On March 29, the Villanova community will come together once again for the 12th annual dance marathon, NOVAdance. The day is filled with music and celebration. However, many do not realize that this event is not just a day-long endeavor, but rather a year-long effort. NOVAdance and its fundraising efforts are the result of months of tireless fundraising work by committee members and the wider Villanova community. It’s these efforts and the emotional dedication from the NOVAdance team that make the event so impactful rather than just the dance moves we see on the day itself.
NOVAdance benefits the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, which supports families affected by pediatric cancer. Every $1,000 raised goes directly toward funding a family’s needs. This year, NOVAdance is trying to raise $700,000, which would allow them to support 700 families. While this may just appear as a number to some, these are real families whose lives are made a little easier because of this event and the Villanova community.
This is a large number, though, and to be able to reach it takes a lot of effort and strategic planning. Aadi Sharma, a junior and current finance chair of this event, knows this plan better than anyone. This year, the $700,000 they are trying to raise is the most ever.
“Each year we try and beat our goal from the last year,” Sharma said. “Hitting $600,000 was a surprise to the whole university. Now, we’re aiming even higher.”
While the goal may seem ambitious, so do the efforts and creative ways Sharma and his team are trying to raise funds. Sharma emphasizes that it is not just their efforts on the day-of that allow them to reach this goal. The total they raise is a culmination of year-long efforts. Sharma emphasizes that even those who are not part of the NOVADance event can still donate to help the team reach its goal.
“We have an alumni committee, and our student involvement team reaches out to different clubs and organizations,” Sharma said. “NovaDance is not just a day-long effort, it’s a year-long one.”
However, reaching this goal does present challenges. While the wider Villanova community is normally happy to help the first few times, Sharma describes how retention can become an issue, which the team has had to overcome.
“I think one of the biggest challenges is retention,” Sharma said. “We get a lot of our fundraising through emails and texts. It gets redundant and people get unmotivated.”
This is why the NOVAdance team is shifting focus and not simply trying to ask for money, but trying to invite people into the experience.
“We tell people to embrace NOVAdance themselves,” Sharma said. “Don’t make people a money machine, show them the kids they’re impacting.”
NOVAdance is an event that exemplifies what makes Villanova so special. While $700,000 might seem like just a number, it represents the hope and resilience of families facing pediatric cancer. Villanova’s values of caritas, unitas and veritas aren’t just phrases we hear around campus, but students like Sharma and his team show how they are values that we live out. While the day itself is a way for Villanova students to show their support for these families, it is the efforts and willingness of the wider community all year long that allow this event to be a success.
