Meet Dance Marathon FSU Director, Jake Poteat

Jake Poteat – Delta Chi Fraternity brother, Student Activities Council employee, and Virgo extraordinaire – was the 2012-2013 director of Florida State University’s Dance Marathon (DM). Jake is a handsome guy with a jovial laugh and always willing to help out a friend.  He was funny and confident during the interview, which only speaks to his ability to communicate. 

Working with Dance Marathon is a huge commitment because it’s the largest student-run philanthropy on FSU’s campus.  This year, Poteat has taken the program to record highs.   On March 22nd-24th, DM celebrated its 18th anniversary at FSU.  Over 1,000 students stayed on their feet for 40 hours to raise money for pediatric care in local hospitals.  Poteat motivated the students of Florida State to raise $701,493.16, which beat the previous year’s record by more than $117,000! If it’s not already clear why we chose him, read on to learn more about our newest Her Campus Celebrity!

Name: Jake Poteat

Major: Communications

Hometown: Flowery Branch, GA

Year: Sorry, ladies, Jake’s a senior!

The Interview

HC: So, Jake, what do you want to be when you grow up?

JP: Haha, umm…I want to be a writer on SNL!

HC: What are 3 words that best describe you?

JP: Sassy, quirky, and driven

HC: Are you involved in any other Florida State activities?

JP: I was the President of Delta Chi Fraternity, on the Leadership Council for the Student Alumni Association, on the Greek Conduct Board, and, um, I work for the Student Activities Council. 

HC: So, for those who may not know, what is Dance Marathon? 

JP: An organization at FSU whose mission is to help local hospitals help kids.  We have events and fundraising yearlong that culminate in a big event where students are asked to stand on their feet for 2 twenty-hour shifts.   The money from this benefits local hospitals and Children’s Miracle Network.

HC: How did you get involved with DM for the first time?

JP: I first got involved with dance marathon as the dancer representative for my fraternity.  I actually didn’t dance that year, but I fell in love with the whole event. So the following year, I ran for an assistant position, but got an executive position (to my surprise).  Then I went from being the Event Management Chair to Overall director. 

HC: So how long would you say that was? 2-3 years?

JP: A total of 2 and half years, ‘cause I was only a dancer rep for half a year.

HC: What is your absolute favorite memory about DM 2013?

JP: Well, this year I did something different.  Normally we have an hour where we kind of just ask everyone to raise a certain amount of money, and we play “Mmm Bop” until we reach the goal.  And everyone ends up hating Hanson, but it motivates them to meet the goal.  I noticed that it brought down the morale in the first shift, so for the second shift I told them to sit, but they chose not to.  It was such a great moment because they’d been standing for so long, and they chose not to sit.  It was so selfless.  I kept saying, “No really, sit,” and no one would.  The liaison for Children’s Miracle Network had to get me to stand up.  I didn’t even realize I was sitting because I was so dumbfounded at everyone’s selfless attitude. They stayed standing for the kids.

After that, we had two hours of positivity – our goal was to raise $9,000 but ended up raising $14,000!      

HC: About how long had they been dancing at that point?

JP: They’d been dancing for 11-12 hours at that point, so they definitely wanted to sit.

HC: This is going to change gears a little bit.  What is your best time management tip for students who want to be involved with organizations on campus?  

JP: You’re always learning about time management your whole life.  I would say the first important thing is to find 2 organizations – at the most – to dedicate your time to.  Then after that, you have to know your priorities, build off of those, then work outward.  Once you know what you’re involved in and your priorities, you can start scheduling them. The extra time after scheduling is where you make room for going to the gym and whatnot.  I don’t personally want to carry a calendar, so I just use my phone to schedule. 

HC: So, Jake, what do you do when you’re not saving children? 

JP: Hahaha! I like to play tennis when I have the time.  I like to eat.  Occasionally I’ll sample the nightlife of Tallahassee – particularly Proof.

HC: How can Her Campus ladies learn more about DM 2014?

JP: They can go to our website: www.Noles4kids.org or they can find us on Facebook by searching “dance marathon at fsu.”

A special thanks to Jake Poteat for sitting down with Her Campus.