Updated April 9 at 7:58 p.m.

In hopes of encouraging students’ involvement in community service, students and alumni have formed Biola’s first ever dance-a-thon, called Biolathon.

An unusual fundraiser

The organizers of the event hope to raise money for Homeboy Industries and In the City, two charities located in L.A., according to director of logistics and production for the event and junior business major Rachel Cordill. Homeboy Industries serves as a gang intervention program and In the City provides after school programs for kids in very low income communities who struggle with their classes.

Biolathon remains unusual due to Biola’s dancing policy, which states university-sponsored dance events are not allowed. Because Biola has a policy regarding dancing, senior cinema and media arts major and executive director of the event Jason Khera proposed to administration that the 12-hour dance-a-thon would be led by people and include different types of dancing such as swing dancing, hip-hop and Zumba.

“The event is led by dance instruction,” Khera said. “It is sanctioned choreographed dancing, but it is in such a way that still allows participants to come and go as they please.”

Standing for a cause

Students have to commit to the entire time of the dance-a-thon, but do not have to dance the full 12 hours. They can stay within the dancing area as long as they please and enjoy a few dance instructions, special speakers, performances and games. The staff believes the fundraising will be successful with everyone’s personal fundraising goals combined.

“People commit to signing up and have their own personal fundraising goal to raise money for the cause.” Khera said. “With them attending the event, they literally take a stand for consolidarity for our causes.”

The 12-hour Biolathon will take place on May 6, 2017 in Studio A of the Production Center. Early registration officially closed this past Thursday, March 30.

“Now that we are down to the last month, we are pushing hard for marketing and getting people signed up,” Cordill said.

A new precedent

While fundraising for the event remains slow because the event is new, Biolathon staff hopes to promote the event more within the next month with social media and an information table outside on campus.

The Biolathon staff remains encouraged by the possible outcome of the event, in which students and organizations will benefit.

“My hope is to completely set a new precedent for our student body’s commitment to local community service,” Khera said.

Both the students and alumni helping in the event hope it will truly impact the community’s two nonprofit organizations, Homeboy Industries and In the City.

“I hope in the years to come, Biola would continue to do this and raise money for nonprofit organizations,” said Aaron Henderson, director of marketing and communications for the event and senior communications studies major.