Lauren Mellas, a fifth-year student earning her master’s in strategic communications, was named executive director for THON 2027 last spring. Since then, she’s been working to help next year’s 46-hour dance marathon run as smoothly as possible.

Mellas spent all four years of her undergrad career at Penn State involved with the philanthropy event and is eager to continue the organization’s mission of dancing toward a cure for cancer.

With just over five months to go until THON 2027, Mellas sat down with Onward State to talk about her big plans and responsibilities heading into the year.

Onward State: What motivated you to apply to be executive director for THON 2027?

Lauren Mellas: I really wanted to be the executive director so that one day no family has to receive the news that their child has cancer. I feel like a lot of the time everyone has their own personal connection to cancer, and it really can feel like it’s taking over your life, and it’s super overwhelming. THON provided me with a lot of hope and makes me believe that one day we’ll be able to dance in celebration of a cure.

I didn’t think that was possible until my first THON, which was THON weekend 2023.

OS: What roles have you played within THON so far?

LM: As an out-of-state student, I had no idea what THON was. One of my friends in my dorm down the hall encouraged me to apply, and that was the best decision that I ever made.

I was a first-year committee member my freshman year, then was public relations graphic design captain my sophomore and junior years, and then my senior year I served as the digital content director for public relations.

OS: You’ve had so much experience through THON. Do you think that your past experiences within different THON committees will help you in your role as THON executive director?

LM: One hundred percent. I’ve had a little bit of experience at every single level.

I think being on the Public Relations committee in any capacity has helped. I had the opportunity to, in a way, serve as the voice of THON and spread our mission. So, I definitely think those skills have helped me tremendously. And obviously last year, being the digital content director, leading roughly 20 captains on my own committee, and then if you count PR as a whole. So definitely got experience managing people, but also being a leader and being their friend, and how to manage people who are the same age as you.

OS: How did you react when you got the news that you were chosen to be executive director?

LM: Yeah, I was completely shocked. It was such a surreal day, and I remember Ben, the executive director from last year, came to my apartment, and he was like, “Can you come outside? I have to talk to you about something.” I went outside, and he asked, “Do you want to be the Executive Director for THON 2027?”

Then we took a walk around campus, and he took my phone so that I wasn’t getting blown up with texts when the post went up. But it was just really awesome and such a special day.

I got to hang out with the rest of the THON executive committee, which was super awesome, and to see their reaction as well, because Ben was the only one who knew. It was just a really fun day overall, and if I had to describe it in one word, it was just being shocked in the best way possible.

OS: What are some of your responsibilities as THON executive director?

LM: I would say it’s two things. The first thing is obviously being responsible for leading the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. I oversee over 16,500 student volunteers. There are over 300 organizations. Then I have an 18-member executive committee, and the EC really focuses on advancing fundraising operations, like stakeholder strategy.

I also help direct fundraising campaigns, corporate partnerships, and foster cross-collaboration. Whether that’s with Penn State, Penn State Health, Four Diamonds, or the Four Diamonds Advisory Board.

OS: Is there something you plan to do differently as THON executive director than in prior years? Maybe something that you want to make sure sticks around that past THON executive directors have done.

LM: There are two goals that I have for the year. The first one is targeting Pennsylvania more intentionally. Obviously, we all hope that one day THON becomes a household name nationwide, but it’s really important that we kind of lay the groundwork so that we can get to that point.

I think the first step in doing so is owning our own backyard and really having a stronghold in Pennsylvania. I want to be engaging all parts of the state, not just the greater State College area or Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. So, that’s one half of it.

I would say the second half of it is really just reinvesting in our volunteers and making sure that they feel cared for, supported, and equipped not only to talk about THON but also to spread our mission and to keep fighting for civic care.

OS: What’s one funny or quirky fun fact about yourself?

LM: Good question. I have a three-legged cat named Oliver.

OS: What’s your favorite THON memory?

LM: This is such a hard question. There are so many. My favorite right now is probably picking the THON 2027 Executive Committee. I know it’s not related to THON weekend or any of our pre-THON weekend events, but that day was so, so special and rewarding.

Just seeing and hearing their reactions when I called them and I told them that they had a position on the THON 2027 Executive Committee. Some people cried, some people screamed, and some people, I could tell they were trying to keep their cool. Then we all met at Old Main so that they could do the reveal to the people who were in their positions before them, and seeing them run down the stairs to their predecessor was one of the best days ever, and it was so fulfilling. I get chills thinking about it.

OS: Why do you THON?

LM: I kind of touched on it before, but I have some personal connections to cancer impacting my family and friends, and I feel like it’s just something that, if you look around you, there’s someone else who has also been impacted by cancer. I don’t think that any family should have to receive the news that their child has cancer.

It’s really in pursuit of a cure, so that kids can be kids, and that one day we can dance in celebration. I think THON gives people hope that it’s possible, and that one day we will be dancing in celebration.

OS: Per Onward State tradition, if you could be any dinosaur, what would you be and why?

LM: I’m really tapping into when I used to watch Animal Planet. I guess a T. Rex. I feel like that’s a basic answer, but I don’t know. I just feel like I would be a T. Rex. I don’t really know why.