From Committee Member to Captain: Four Success Stories of Returning THON™ Leaders

THON™ 2027 Captain Applications are officially open! Four returning Captains and Directors shared insights, personal advice, and takeaways from their Captain experiences. Read more to learn each of their unique stories!

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After experiencing THON as a Committee Member, Mason aspired to become more involved in THON’s mission and applied to be a Captain. After being chosen as the SIO Fundraising Safety Liaison Captain, he immediately felt welcomed in the THON Captain community because of the friendships formed with his co-captains. 

“Captains put in at least 15 to 20 hours a week into THON. You spend so much time with these people, you sort of build this bond, almost unintentionally. But again, everyone is inclined to be there. They choose to be there for the same reason… And it’s just a recipe to make some really good friends,” Mason shared.

The support and motivation he received from his committee gave him the confidence to thrive in his responsibilities and grow as a leader. Now, Mason leads eight liaisons, oversees training programs, hosts fundraising workshops for Independent Dancer Couples (IDCs), and is a direct liaison for 20 organizations and 15 IDCs in his new role for THON 2027, all while being supported by his fellow Captains.

“We all get along so well because we’re all driven by the same purpose, and also an investment. Not only in the mission, but in each other,” Mason emphasized. “[Other captains] want to see everyone else succeed. So again, having someone always push you is super, super beneficial and super helpful.”

Mason encourages dedicated individuals to “apply and see what happens.”

“This has probably been the best experience of my life, and I’ll always say that. It’s definitely changed me a lot as a person,” he shared.

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Jadyn is THON 2027’s Meals Coordinator on the HOS Committee, where she oversees and supports all Captain meals, curates menus for dancers, families, and Captains during THON Weekend, and collaborates with Donor and Alumni Relations (DAR) and Supply Logistics (SL) Captains to acquire food donations. Outside of THON, Jadyn majors in Biomedical Engineering and completed a Technical Sales summer internship in New York City. Jadyn was pleasantly surprised by how naturally her leadership skills translated into the professional setting.

Her THON experience helped her tremendously in “not only being able to connect with people on a personal level very quickly, but being able to articulate your point. I think THON really helps with confidence in those professional skills,” Jadyn noted. “Throughout the whole summer, I thought, ‘Wow, this [internship] really reminds me that THON has given me so many different skills.’”

Despite her major being on a separate track from her Captain role, she saw strong parallels between her THON responsibilities and working in corporate environments.

“I always say that THON is kind of like its own company. I feel like it functions very similarly to a large company because it just has the large scale that you need, and that kind of structure in order to make sure that everything gets done at the quality that it needs to be done at,” she said.

If applicants are “on the fence” about applying for a Captain position, Jadyn thinks that is a positive sign that the decision is being treated with the weight it deserves.

Jadyn shared, “I don’t want to sugarcoat how much of a commitment it is [to be a captain], but I always say that I’ve never regretted any time spent towards this cause … From personal experience, it was the best decision that I could have made.”

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As the Volunteer Logistics Director for THON 2027, Sabrina oversees all volunteer efforts across the philanthropy and works to standardize the experience for Captains, Committee Members, and First-Year Committee Members alike.

While serving as a DR Captain for THON 2026, Sabrina had the opportunity to write a lyric for that year’s Line Dance. The impact of writing a simple line for the song hit home on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center when a paired family shared their favorite line of the song, unknowingly quoting Sabrina’s authored line.

“Hearing even something like that, which was so simple, it has such a greater outlook. Bringing in those families and giving them that fun and that magic connects the work we do as captains to the overall mission,” she reflected.

Having volunteered across four different committees throughout her time at Penn State, Sabrina brings a uniquely broad perspective to her Director position this year.

She said, “I have found so much magic and so much joy in all four committees in such unique ways. There is no committee that has a better experience than the other. They all provide the same chance to give back to our mission.”

Sabrina believes every path in THON is meaningful and encourages prospective applicants to take the leap.

“Never close any doors. Never close any opportunities that might come up through this process because you will end up exactly where you’re supposed to,” she advised.

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For THON 2027, Ryan serves as the direct point of contact for all finance and deposit questions from Commonwealth campuses, while leading four Alternative Fundraiser captains as the Fundraising Sales Coordinator.

Ryan took on his first Captain role as a sophomore for THON 2026, overcoming initial doubts about his experience level.

“I was nervous coming in as a sophomore and applying. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get [the position], but I didn’t really see the point in not applying, so I applied. I went to the interview and was myself, and they liked it,” he said.

While many Captains volunteer as Committee Members for two years before applying, applicants of all background levels are welcomed and encouraged to apply.

“Being a Captain as a sophomore was an amazing experience because most of [my co-captains] were older than me, and I got to really connect with these people who I would have never met if I didn’t apply at all,” Ryan said.  “I didn’t feel like I was younger, and it didn’t feel like they were older, or anything like that. It just felt like we were all friends.”

Ryan thinks anyone hesitant to apply should “just do it.”

“It can’t hurt to apply,” he encouraged. “If you don’t get it, it’s fine. You can be a Committee Member, or you can go again next year. It’s okay. And if you do get it, you’ll literally have the time of your life.”

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Being part of the Captain community gives dedicated THON volunteers the chance to be more involved in a cause bigger than themselves, gain impactful leadership experience, and build close, life-long friendships.

Captain Applications can be found on think.thon.org, and close August 27 at 5pm.