Name: Mitch Wagner

Major: Computer Science

Past THON Experience:

THON 2021: Rules & Regulations Committee Member
THON 2022: Technology Captain (Special Projects)

Name an interesting, weird, or quirky fact about yourself. I’m a Disney fanatic!

What made you want to apply for a Director position for THON 2023?

Since joining Mini-THON in high school, my passion for and dedication to THON’s mission has grown exponentially. I’ve learned that THON is about building a community, connecting many thousands of students, alumni, and families. Each year, the THON community grows larger and stronger together, spreading THON’s light further than ever before.

With each year that I am a part of this community, I become more driven to make an impact. Combining my passions for technology and THON, I eagerly joined THON 2022 as a Technology Captain. I was amazed to find hundreds of people like myself, all motivated by the same goal. I gained a greater appreciation for the way THON volunteers unify in pursuit of our mission. Coming to THON Weekend, I truly felt the impact we were making. Assisting a parent trying to support their dancer on the floor. Sharing in a child’s laughter during a scavenger hunt. Warmly embracing my TECH family in the Final Four. These euphoric moments reminded me that our community’s year-long efforts are essential and pushed me to further my involvement. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to instill my passion into the THON 2023 Technology Committee, as they work to make the magic happen.

What are your responsibilities as a THON Director?

As the Technology Director, I work alongside a team of 24 incredible captains to support other committees, helping to solve their unique problems more efficiently through software. I oversee five software development teams, including THINK, Dash, Special Projects, THON.org, and Systems. Throughout the development process, it’s my responsibility to provide guidance and support to each captain, ensuring they are equipped to tackle their projects. Day-to-day, I act as a liaison for stakeholders, a resource for captains, and a leader for initiatives that will ensure a bright future for THON.

What do you want to implement in your position this year that’s unique and differs from years past?

This year, I want to look more deeply into the logistical stressors that committees are having. Often, volunteers may not have considered bringing a specific project idea to TECH. It’s our responsibility to understand problems that exist in our community and brainstorm the ways we can use technology to solve them. By nature, our committee gets to work on uniquely exciting projects, as we build new platforms and extend each year. For example, the Special Projects team is working on building out extensive features for Warewolf (Warehouse Wolf), a newly implemented inventory management system.

What makes your committee so cool, fun, and/or important?

The Technology Committee is characterized by the way we lift up other committees in their work. As THON operates at an increasing scale, we use technology to reduce the burden of inefficiencies on volunteers, allowing them to direct their efforts to new initiatives. We help make the goals and visions of others possible, and ultimately a reality, with technology. Being a Technology Captain is also a great experience for students who are pursuing careers in the software development industry. Through each project, captains learn and utilize common software development workflows and tools, in a production environment. Seeing these projects come to life and making an impact for thousands within the THON community is incredibly rewarding.

What are the overall goals you hope to reach with your committee for THON 2023?

Our primary goal is to continue improving and adding to the tools and resources we offer to THON, allowing volunteers to succeed in their positions, and making THON better than the year before. One goal of mine is to change the way THON looks at TECH project requests to be problem-solving requests. It’s easy to ask our stakeholders to be specific in their requests. But we can make bigger ideas happen if we go a step further, working with committees to understand their processes and problems, so we can problem-solve alongside them and introduce technology into the mix. As we head into THON Weekend, our team is striving to ensure that volunteers are properly educated and prepared to utilize the Dash software. In addition, I hope to explore new digital engagement options for THON Weekend, allowing us to engage an audience beyond our campus.

Why do you THON?

THON is a relentless force, fighting childhood cancer and delivering eternal hope, strength, and joy to thousands of children and families. I THON to cherish the angels. I THON to join every child in their fight. I THON so one day, no child will have to battle cancer and no parent will have to hear the devastating four words “your child has cancer.” I want to be a driving force in the pursuit of THON’s mission. Every time I heard Charles Millard share Christopher’s story, he shared something that will perpetually resonate with me. As Charles said, Christopher wanted to come back as a wizard and make people well. Everyone in the THON community is a wizard, and our efforts give those wizards their powers. I THON because I want to empower the wizards.

What’s your favorite THON memory?

During Family Hour of THON Weekend 2022, I was on the floor during the Celebration of Life, a video that honors the children who continue to inspire our fight. Standing alongside fellow volunteers, dancers, and families, we all linked arms, swaying back and forth. Watching pictures and home videos of these families filled with joy, I felt a wave of tremendous emotion coming over me. I’m here to fight for these families as if they were my own because I know that the impact childhood cancer has on them is unimaginable. On the floor, everyone embraced to support each other. The radiating sense of unity felt during moments like these always reminds me of the THON Community’s strength. Dancers, volunteers, supporters, and families are all coming together, driven to make an impact. Collectively, our contributions are extremely powerful, changing the lives of so many as we conquer childhood cancer.

Per Onward State tradition, if you could be any dinosaur which one would you be and why?

chrome:dino. Google it.