to live out a new meaning of “For The Kids” through nutrition therapy and start her career at a CMN Hospital. Learn more about Mackensie here.
In February of 2017, Madeline thought she was attending “just another philanthropy event.” However, somewhere between handing out high fives to awesome kiddos and dancing alongside hundreds of Huskers, she fell head over heels for University of Nebraska Dance Marathon. Learn more about Madeline here.
Alexandra is already thinking about how she can continue to grow Hamline University Dance Marathon after graduation. After seeing how challenging it was to connect with alumni in the beginning years of their program, she has a goal to start an alumni relations program at Hamline and hopes to engage a large portion of students who have attended their Dance Marathon event in previous years. Learn more about Alexandra here.
Zaineb served as Knight-Thon’s 2019-2020 Executive Director. Leading a passionate group of individuals through what could quite possibly be Knight-Thon’s most challenging year was a life-changing experience. Throughout her time in Dance Marathon she raised $16,062.53 for Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Learn more about Zaineb here.
Cole was determined to increase registration, attendance and fundraising for the University of Iowa Dance Marathon’s event through a more strategic approach to event planning and, over the course of the year, UIDM 26 registered roughly 1,800 first-year participants, more than one-third of the first-year students on campus at the University of Iowa. Learn more about Cole here.
With many close friends and family members having to make regular visits to a children’s hospital, Jenna has always been passionate about being an advocate for children’s health. She believes this movement can unite a community in such a strong and impactful way. Learn more about Jenna here.
Not only did Allie lead the University of Iowa Dance Marathon this past year as their Executive Director, involving roughly 3,000 participants and raising $2.87 million, she also founded a new organization, “Iowa City Erranders,” to support her community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about Allie here.
In her fourth year of involvement with DM at Florida State University, Jaelyne stepped into the newly rebranded Community Marathons team and mentored a team of high school students, inspiring to rally around the cause and reach their fundraising goal! Learn more about Jaelyne here.
James thought he had to earn his medical degree before he could truly give back to the kids who need his support. Dance Marathon taught him that he didn’t have to wait, he could be an advocate now. His little brother, Brian, who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and kids like him are James’ inspiration. Learn more about James here.
Throughout Taylor’s four years in DM at FSU, she has personally raised $23,601. Not only has she seen how large of a financial impact Dance Marathon can provide for children, she also realized without Dance Marathon, she would have never had the opportunity to call everyone involved in DM at FSU a part of her own family. Learn more about Taylor here.
Honorable Mention:
An additional 90 students have been awarded Honorable Mention in recognition of their incredible contributions to the Miracle Network Dance Marathon movement on their respective campuses.
Learn more about Miracle Network Dance Marathon: