Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi will not be present at any time throughout THON Weekend 2024, she shared at Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting. Bendapudi joined the afternoon meeting from Zoom.

She cited the reason she will not appear at THON is that she welcomed a grandson into her family this week, and doctors suggested Bendapudi refrain from participating in events with large crowds to protect the infant’s health.

“I have to say that I’m going to very much miss not being at THON Weekend in person,” Bendapudi said. “Last year, being there, I can just tell you it was like a religious experience.”

THON 2024 is the second THON of Bendapudi’s presidency after she entered office in May 2022. The university president stated she’d “never seen anything like this,” when she addressed the Bryce Jordan Center ahead of THON 2023’s annual Pep Rally.

“The executive board, the dancers, the supporters, the donors, thank you,” she said Friday. “You make us so proud to claim you, and thank you for what you do For The Kids.”