The Fall semester is a busy time on campus and it’s exciting to explore the hundreds of opportunities available through the likes of local Tallahassee events, student organizations and more. It’s easy to get swept away by it all, but not for one FSU junior. Courtney Tormeno has her sights set on one big thing: Dance Marathon. With Captain applications rolling out, HerCampus sat down to talk to Courtney about the Marathon, what it means to be a Captain and how you can get involved, too!
HerCampus (HC): Thank you for sitting down to talk with me, Courtney! Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Courtney Tormeno (CT): My name is Courtney Tormeno. I’m a junior here at Florida State, majoring in Management Information systems and minoring in Computer Science and Business Analytics. I also have worked for Campus Rec in the past and enjoy playing IM sports like soccer and flag football. I’m a part of a bunch of other organizations on campus, having to do with honor societies and the College of Business, too. I try to spread the love everywhere! One of my favorite things in the world is Dance Marathon. I was a dancer my freshman year, last year as a sophomore I became a captain for Membership and now I’m a coordinator which is incredible. I didn’t realize that joining this organization in the beginning was going to have the impact on me that it did. It has completely changed my life and I am just so thankful to be a part of this organization.
HC: That’s a full plate. How did you first come to be involved with Dance Marathon (DM)?
CT: When I joined my personal organization, a lot of the older girls that had done it and loved it really pushed me into it. The delegate from my organization, Molly, was a part of DM and I could just see the passion she had for the cause whenever she spoke of wanting our organization to go above and beyond the expectations. Something that has always been important to me has been leadership, not only directing people, but pushing them to be better and recognize how much they can achieve. Molly really was that force for me and encouraged me to participate in DM. I decided to go for it and initially only intended to raise the $300 minimum to be able to dance. I ended up raising $1,000 and hitting the Comma Club my first year as a dancer. Just the passion that other people had for this organization was a huge influence on me and made me want to be a part of this movement.
HC: Kudos to you! That’s incredible. So that was you as a dancer, but now you’re a captain. What did that transition entail?
CT: I was thinking of being on the internal side because when I walked into the Marathon, everything changed. Hearing the stories, meeting the families, seeing the Miracle Children run around with a smile on their face without a worry in the world was so impactful to me, so I really wanted to put my passion to further action. My best friends really encouraged me to apply and go through the interview process, and while I was really nervous, it ended up going wonderfully. I mean, here I am today! When I read over the different positions on the application, the Membership captain role stuck out to me because it involves coordinating with the delegates from many other organizations. I just remember the passion that my delegate had for DM and I wanted to instill and experience that with other delegates from across campus. Last year was such a blast and watching the way all of our delegates came together to deal with the adversities that impacted DM was incredibly inspiring. Just seeing everyone come together around one cause was so special. Walking into that Marathon and being in the same room as everyone who loves the same thing that you do was so powerful. Especially in a college environment where sometimes it’s hard to find your place and your people, it was very cool to see 1,900 people all collected with one common goal.
HC: What is involved in the application process itself?
CT: Our applications open at dmfsu.org on Monday, September 3rd and close Thursday, September 13th, so now is the perfect time to get involved! So, there are 16 different teams responsible for the organization of Dance Marathon. Most people are familiar with the Morale team because they are the ones on the floor, so they are often the dancers’ first exposure to the Internal Team of DM. However, there are so many people involved behind the scenes in making the Marathon a success. On the application, there is a breakdown of each position and what its responsibilities are. The application will ask you basic information about yourself and to list your top choices you’d be interested in joining, followed thereafter by an interview. During the interview, the interviewers will ask you questions that correspond with the given team you are applying for. By doing so they are able to feel out if you would be successful and try and work with placing you where your skills would best fit within the program. There is actually going to be a Captain Meet & Greet on Sunday, September 9th in the State Ballroom of the Union. This will be a great opportunity to get exposed to all the different teams, their roles in DM, and speak with a DM Captain about their experiences in the Marathon.
HC: What made you stand out as an applicant back when you were going for a captain position? For example, what kind of experience would one need in order to apply?
CT: Anyone who wants to be on the internal side of this organization, can be a part of it. I learned a lot of stuff along the way. There isn’t a lot of experience necessary because the people around you guide you as you go. While some of the positions, such as graphic design and tech, would be helpful to have background in, truly anyone who has any interest should just go for it and apply! I’ve learned so much from Dance Marathon and it’s only made me better at my job as time has gone by. It is certainly open to anyone and everyone; whether you’ve participated in DM before, a freshman in your first semester, or senior who wants to get involved. It’s open and welcome to all!
HC: You obviously love what you do and have a great passion for it. Does doing any of this work with DM align with your future career goals?
CT: This is actually something I’ve thought a lot about. Being in the College of Business, many of my classes are very time consuming. I’m learning a lot in school and having the opportunity to apply in DM has been so fortunate. I take my role as a leader very seriously and I hope to take with the skills I’ve gained as a leader in DM into the business world; to have a strong sense of confidence, manage a team, collaborate with a group of people to make things happen. I would love to translate what I’ve learned as a Captain into the real world by being able to work with groups of people, organize projects, execute events and be entrusted in managing the logistics of making an event like DM happen. Membership was the perfect team for me because of the business aspect, but there are so many other positions that encompass a wide variety of skills and goals. There’s a team for everyone!
HC: What is your message to someone thinking about joining the Dance Marathon team?
CT: Always be you and be yourself. Even when you don’t know what to expect, if something is going to change your life… let it. When I first came to FSU I was looking for connections and friends and through DM I found it. Looking back, I would have never guessed that I would be sitting here today as the person I am now. Remember that it is a commitment. We’ve been working and planning for it all year and then as soon as it ends, get ready for next year. That said, it never feels like a job. When you sit back and reflect on all the good that you are doing, there’s never a moment where you think it isn’t worth it. You might hear that and think that it’s impossible to balance with other, but I remain actively involved with my other extracurriculars, jobs and making time for friends, as well as managing my schoolwork. School always comes first! Dance Marathon respects that you need to be a good student to be a good captain. The meetings get tailored to class schedules and the best times everyone can meet to make sure the work gets done, but that it doesn’t take over your life 24/7.    Stay confident. It’s easy to lose sight of yourself through all the work and preparation but remember who you are. DM is where I met the people who reminded me that and brought the greatness out of me.   Â
HC: Lastly, I have to ask: Why do you DM?
CT: Your “why” is always changing. I thought I knew why I was a part of DM when I joined, but it’s evolved as I’ve continued on in this organization. I toured UF Health Shand’s Children’s Hospital earlier this year and as I walked through the pediatric ICU, it was full of the tiniest babies in this great big clinical room. When I saw that, it hit me like a ton of bricks. It made me think about all the things I worry about in my life, my successes and failures, the chances I’ve had to makes mistakes and grow: these kids haven’t had that chance. It’s things that I take for granted every single day. I sympathized with their parents and the worry and uncertainty they must feel of having their child in the hospital. So, when I see our Miracle Children running around the Marathon enjoying life or the special stickers on the lifesaving medical equipment that indicate that this was a result of the money we raised through DM, it makes my heart so happy. Being a captain has changed my life and opened my eyes to the amazing things that can happen when all these people get together to makes a positive change. This is my favorite thing to do every single day. I wake up excited to be a part of this great organization and I encourage others to do the same!
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Important Dates:
Monday, September 3rd – Applications Open
Sunday, September 9th – Captain Meet & Greet, State Ballroom in Union (12-5pm)
Thursday, September 13th – Applications Close
For more information about Dance Marathon and to access the application, head to https://www.dmfsu.org/.
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All images courtesy of Courtney Tormeno.