“AWOO! AWOO! AWOO!” all of independent THON organization Springfield’s members shout in response to Joe Giordano’s question. This has become the battlecry of the organization, which has adopted a Spartan mascot of sorts. It’s a fitting shout, borrowed from the movie 300 and applied, somewhat fittingly, to an org that prides itself on being small.
It has been 27 hours since I stood up from the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center. My behind has not touched any surface since, with the exception of a toilet in the men's restroom in the Bryce Jordan Center (a Corner Room breakfast will do that to you).
In a sea of dancers eating, playing jenga, dancing and playing with kids, Onward State approached dancer Samantha Cohen for a quick interview.
Check out the full interview after the break.
College of Communications photojournalism students are working in shifts to document the unique visual experience of Thon. This gallery includes highlights from the first night. View more pictures in the photo gallery Thon 2011 in pictures: Friday evening.
Dr. Andrew Freiberg is a pediatric hematology oncologist at the Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. In layman’s terms, Dr. Freiberg works with young cancer patients. He has been involved with THON since almost the very beginning of the event. Onward State got a chance to take with Dr. Freiberg on Saturday about his work and involvement with THON.
As hour twenty comes to a close in the Bryce Jordan Center, THON is officially nearing the half-way point. Sleep deprivation is starting to set in, the songs are getting repeated and at this point the 708 dancers can probably do the line dance in their sleep (too bad they won't for another 20+ hours). The staff here at Onward State is proud to say that one of our editors, @DanVecellio, is on the floor representing the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. We decided to check in to see how he was doing.