As Villanova’s annual NOVAdance marathon approaches in mere days, many student clubs and organizations are in their final stretch of fundraising. In addition to this, they have been getting to know their B+ Heroes for many months now. However, NOVAdance was not always campus-wide.
Originally, NOVAdance was introduced to Villanova’s campus by Greek life and remained a panhellenic opportunity until relatively recently. Now, other organizations, such as Blue Key and club sports, have joined in on the fun. In addition to clubs that sponsor B+ Heroes, other student groups have been signing up to participate in the marathon. Some, like student musical theatre, are even set to perform on the big day. The question is, should NOVAdance and the B+ Foundation continue to expand to more student groups on campus? It is easy to answer yes, but in practice, it is more complex than it seems.
Senior Associate Athletic Director Allison Venella explained that pairing a B+ Hero with students is quite the intense process, and that it takes the perfect fit, emotionally and treatment-wise, in order for heroes to be paired with student groups. In addition to this, it is important not to lose sight of the emotional companionship aspect of B+. While, yes, fundraising is important, and money is raised via campus influence, the student organizations that take a hero must be emotionally equipped to be around a child, especially one that is undergoing cancer treatment.
For this reason, I want to heed readers to keep the true meaning of NOVAdance in mind. I think that often, when it comes to charity, it is easy to get lost in the appearance or incentive aspect of it. Think about the food drives that we all had in elementary school. The class that donated the most would get a pizza party. But this is the special thing about Villanova: we participate in charity and common good without the need for fame or repayment. This is where I have a hard time differentiating my opinions. Should all clubs make an effort to partake in NOVAdance even if they are not a great fit for it? Probably not. I think that something that people often forget about volunteer work is that you have to do it well. You can’t just show up to a women’s shelter and sit on your phone the whole time, just to say that you did something nice.
I’ve often wondered, as I am sure many other students have, why Villanova’s varsity athletics haven’t taken on B+ Heroes. After all, if our athletes, specifically our basketball players, are so influential on campus, why would they not take on a hero?
“We have very honest conversations with the team impact staff about which teams can take that commitment on at the current time,” Venella said. “So for instance, a head-coach transition… that might not be the best time for a team to take on a team impact match. It’s a two year commitment, and with a new head coach, there’s a lot of change taking place during that time… and maybe that experience wouldn’t be the best experience for the child and their family.”
After hearing Venella say this, my perspective certainly shifted.
Aside from the fact that NOVAdance isn’t purely about money, it is once again important to evaluate the ability of teams to sponsor a hero. If they have a busy schedule, or like Villanova’s men’s basketball team, are facing a lot of turbulence and uncertainty, it is difficult to set aside time to do a lot of other things, especially when it comes to getting to know a family and their child. This brings me back to the idea of performative charity and activism that I alluded to earlier. When it comes to something as impactful as NOVAdance, one cannot partake in it simply to look good. The objective of it is too large and too meaningful to put in minimal effort. Therefore, if Villanova’s athletes are unable to put 100%, it is better and more respectable for the teams to recognize that and help out in other ways.
At the end of the day, it’s easier than one would think to lose sight of charity’s goal. NOVAdance makes a great example of where Villanovans fully and completely lean into our spirit of caritas and put our all into the things that we care about. Although it is wonderful to see a foundation as great as B+ to continue spreading, let us not forget the true meaning of its impact.
