Undergraduate student leader works to create entertaining and inclusive THON

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. —  Later this week, thousands of Penn State students will pour into the Bryce Jordan Center for THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world dedicated to raising money to fight childhood cancer. Those attending THON can expect to see live upbeat bands, energetic dance performances, surprise guest appearances, kids’ talent shows and more. One student, wearing a pair of chunky headphones, can be found behind it all — 2024 THON Entertainment Director Jacob Santos. 

Santos serves as one of 17 student directors leading THON’s year-long efforts that culminate in the annual THON Weekend, when THON dancers stay on their feet for 46 straight hours as a fundraiser. 

“This is my last year here at Penn State — I’m trying to do anything I can to make an impact on campus and change the lives of people for the better,” Santos said. “I just want to give it my all. That’s ultimately why I decided to be in this position.”

A major part of THON Weekend is the entertainment happening on its diamond-shaped stage throughout the weekend to keep dancers, committee members and spectators energized during the 46-hour dance marathon. Santos works with 27 captains, more than 50 committee members, a range of Penn State student organizations and multiple external production companies to plan, contract and execute entertainment production for over 50 pre-THON events and THON Weekend. He creates the THON Weekend timeline and oversees all aspects of THON’s entertainment: live performances, audio/visual entertainment, crowd engagement initiatives and the 46-hour livestream broadcasted by the student-run production team 46LIVE.

This year, special additions to the entertainment at THON will include dance performances from The Luxurious Lionesses, Penn State’s first and only majorette-style dance team, and Orchesis Dance Company, Penn State's oldest dance company trained in ballet, jazz and contemporary.

Santos’s THON Journey

A biobehavioral health major hailing from Douglassville, Santos brought a strong passion for uplifting his communities with him to Penn State.

“I’ve always been raised with that sense of trying to do more for others,” Santos said. “My family is from the Philippines, and my parents are immigrants. They always taught me to give back to the people who have gotten you where you are today.”

During high school, whenever Santos and his family visited the Philippines, they would hand out necessities to people who lived in poverty. Back in the U.S., he volunteered with his high school’s Key Club, an organization that provided opportunities for members to give back through service and leadership. He said he always found “changing things up for the better” to be rewarding. When he arrived at Penn State, he was already aware of THON but had never been to THON Weekend.

During Santos’s first semester at Penn State in fall 2020, COVID-19-related restrictions led to a challenging and isolating experience. After seeing an Instagram post, he decided to apply to be a THON committee member and was placed on THON’s Entertainment Committee.

“I found my home through THON. Joining the Entertainment Committee — really, honestly — I feel like it saved my life. Penn State truly started feeling like the place for me,” Santos said.

After being an Entertainment Committee member, Santos never left THON Entertainment and later served as entertainment captain, DJ, and entertainment captain, crowd entertainment, before being promoted to director this year.

Although Santos must pass his role as entertainment director to a successor for next year’s THON, he will continue to pursue his passion for accessibility. After graduating, he plans to apply to dental school so he can support rural and surrounding communities as a dentist.

“In my biobehavioral health classes, I learned that there are a lot of health disparities out there when it comes to accessing dental care,” Santos said. “As a student right now, it’s great to raise as much money as I can for THON, but also post-grad, I want to increase access to dental care for different parts of the world however I can.”

Making THON more accessible and inclusive

Santos explained that being involved with entertainment has been a rewarding way for him to support THON’s accessibility and inclusivity. His efforts include ensuring that there are wheelchair lifts at THON events like 100 Days Til THON and THON Weekend, expanding outreach to new student organizations to solicit potential THON Weekend performances and working to potentially include closed captioning for THON’s livestream in future years.  

“I try to do as much as I can to make people feel like they have a place whenever they come to any of our THON events and to ensure that THON is easily accessible to everyone,” Santos said. 

Santos said he always tries to brainstorm ideas to increase event accessibility. For example, the wheelchair lifts are used to accommodate both the performing groups and families who are visiting. 

During THON Weekend 2021, the virtual nature of the event sparked Santos’s desire to increase engagement opportunities through the livestream. At THON Weekend 2023, Santos and a fellow captain brought this idea to life by incorporating follow-along crafts into the livestream, allowing families to watch and participate either at home or in the hospitals while receiving treatment. The crafts had space, country and carnival themes, and Santos collaborated with THON’s Family Relations Committee to coordinate the delivery of the necessary craft supplies to the families.

“Families absolutely loved it,” Santos said. “It’s so important to me to put the magic of THON into people’s homes. Entertainment has that unique role in creating those special moments for our families.”

Looking forward

Being “a director, student and person” all at once brings its highs and lows, but Santos often reminds himself of the mission of THON and the changes he is making for Penn State, THON and the greater medical community.

“If I can be part of the puzzle and carry out our mission to the fullest, that’s all I can ask for,” Santos said.

Santos said he hopes that his successors will continue expanding the accessibility and inclusivity of THON entertainment through wheelchair lifts, performances from new student groups and additional engagement tactics on the livestream. He is proud to serve on the THON Executive Committee as a director of color and strives to be an encouraging role model for other students of color within THON.

“Providing representation on the executive committee has meant a lot. Even with the challenges in the year, I’ve reminded myself that people are looking up to me and other people of color within THON aspire to be in positions where I am,” Santos said. “I hope to show others that anything is possible.”

With THON Weekend quickly approaching, Santos said he will aim to take “each hour by the hour and soak it all in.” At the end of all 46 hours, after asking the THON dancers to sit, the THON directors will line up on stage to reveal the total amount of money raised for the year. Santos said he is extremely excited to participate onstage in that moment for the first time.

“There’s nothing like everything you’re feeling when the total goes up,” he said.

He said is excited to stand with the rest of the THON directors on stage this year where he will be jumping and “holding that sign” to display one number as part of the THON 2024 total reveal. While this may be his last THON, Santos is content with the impacts that he has had.

“I hope people remember me for being a person they could count on for anything — school-wise, personally— and the work that I’ve done throughout my time here,” Santos said. “I couldn't be more grateful for this position. Even though it has challenged me in so many ways, I've become a better person out of it. I wouldn't have changed it for the world.”