THON Director Thursday: Meet THON 2022 Dancer Relations Director Caroline O’Rorke

Surname: Caroline O’Rorke
Head: Rehabilitation and Human Services with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies

Past THON experience:
THON 2019 – Member of the Dancer Relations Committee
THON 2020 – Captain of the special events
THON 2021 – Captain of Dancer Relations

Share an interesting, strange, or bizarre fact about yourself:
I can recite the Gettysburg address!

What made you decide to take on the position of Dancer Relations Director at THON. to apply?
2022?
During my time at Penn State, I was fortunate enough to see THON in so many different roles. In every position I held, I learned more about this organization and fell more in love with it
Community and our mission. During the first year I had the opportunity to support volunteer students selected for the THON weekend as a member of the Dancer Relations Committee. It was a great opportunity that enabled me to learn so much about the way THON Weekend comes together. As a second grader I wanted to find out more about the years of work THON has done and was lucky enough to be one of the THON History Captains at special events. This role enabled me to educate Penn State and the THON community about how this organization has grown and developed since the first THON in the 1970s. I was also able to support dancers by planning the THON History Tours during the THON Weekend.

As a third year I was able to bring this knowledge to Dancer Relations to support dancers and committee members as we broke new ground and had the first virtual THON. Every year I felt I gave more to this organization and a common theme throughout my THON experience has been the passion I have for supporting our dancers and constantly pushing boundaries to make sure we are giving them the best experience possible . At the beginning of this year, I saw all of the growth that Dancer Relations had seen over the past few years, but especially during THON 2021. I also saw the potential we need to evolve and find new, exciting ways to engage our volunteers and prioritize the wellbeing and satisfaction of our dancers during THON 2022. As a member of the Executive Committee, I found new ways in which we can be there for the dancers so that they can be there for the children.

What are your duties as a dancer? Relations Director?
As Dancer Relations Director, my main responsibility is to ensure the safety and the mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of all dancers during the THON weekend. I have the honor of working with the 24 captains on my committee to coordinate all logistical aspects of the dancing experience, such as dancing and more! This committee also works very closely with Athletic Training, EMS, University Health Services, and the College of Nursing to train volunteers in dancer safety practices throughout the year. In short, the director of Dancer Relations is charged with creating a culture of positivity, transparency and support for captains and their committee members as well as creating a safe and memorable experience for all dancers during the THON weekend.

What would you like to implement in your position this year that is unique and different from previous years?
This year I am very happy to be able to offer our dancers more year-round opportunities. While our dancers won’t officially stand 46 hours before the THON Weekend, they work all year round to make this dream come true. My captains and I look forward to offering activities and opportunities at Pre-THON events to all students trying to dance in THON 2022 so that their experience as a dancer is not limited to a weekend in February, but all year round is celebrated.

What makes the Dancer Relations Committee so cool, fun and / or important?
I think the coolest thing about Dancer Relations is the ability for all of our volunteers to have the opportunity to make an impact on a dancer’s life. The Dancer Relations Committee has the incredible opportunity to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all student volunteers selected for THON weekend. Dancing is an incredibly special opportunity that our volunteers work so hard for, and being able to support them emotionally and physically throughout the weekend is a really special experience. To be able to help your co-workers support our families by standing for 46 hours is simply inspiring. Put simply, our efforts can be illustrated by our motto “We are for the dancers so that they can be there for the children”.

What are the general goals you would like your committee to achieve for THON 2022?
My main goal for this year is to foster a community of support and inclusion within our committee. THON has always been a home for me in Penn State, and I and my 24 great captains make it very important that our volunteers at THON also have this feeling of home.

Why THON?
My first experience with THON was in 2014 when my brother was a freshman at Penn State. My family had heard so much about THON Weekend and we wanted to see it for ourselves. This visit came just months after my friend Dan was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. I had seen our community support him in every possible way, but when I got to BJC and 16,500 students came together to fight childhood cancer, support showed in ways I had never seen before. Since then I have had the opportunity to connect with so many of our families and they have all become even more reasons why I am THON. I THON to support our families unconditionally at every step of their cancer journey and to ensure that one day the BJC hall will no longer be occupied by cancer patients who stand for a cure, but instead by the entire THON community dancing while celebrating. For the children, for the families, for the angels, always.

What is your favorite THON memory?
This is an answer that is constantly changing for me, but right now I think my favorite is THON memory Check out the THON 2021 full reveal. Last year was unlike anything we had ever experienced before and each THON volunteer really pushed the boundaries of their position to adapt to a virtual environment. There have been constant challenges over the past year, but despite those challenges, the THON community has remained so committed to creating the best event for our families. What makes THON so special is the fact that we offer our families so much more than just a monetary donation. As an organization, we offer lifelong connections and unwavering support to each of our families. It is a moment I will never forget watching the Executive Committee raise that amount and know that we could still achieve those goals in such a difficult year. While we couldn’t all be together at the BJC, that moment showed the world just how resilient the THON community really is, and it’s a year I’ll always be proud of.

If you could be a dinosaur according to the tradition of the Onward State, which one would you be and why?
I’m honest, I didn’t have an answer to that. However, the National Geographic Kids Dinosaur Personality Quiz told me I was a Spinosaurus, so I guess I’ll probably have to deal with it. Apparently they swim and love to have fun!