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By Ben Barberie
As I near graduation, I find it hard to fully explain just how much my involvement in various organizations at the University of Louisville has shaped me into the person I am today, but I have several to thank. My membership in the Sigma Chi fraternity was an early factor in my growth and has remained a consistent one. My Student Government Association responsibilities and roles have evolved as the years have gone by. The one organization that has shaped me most, however, has been raiseRED.
I was lucky enough to experience two in-person marathons, one in 2018 and another in 2020 as the Student Outreach Coordinator for Sigma Chi. I unfortunately could not participate in 2019 because I was studying abroad in the Netherlands, but I cheered on dancers and offered support from afar. This year trying to emulate the experience of something so wonderful in a virtual format was incredibly trying but was also by far the most rewarding year of my involvement with the organization.
As the Finance Director for this year’s marathon, I maintained one of the four director positions that manage our 22-person board. Building a culture of collaboration was difficult over Zoom and Teams, but as time progressed, I grew very close with the rest of the board and am proud to now call them great friends. They are each incredible people who pour their heart and soul into the organization.
From the outset, we aimed to be as accessible a marathon as possible this year. From reduced registration fees and dancer minimum fundraising targets to the addition of community service-based leadership positions, I feel that we met that goal well. We also turned the sometimes-frustrating medium of Zoom into an asset by engaging alumni, friends, family, and others from all across the country in public events and video calls.
We also partnered with the University of Kentucky’s DanceBlue for the first time ever and ran a joint fundraising week called the Commonwealth Cup. In doing so, we put a rivalry aside to unite in a common fight, and it ultimately was an unforgettable experience. I am excited to see how that joint push will change cancer and blood disorder care and research for children in the state of Kentucky over the coming years.
What I am proud of most though is the impact raiseRED made this year in the lives of those who need hope the most. Amid a pandemic, myself and others have been able to virtually interact with the Cardinal Kids who are cared for at the Norton Children’s Cancer Institute and really connect with and remind ourselves of the true, defining phrase of raiseRED – that it’s all For The Kids.
raiseRED annually produces small miracles, and this year was no different. Many dance marathons at colleges and universities across the country are seeing 35-40% drops in their fundraising totals from prior years due to the pandemic. raiseRED’s was closer to a 25% decline. The $507,203.37 raised this year is a testament to the dedication, passion, and will of 757 registered student dancers whose hard work makes a fundamental difference in the lives of those across the greater Louisville area and the whole state of Kentucky. I deeply believe that this organization represents the best of what the University of Louisville has to offer, and I am eternally blessed to have worked with so many wonderful people because of it.
This place – the city, the university, the people, all of it – has shaped me into a better person. Being from Lexington, I felt like I took a chance by coming to UofL, and my experience here has exceeded my expectations and asks tenfold. I have had many long days and short nights of sleep this year from trying to manage all sorts of roles and responsibilities, but I will graduate in May with a full heart, nothing left on the table, and with no regrets.
Ben Barberie is a McConnell Scholar in the class of 2021. He is studying political science and economics at the University of Louisville.