Pennsylvania

Penn State breaks THON fundraising record with over $18 million


THON 2026 raised $18,841,726.53 for Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital
Megan Swift
By Megan Swift
1 Min Read Feb. 23, 2026 | 5 hours Ago
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Penn State’s annual THON fundraising effort surpassed $18 million for the first time ever through this weekend’s dance marathon.

THON 2026 raised $18,841,726.53 for Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital — breaking last year’s total of $17,737,040.93 by more than $1.1 million, the university announced Sunday.

Last year’s THON fundraising total was also record-breaking.

The 46-hour no-sleeping, no-sitting dance marathon began at 6 p.m. Friday and ended at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State’s University Park campus. More than 700 students danced.

THON, the world’s largest student-run philanthropy, has raised more than $272 million for Four Diamonds since 1977.

The past 10 years of THON fundraising totals, according to Four Diamonds, are as follows:

2026: $18,841,726.53

2025: $17,737,040.93

2024: $16,955,683.63

2023: $15,006,132.46

2022: $13,756,374.50

2021: $10,683,078.62

2020: $11,696,942.38

2019: $10,621,683.76

2018: $10,151,663.93

2017: $10,045,478.44

2016: $9,770,332.32

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About the Writers

Megan Swift is a TribLive reporter covering trending news in Western Pennsylvania. A Murrysville native, she joined the Trib full time in 2023 after serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian at Penn State. She previously worked as a Jim Borden Scholarship intern at the Trib for three summers. She can be reached at mswift@triblive.com.

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