Our History
The Founding
Ayuda was founded in Spring 2012. Originally, a group of 8-10 friends wanted a place where they could all get together to celebrate THON, regardless of what committee they were on. It wasn't until THON 2013 when things really took off; Ayuda started canning, holding fundraisers, and were paired with the Gora Family.
The Name
One of the founding members of Ayuda, Anthony, was Spanish. He was also involved in another organization at Penn State called Mission Mexico, which travels to help children and communities in need. The original execs got to talking about how the word "Ayuda" means "help" in Spanish, and since that is exactly what we aim to do, the name stuck!
The First Year
The meetings were short, sometimes 3 minutes long. They had no idea how to fundraise. Restaurants wouldn't organize fundraisers with them. The freshmen thought they were all crazy. Luckily, family and friends brought in donations, as well as other friends on committees who credited their funds to Ayuda. By a stroke of luck, Ayuda were able to enter the dancer lottery and secure two dancers in their very first year.
Ayuda's First THON
Their first THON weekend was a blast. Julie and Sonia were Ayuda's first two dancers, and they had a solid support group of about 6 dedicated members in the stands all weekend (the rest were, of course, supporting on the floor from their various committees). Ayuda's total came in around 14th, not bad for their first year of serious fundraising!
Previous Executive Boards
THON 2023
President: Julia Briselli
Vice President: Quinten Moslak
Donor and Alumni Relations: Sydney Kane
Family Relations: Ashley Sellars
Family relations: Miranda Shannon
Fundraising: Chris Jeffreys
Fundraising: Maura Wurster
Public Relations: Angela Almanza
Special Events: Dylan Miller
Special Events: Maddison Fuller
THON 2022
President: Jared Waldman
Vice President: Molly Ellis
Special Events: Jon Horstman
Donor and Alumni Relations: Sydney Kane
Fundraising: Julia Briselli
Fundraising: Collin Wildstein
Family Relations: Ashley Sellars
Member Relations: Tom Lichtel
Public Relations: Angela Almanza
THON 2021
President: Emily Briselli
Vice President: Aaron Crist
Donor and Alumni Relations: Shelby Sellars
Special Events: Max Hastie
Special Events: Jared Waldman
Family Relations: Alexis Neimeyer
Family Relations: Drew Bennison
Fundraising: Meg Gerrity
Fundraising: Ed Patterson
Member Relations: Hunter Peirson
Public Relations: Rachel Miller
THON 2019
President: Bennet Brooks
Vice President: Joe McGonigal
Special Projects: Emily Briselli
Special Projects: Thomas Bower
Fundraising: Aaron Crist
Fundraising: Sam Lewis
Donor and Alumni Relations: Trevor Waldman
Family Relations: Alexis Neimeyer
Family Relations: Drew Bennison
THON 2018
President: Kyle Bennison
Vice President: Matt Skwirut
Special Projects: Billie Shipon
Special Projects: Tarik Embar
Fundraising: Trevor Waldman
Fundraising: Joe McGonigal
Donor and Alumni Relations: Mike Piazza
Family Relations: Bennet Brooks
Family Relations: Haleigh Cavalier
THON 2017
President: Cody Meckes
Vice President: Chrissy Scaglione
Recruitment: Tim Piazza
Special Projects: Jacob Reagan
Special Projects: Joe McGonigal
Fundraising: Matt Skwirut
Fundraising: Bennet Brooks
Fundraising: Mike Piazza
Family Relations: Ryan Lamb
Family Relations: Haleigh Cavalier
THON 2016
President: Andrew German
Vice President: Maria Baldonieri
Canning: Colin Crist
Special Projects: Kyle Bennison
Special Projects: Cody Meckes
Fundraising: Matt Skwirut
Fundraising: Chrissy Scaglione
Family Relations: Ryan Lamb
Family Relations: Ryan Taylor
THON 2015
President: Andrew German
Vice President: Alyssa Neimeyer
Special Projects: Elaina Ripepi
Special Projects: Ryan Taylor
Fundraising: Colin Crist
Fundraising: Maria Baldonieri
Family Relations: JT Malorgio
Family Relations: Erica Lyle
THON 2014
Co-President: Andrew German
Co-President: Pete Papageorge
Recruitment: Maria Baldonieri
Recruitment: JT Malorgio
Fundraising: Alyssa Neimeyer
Fundraising: Jessie Aylward
Family Relations: Erica Lyle
Family Relations: Anthony Potter
Historian: Casey Repasy
Secretary: Julie Weiss
Treasurer: Emily Fries
THON 2013
President: Pete Papageorge
Vice President: Anthony Potter
Recruitment: Vu Evans
Recruitment: BJ Johnson
Fundraising: Brendan Gill
Fundraising: Alyssa Kaplan
Treasurer: Emily Fries
Family Relations: Julia Ross
Special Projects: Erica Lyle
Special Projects: Jessie Aylward
Web Team: Maria Baldonieri
Secretary: Julie Weiss
Canning: Sonia Gaur