Name: Alora Sager
Age: 22
Hometown: Woodbury, Minnesota
Year: Graduate Student
Major: Education for Students with Exceptionalities
Relationship Status: Single
Courtesy: Alora Sager
Her Campus (HC): What made you decide to come to FSU?
Alora Sager (AS): Well, both of my parents actually went to Florida State. So, I was born and raised a Seminole, bleeding garnet and gold. Then, as I got older and started researching FSU more, I found out about the first year study abroad program. Basically, if you’re not from Florida, you can study abroad for your entire freshman year and then when you get back to FSU’s main campus in Tallahassee, you get to pay in-state tuition. I decided that that was my best option to get down here to Florida and out of Minnesota. So, for my entire first year I studied abroad in Valencia, Spain.
HC: We’ve heard that you play an active role within the Tallahassee community. Can you describe what that entails?
AS: Yes, in the past I’ve worked at a bunch of different high schools all across Tallahassee. Currently, I work at Lincoln Trails High School as a student teacher. I also work at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in the behavioral health center.
HC: That’s amazing! What organizations are you involved with here on campus?
AS: Dance Marathon is my number one focus right now but I’m also a Garnet and Gold Scholar. I was a 2013 Orientation Leader and I’m a Delta Zeta alumni.
HC: When did you first get involved with Dance Marathon?
AS: It’s actually a really funny story. During my sophomore year, one of my friends was working at DM and I brought him food to the event. I ended up getting a VIP band around nine that night and then voluntarily stayed for the entire marathon. I just instantly fell in love with the cause and the energy surrounding the whole event. Then, the next year I applied to be a Morale Captain and was also an Internal Fundraising Assistant. Now, I’m on the executive board as the Internal Fundraising Chair. I’ve never actually been a dancer at DM, but I’m extremely active within it and am completely in love with the entire cause. Â
HC: We’ve also heard that you spearheaded the recent “100K in a Day” campaign that was so successful. Can you tell us more about that?
AS: Sure, a lot of the schools across the country that are doing Dance Marathon are a part of the Miracle Movement. Within this movement, entire schools rally together to participate in huge push days where they try to raise an insane amount of money in only 24 hours. So, we decided to fall in line with that idea. My team and I set the groundwork and created the basis for what the day was going to be. One of our goals was to make these push days a part of Florida State’s DM tradition. The entire internal team had individual roles within the day and helped to make the push happen. It was so amazing to see how much the community supported our cause and how willing everyone was to help. We set our goal extremely high, but we actually exceeded our expectations and raised our goal amount in 12 hours, which is half the time of what we had originally allotted ourselves. Within the full 24 hours we ended up raising $126,200. We were completely shocked.
HC: Is there any particular reason that you’re so passionate about Dance Marathon?
AS: Yes, there is. My reasons have evolved over the years just as the organization has grown and developed as well. After this past year the cause has become a lot more personal. I lost my dad to cancer while I was at the marathon last year. I was on the dance floor when I got the call. I went home to rest, but then I decided to go back to the marathon. I felt like what we were doing at DM and the impact that we were having is too important for me to miss out on. I came back because I needed to stand so that no one’s family had to lose a member to cancer as I just had, especially a child.
Courtesy: Alora Sager
HC: That’s an incredible story. What specific places does the money that Dance Marathon raises go to?
AS: I think that people assume that all the money goes to Shand’s Children’s Hospital, but half of the money actually comes directly to the Tallahassee area. It provides medical care for children in Gaston County and also provides services through the pediatric outreach programs here in Tallahassee. However, a lot of people don’t know about the program that is nearest and dearest to my heart. The Big Bend Hospice Program provides bereavement services to children who have lost their parents. That’s definitely where I feel most connected to our cause. Â
HC: What upcoming events is Dance Marathon hosting?
AS: This week is actually Rally Week. On Monday we have a Skate World Share-It Night. On Tuesday, when you eat anywhere on campus part of the proceeds will go to DM. On Wednesday we’ll be on Landis for Red Wagon. Then, on Thursday is when FTKolor is happening, which is a really cool event. That day we’re going to be at Heritage Grove and it’s basically the Color Run without the running part. There’s going to be a DJ and there’s some ridiculous amount of paint to splatter around, somewhere around 25,000 cups. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
HC: In what ways can students get involved with and support Dance Marathon?
AS: This week and the week after dancer registration is open. So, during that two-week period, students can go online and register to dance at the event. Students can also register to fundraise at any time.
Courtesy: Alora Sager