DePaul’s DemonTHON, a 24-hour dance marathon held April 20 and 21, raised $103,700 for Children’s Memorial Hospital and Children’s Miracle Network. The amount raised by DePaul was the largest first-year total in history for any college dance marathon, according to Bill Mattera, staff advisor for the event.

170 schools nationwide hold dance marathon fundraisers each year, and the previous first-year fundraising record was $66,000. About 140 dancers and 120 volunteers – all DePaul students – participated in the event in McGrath Arena.

 “DePaul was able to set some records because of our amazing students being committed to our neighbors at Children’s Memorial Hospital,” says Mattera, a residence director in Residential Education.  “This extreme dedication allowed us to become the standard bearer for first-year marathons. Faculty and staff should be exceptionally proud of these Blue Demons.”