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Villanova celebrates “Up ‘til Dawn”
Kevin Maher ’04

Quoting St. Augustine, Father Dobbin, University President, opened the “Up ‘til Dawn” celebration on March 15 in the Jake Nevin Field house with the inspiring words, “The love of God is the same as the love of other human beings.” And it is this love for others that birthed Villanova’s Up ‘til Dawn program, a program where teams work throughout the year to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, St. Jude Children’s Hospital is “an internationally recognized biomedical research canter dedicated to finding cures for catastrophic childhood diseases.” Through the work of the dedicated physicians and scientists at St. Jude the survival rate for childhood cancer has increased from 20 percent in 1962 to over 70 percent today.

Since all St. Jude patients are treated regardless of their ability to pay, the Up ‘til Dawn program was founded on Universities across the nation to work with the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities in covering the costs for all families without insurance.

With one tenth of the student body participating in the program’s first year on campus, Up ‘til Dawn’s most recent total funds raised was $102,687. That amount won Villanova recognition as being the top Catholic fundraising institution as well as second school in the nation for fundraising totals.

The actual total though was not announced until the closing ceremonies of the final celebration where the students stay “Up ‘til Dawn.” This concept as well as the programs name was conceived to pay tribute to the dedicated parents who stay up ‘til dawn next to the beds of their children patients.

With this in mind each student received a bracelet of a St. Jude patient upon entry to the festivities. As patient’s pictures scrolled by on a projection screen to the left of the stage, participants heard the words of Father Dobbin as well as of patient families. One mother thanked the group for giving her the chance to have her now healthy son with her today. An Up ‘til dawn representative was on hand to praise the efforts of the program’s advisor, Phil O’Neill, Assistant Director of Student Development, Greek Life, as well as the organization’s executive board.

After Mass and a variety of activities, the ceremony ended in the morning hours when a final patient spoke, the total was revealed and the Morale Dance, which was taught in four parts throughout the night, was completed in full.

With such achievement in just its first year, the Up ‘til Dawn program looks forward to future successes in years to come.