Northwestern University’s Dance Marathon is officially no longer just an NU tradition, as it was named the nation’s Most Influential College Organization at the third annual Classy Awards in San Diego Saturday.
The ceremony is the largest philanthropic award show in the country, and it recognizes charities, businesses and individuals with honors and prizes in 12 different categories. StayClassy, an online fundraising organization that provides communication tools to nonprofits, sponsored the event.
With the national honor, NUDM earned $10,000 toward its 2012 fundraising total, according to a press release. The award and sum are testaments to past participants’ dedication, NUDM Executive Co-Chair Kunal Joshi said.
“We are so thrilled, and so grateful to be awarded this amazing honor,” Joshi said in a statement. “Every year, Northwestern students have worked so hard to take DM to greater heights, and this national accolade gives everyone’s efforts unparalleled validation.”
NUDM was one of 25 organizations nominated for the Classy Awards in late July. After a public Facebook poll, it was recognized as a finalist in the Most Influential College Organization category. The other nine finalists in the category included, among others, sororities donating time and money to children’s hospitals and a student group organizing tornado relief in Alabama.
The recognition and funds will help jumpstart NUDM’s efforts this year, according to Executive Co-Chair Scott Ritter. The organization has raised $12 million for various charities since 1975, and it will surely look to improve on its 2011 total of nearly $1.02 million at next year’s marathon on March 2.
“It’s an amazing feeling to kick off the school year and DM 2012’s fundraising with such a start,” Ritter said in a statement. “There is no question that this is the first step in making this year’s DM the most successful one we’ve ever had.”