When you think of THON™, you probably picture students standing in the Bryce Jordan Center for 46 hours in February or organizations raising money at tabling events in downtown State College. However, this dedication extends far beyond the student body and Penn State through THON Nation, the non-student fundraising branch of THON—even making its way to NBA stadiums!
THON Nation gives alumni, family, friends, and supporters the opportunity to fundraise in the fight against childhood cancer through personal pages on DonorDrive. This allows supporters to host their own individual fundraisers and credit the organization, Committee, or Independent Dancer Couple of their choice.
Another aspect of this initiative is the THON Nation games hosted by various professional sports teams in collaboration with THON. THON Nation Captains work with various sports teams to secure game dates, ticket proceeds that support the philanthropy, and in-game opportunities for Four Diamonds families.
Dylan Coulter, a graduate student from Bucks County, PA, is the THON Nation Coordinator and works alongside a team of THON Nation Captains to coordinate these games. He said that his team works to “expand THON outside of Pennsylvania, strengthen it here, and make it even better across the nation.”
Some teams that THON has collaborated with include the Washington Nationals, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Dolphins, and much more! THON Nation games also include minor league teams, such as the Reading Fightin’ Phils and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
“Being able to work with…these professional teams that are these huge organizations, it’s so cool to see them taking time out of their day to work with us and get games set up and participate in our mission,” said Ryan Seidenstricker, a junior and THON Nation Captain from York, PA.
This summer, Ryan brought THON Nation to his hometown by coordinating a game with the York Revolution. He helped ensure that a portion of the ticket sales benefited THON and that Four Diamonds families would have plenty of special opportunities to enjoy the experience, including participating in an on-field game!
Another aspect of these games is the tabling that Captains do at the event to educate and spread awareness about THON to spectators who may be unfamiliar with the philanthropy. Dylan expressed how gratifying it is to help bring people into the THON community and share the work that volunteers are doing to support families impacted by childhood cancer.
THON Nation Captains Megan Bell, a senior from Lebanon, NH and Meredith Fortunoff, a sophomore from New York City both emphasized that the THON Nation games are a representation of THON’s dedicated yearlong efforts.
“It’s nice to all come together during the games and seeing that we’re all still there to support THON all year round,” said Meredith.
The exposure that THON receives from these games is especially exciting. When he attended the Philadelphia Sixers THON Nation game in 2025, THON Nation Captain Nicho Ngiem, a senior from Chalfont, PA, was amazed to see the support that the organization received. He even got to see the THON logo presented on the jumbotron!
“It was amazing seeing the outreach THON has outside of Penn State Students, and remembering what it’s all about,” he said.
Nicho encourages everyone to attend a THON Nation game.
“Knowing your ticket is supporting THON makes the experience more meaningful. You’re able to enjoy a sporting event while giving back to a cause that’s bigger than the game,” he said.
Whether you’re attending your favorite team’s sporting event or setting up your personal DonorDrive, THON Nation provides real support to families facing childhood cancer, simply by extending your impact to your own community.
“You’re only a student for four to five years, for the most part, and there’s so many years that you’re still an alumni, so I think it’s a great opportunity to keep connected and give back,” said Dylan. “Why should we stop after four years when [THON] was such a big part of our lives then? It should be part of our lives as a Penn Stater forever.”
Upcoming THON Nation game dates include:
THON™ is able to donate 96 cents of every dollar raised to Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital because of supporters like you. Your generosity creates moments of joy for Four Diamonds children and families and empowers our volunteers through year-round events, fundraisers and THON Weekend.
