On the latest episode of Podward State, hosts Samuel Brungo and Matthew Paolizzi are joined by guest host Jordan Mansberger for his debut on the show.

The conversation begins with a recap of THON 2021 alongside Onward State managing editor Matt DiSanto and social media manager Ryan Parsons. The two dive into what got them interested in THON, provide an overview of this year’s virtual festivities, and discuss some of the highlights, including a $10.6 million total reveal and a surprise appearance from Sue Paterno.

DiSanto, who also covers Penn State’s women’s volleyball team, sticks around for a quick break from a THON-heavy episode to talk about how the team has fared a few weeks into the season, which players are poised for a breakout, and how the Nittany Lions could perform down the line in a grueling Big Ten schedule.

Later, the guys are joined by Onward State writer and 46Live host producer Dana Nunemacher to chat about her role in this year’s dance marathon. She chats about how she grew up dreaming of participating in THON and aspires to dance next year.

Finally, we’re joined by Juliet Garrigan, who famously led THON 2021’s line dance. She served as the DJ Coordinator on the Entertainment Committee for THON 2021. We chat about her past experiences with THON and what it was like this year in an all-virtual format.

Podward State is an Onward State-produced podcast that will release weekly episodes this spring on Spotify and YouTube. Each will feature discussions about all things Penn State, including sports, news, student life, and entertainment, and more.

You can catch this week’s episode using the YouTube or Spotify links below.