UNIVERSITY PARK – More than 100 students from the College of Communications will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience when they work together to produce live streaming coverage of the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) for the fourth year in a row.
Telecommunications students in two courses — COMM 283W, Introduction to Audio and Visual Communications, and COMM 383, Production Administration — both taught by senior lecturer Maria Cabrera-Baukus, comprise the core of the production crew for the Webcast of THON. In addition, several other students from different majors eagerly volunteered to assist with the effort.
THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. This year’s 46-hour marathon begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, and runs until 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, at the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus.
“The Webcast is most definitely a great way to give back and for students to see video production and practice their skills,” said Cabrera-Baukus, who teaches teaches television production, production management and broadcast programming, and has abundant professional experience in television. “It’s exciting. You can feel the energy. It’s a great experience.”
The online coverage, which will be available at www.thon.org as well as televised on the University Park cable television system, incorporates live floor coverage, pre-produced video packages and video of other aspects of THON. The students will get support from faculty and staff in the college, as well as key technical support from Information Technology Services at Penn State and Penn State Public Broadcasting’s WPSU-TV.
Cabrera-Baukus said the primary focus of the Webcast is to provide a live feed for those who cannot attend the 46-hour event in person, such as THON families, alumni and students.
Along with that important goal to chronicle and document the event, the Webcast has grown in the past few years with improved production techniques that allow timely updates from the dance floor as well as the ability to include taped features and interviews to better convey the work of the thousands of students who make THON a reality each year.
“Rather than simply working on in-class exercises, our students are able to gain real-world experience producing a live telecast that will be seen by thousands of viewers in dozens of countries across the globe,” said Matt Jackson, associate professor and head of the Department of Telecommunications in the College of Communications. “It’s an impressive logistical feat.
“More important, the students experience how communication technologies can be used to connect people and to raise money and awareness for an important cause.”
Since the live Webcast efforts began four years ago, online donations to THON have increased regularly.
Established in 1973, THON has raised $46 million dollars for The Four Diamonds Fund at Hershey Medical Center in efforts to conquer pediatric cancer. Last year’s THON raised more than $5 million.