Campus Life

In photos: THON through the years

The Penn State Dance Marathon was first organized in 1973 by a group of students seeking an opportunity to give back to their community. This picture shows one of the very first THONs in the 1970s, when it was held in the HUB ballroom.   Credit: Penn State University Archvies / Penn State. Creative Commons

Dancers in 1978. The previous year, in 1977, Four Diamonds became the organization’s beneficiary. The following year, in 1979, Dance Marathon moved from the HUB to the White Building to accommodate the growing number of dancers and volunteers.  Credit: Pat Little. All Rights Reserved.

In 1983, pictured here, Dance Marathon raised six figures for the first time totaling $131,182.  Credit: Penn State Health / Penn State. Creative Commons

In what is likely the first few hours of Dance Marathon in 1986, judged by the energy in this picture, dancers perform the choreographed line dance. The following year, in 1987, the name “THON” was officially adopted.  Credit: Penn State Health / Penn State. Creative Commons

THON dancers in 1991. The following year, in 1992, the total raised for THON surpassed $1M for the first time, reaching $1,141,145. Credit: Penn State University Archives / Penn State. Creative Commons

Morale captains and supporters help to keep the energy high for dancers during THON 1997.   Credit: Penn State University Archives / Penn State. Creative Commons

Support from the stands helps keep dancers motivated, as shown here in 2004.  Credit: Penn State University Archives / Penn State. Creative Commons

The Nittany Lion and Four Diamonds children are surrounded by lights and cheers to kick off the pep rally at THON 2019.   Credit: Penn State Health / Penn State. Creative Commons

In 2021, THON was held in a virtual format to safeguard the health and safety of all Four Diamonds families, participants, dancers, volunteers and spectators during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no in-person component, and there were no spectators, dancers or participants in the Bryce Jordan Center — save for these cardboard cutouts that filled the stands. All supporters and dancers individually celebrated THON from their own homes and connected via the THON livestream, produced by student organization 46 LIVE.  Credit: Bill Hallman. All Rights Reserved.

The 51st annual THON in 2023 concluded with the final reveal of $15,006,132.46, another record-breaking total for annual fundraising efforts by Penn State students. Credit: Penn State THON / Penn State. Creative Commons

The Penn State Dance Marathon was first organized in 1973 by a group of students seeking an opportunity to give back to their community. This picture shows one of the very first THONs in the 1970s, when it was held in the HUB ballroom.   Credit: Penn State University Archvies / Penn State. Creative Commons

Dancers in 1978. The previous year, in 1977, Four Diamonds became the organization’s beneficiary. The following year, in 1979, Dance Marathon moved from the HUB to the White Building to accommodate the growing number of dancers and volunteers.  Credit: Pat Little. All Rights Reserved.

In 1983, pictured here, Dance Marathon raised six figures for the first time totaling $131,182.  Credit: Penn State Health / Penn State. Creative Commons

In what is likely the first few hours of Dance Marathon in 1986, judged by the energy in this picture, dancers perform the choreographed line dance. The following year, in 1987, the name “THON” was officially adopted.  Credit: Penn State Health / Penn State. Creative Commons

THON dancers in 1991. The following year, in 1992, the total raised for THON surpassed $1M for the first time, reaching $1,141,145. Credit: Penn State University Archives / Penn State. Creative Commons

Morale captains and supporters help to keep the energy high for dancers during THON 1997.   Credit: Penn State University Archives / Penn State. Creative Commons

Support from the stands helps keep dancers motivated, as shown here in 2004.  Credit: Penn State University Archives / Penn State. Creative Commons

The Nittany Lion and Four Diamonds children are surrounded by lights and cheers to kick off the pep rally at THON 2019.   Credit: Penn State Health / Penn State. Creative Commons

In 2021, THON was held in a virtual format to safeguard the health and safety of all Four Diamonds families, participants, dancers, volunteers and spectators during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no in-person component, and there were no spectators, dancers or participants in the Bryce Jordan Center — save for these cardboard cutouts that filled the stands. All supporters and dancers individually celebrated THON from their own homes and connected via the THON livestream, produced by student organization 46 LIVE.  Credit: Bill Hallman. All Rights Reserved.

The 51st annual THON in 2023 concluded with the final reveal of $15,006,132.46, another record-breaking total for annual fundraising efforts by Penn State students. Credit: Penn State THON / Penn State. Creative Commons

In 1973, 78 dancers participated in Penn State's first Dance Marathon in the ballroom of the Hetzel Union Building (HUB). The event, which lasted 30 hours, raised $2,136 for the Butler County Chapter of the Arc of Pennsylvania.

Four years later, in 1977, Four Diamonds Fund was chosen as the Dance Marathon's beneficiary for the first time, and $28,685 was raised. Since then, THON has raised more than $219 million for Four Diamonds, helping to cover the costs that Four Diamonds families face when undergoing cancer treatment at Penn State Health Children's Hospital and to support pediatric cancer research. 

Today, with more than 700 dancers and 16,500 student volunteers participating annually, the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) has grown into the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. The above gallery of photos shows how THON has evolved over the last 52 years. Learn more about THON's history at thon.org or in this 2022 Penn Stater magazine article, "50 Years of THON." 

THON Weekend 2024 will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16 at the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus. Visitors planning to attend can find more information here. For those not able to attend in person, there are multiple ways to tune in to THON throughout the weekend.

Last Updated February 16, 2024

Tags