Written by: Isabella Lennon and Shaelyn Bagrosky

“Making wishes come true” a motto that inspires Entertainment captain Martha McElligott daily. Even though Martha was not a captain for THON™ 2022, she had a very avid role as a committee member on the Entertainment committee (ENT). Outside of THON™ Martha takes an especially significant role in her internships which include social media for the Penn State Field Hockey team and social media for GOPSUSports. 

When it comes to her role in THON, she primarily runs all things that have to do with Pep Rally during THON weekend. One of her favorite memories from the previous year was to be able to escort the cheerleaders because of the importance that they play in pep rally. By doing this she was able to experience the excitement of having a first-hand experience on the floor. This sparked her interest in being a captain and being more involved in THON.

Being a first-year student involved in THON can be a little overwhelming as you do not really know what to expect. Martha did not see this as a challenge and persevered through her meetings up until the very monumental event, THON Weekend. Being so driven, Martha worked on some of the most integral parts of THON for ENT. Not only was she escorting the cheerleaders but was also a part of filming the very action that occurred on the floor. She even got to be on stage for some of THON! She hosted fun stage and crowd games to keep the audience active throughout the duration of the weekend and found herself able to work the Show and Media Entrance. 

Spending much of the weekend at the Bryce Jordan Center (BJC) was not a struggle for her because she understood the true impact she was making on these kids’ lives. 

What really interested Martha in joining THON? Well, Martha is a firm believer in the mission of THON and hopes that one day we all will be dancing not for curing childhood cancer, but because childhood cancer has been cured. Some additional aspects of THON that Martha enjoyed throughout the year were making new friends, connecting with the athletes, and getting to see the enjoyment on the THON kids’ faces during THON Weekend 2022. 

As for THON Weekend 2023 Martha is looking forward to creating more memories with her committee and seeing all the smiles from the families due to the challenging work she has put in all year. Martha has predicted that THON 2023 will be even bigger and better than years previous!