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Dancing for Life: Sydney Nicholas

Cathlene Cowart
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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Auburn chapter.

As the president of Dance Marathon for Auburn University, Sydney Nicholas has a lot on her plate. She’s working with her team to prepare for the group’s big event in February, along with a smaller event coming up in October. She shared some more information on Dance Marathon and how we can get involved to help raise money for children’s hospitals. 

Name: Sydney Nicholas

Major: Global Studies

Age: 21

Hometown: Hoover, Alabama

What is Dance Marathon? Dance Marathon is a year round fundraiser for our local children’s miracle network hospital in Columbus, GA. Last year we raised over $400,000 and over five years we’ve raised more than $1 Million for CMN!

How long have you been president? I have been president since March and our presidency lasts through February, so I’m in the thick of it right now.

What do you do as the president of Dance Marathon? As president, I get to strategize and develop our program and staff. I really enjoy getting to watch and help our staff members grow in whatever their passion area is, whether it is marketing or working with our kids and families.

What is your favorite thing you’ve done with Dance Marathon? My favorite Dance Marathon moment has to be my first main event with a Miracle Child Aidyn. Among being a cancer survivor, undergoing over 30 surgeries, and relearning how to walk 7 times, Aidyn is also deaf. That year, Dance Marathon was actually on his birthday, and it was the first time he had ever been out of the hospital on his birthday. We “sang” happy birthday to him by dancing along to happy birthday and smiling up at him. He turned to his mom and signed “is all of this for me?” and for me the defining moment was when his mom was able to tell him that yes, it was all for him. Everyday, I remember that everything we do is for our kids like Aidyn. It can be the simplest of actions to us, but it means the world to our kids.  

How can people get involved? People can get involved by visiting audancemarathon.com to find out more and register for our Main Event on February 11, 2017! We also have a 5K coming up on October 8th in Auburn where participants can meet the kids. 

Cathlene is a senior studying journalism and women's studies at Auburn University. She has been a part of Her Campus Auburn for three years and is in her first year as Campus Correspondent. When she isn't studying and working on Her Campus, she enjoys baking desserts, reading young adult fiction and watching Netflix (mainly Friends, The Office and The Great British Baking Show). Some of her favorite things include Disney, desserts and fluffy animals to cuddle. Cathlene aspires to write for a magazine once she graduates and hopefully move back to Los Angeles. 
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