To raise awareness and support St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, University of Alabama students and faculty will take to the Student Recreation Center on March 2 to participate in Up ‘til Dawn’s spring event.

The program, which takes place from 2 to 6 p.m., aims to join faculty and students together in the fight against pediatric cancer.

While attending, students will have the opportunity to participate in games and activities, including a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a rock climbing wall, a Zumba class and a wing-eating contest sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings.

Participants will also be able to address pre-written letters to friends and family asking them to help join in the fight against childhood cancer. Up ‘til Dawn is a student-led, student-run event that has been hosted by over 375 colleges and universities since its creation in 1999.

Rachael Edington, the program’s faculty advisor for the University of Alabama, feels that this year’s student coordinators have really committed to the program.

“Students have done all the work,” Edington said. “I’m just here for logistics. These students are the ones that have put in the work to pull all of this together.”

Last year, the University of Alabama’s Up ‘til Dawn raised over $18,000, and students running the event have high hopes for this year.

Edington anticipates the event will raise closer to $20,000 due to a change in the venue and time. Last year’s program took place at a later time in the Ferguson Center, and students hope more of their classmates and faculty will be able to participate by moving the event to the Rec and hosting it in the afternoon.

Students also participated in additional fundraising activities in the fall leading up to this event.

Up ‘til Dawn Week was a week in which each day was designated an activity to promote awareness. On Monday, students passed out lollipops and information about St. Jude’s, and on Tuesday, the Quad was “flagged” in order to bring attention to how many lives St. Jude has saved so far.

Additional fundraising included a percentage night at Zoe’s Kitchen, where the restaurant donated a percentage of its earnings towards pediatric cancer research.

Executive Director Zita Orji anticipates that the student involvement from this year will grow the organization’s recognition on campus.

“The reason this year is different is because it’s our second consecutive year with a finale event that’s something more than letter writing,” Orji said. “It’s fun for students and something we have been striving for. I don’t think it takes away from our St. Jude cause. It just adds to student participation and gives us more recognition as a student group.”

The intent of the students leading the program is to make Up ‘til Dawn and St. Jude a recognizable name on campus and continue to gain support from students and faculty.

“I think that in the years to come, students will be able to recognize our event and realize its importance,” Orji said.