Using Your Skills for Your Passions

I have been contemplating what I wanted this blog to be about for a while. The typical ideas come to mind about “What Dance Marathon Means to Me” or “How I got involved”, but I wanted to combine these two and talk about how thankful I am to have found such a wonderful organization, and how it has taught me to use my skills for my passions.

My story. Ever since I can remember I have always had some health problems. I remember having weekend trips to Iowa City, for check ups and appointments. Thankfully, I never had anything too serious, but I can tell you that the impact on my family was slightly tough, financially speaking. To this day, I still have my health issues, but about 6 years ago I have had another experience that has brought me more connections to the hospital. My niece was born pre-maturely in Iowa City at the children's hospital. She weighed 3 pounds and 10 ounces when she was born. I remember being blown away by the care that was given to my niece and her mother. I visited a few days after she was born and even me and my parents were treated so kindly, and that has really stuck out to me, and makes me realize how great this cause is.

I have been apart of UNI Dance Marathon for three years now, and I have never been happier with my decision of joining. My first year I joined a team, and I was not very involved other than fundraising here and there. My first event I ever went to was the Black Tie Affair, and that is the moment that I fell in love with the organization. I have always been super into the creative field, and knew that some type of creative skill was what I wanted to give back to this organization.

The next year I was lucky enough to be selected as the Assistant Director of Media - Head Videographer. Through that year I started to realize when you combine your skills and interests into something that you are passionate about, you really find a true definition of happiness. As the year progressed, and we crushed our goal of $500,000, I started thinking about applying for the executive board position Director of Design.

I now serve as the Director of Design for UNI Dance Marathon, and it has been one of the most humbling experiences I have ever had. It has allowed me to understand that your skills and talents don’t just have to be a hobby, but you can use them for something even bigger than yourself.

Long story short, if I could give anyone advice, it would be to find something you are passionate about, find something you really enjoy and are good at, and combine the two. I always thought that hobbies were their own special thing, but it has changed my life realizing how to use them to their full potential.