By Kate Griffin
Special to GoHolyCross.com

When she is not practicing her dives up at the pool or working on her Psychology research project, senior Erin Hillis (Derby, Conn.) is pursuing another passion, working to end HIV/AIDS with the help of the Holy Cross community. Hillis, a diver on the women's swimming and diving team, was one of two Co-Chairs for Holy Cross' annual Dance Marathon. Dance Marathon is a fundraiser held in the Hogan Ballroom every January for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Those who sign up to participate as dancers are required to fundraise a minimum of $100. The Holy Cross community fundraised just under $34,000 and had about 275 participants, the most that Dance Marathon has ever had.

Hillis was motivated to become involved with Dance Marathon her freshman year. When she found out that there was an event where she could dance for 12 hours straight she said, “I love dancing! This is so for me!” Once she learned more about what the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation was she became even more passionate about the cause. “The money we raised benefited kids,” said Hillis. “Once I went to the event I absolutely fell in love with it, wanted to continue with it and get more involved.”

Hillis jumped at the opportunity to become more involved with Dance Marathon the following year. During her sophomore year, Hillis joined the steering committee, which is the planning committee for Dance Marathon. She moved up to treasurer her junior year and became co-chair her senior year. Hillis' love for the event and passion for helping others kept her involved in Dance Marathon all four years.

Hillis fell in love with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the services it provides. “The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation raises money for women and children who are infected with HIV,” said Hillis. “They give mothers who are HIV positive prenatal care so they do not pass the virus on to their children.” The organization also provides medication to children so that they can live normal lives with HIV.

“When I came in as a first year, 1,200 women and children were infected with HIV everyday. This year the number went down to 600, so in the three and a half years I have been here the number was cut in half.” That reduction is thanks to the work of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the fundraising events like Dance Marathon. “Ultimately, we are working to get the number down to zero. The goal is achievable.”

Hillis has a personal connection to HIV/AIDS. “Once I found out what this organization does, I fell in love with it,” said Hillis. “I hadn't heard of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation before I came here, but my uncle actually contracted HIV and got AIDS and eventually died in the 1990s.” Her personal connection, love for dancing and positive attitude made her a perfect Co-Chair for this event.

With Hillis as Co-Chair, the event was bigger than ever in 2016. She, as well as the other three members of the executive board, managed a steering committee of 15 students and met with the two faculty advisors. This was the fifth year Dance Marathon was held at Holy Cross and the goal was to get people more aware of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the amazing work it does for mothers and children with HIV/AIDS.

Running an event like Dance Marathon is a huge undertaking. As an athlete, and a student at Holy Cross, it is difficult to manage it all. “It is hard but when you love something as much as I love Dance Marathon and diving, it is not hard,” said Hillis.

She explains that time management is key to balancing her workload. The planning committee started in their work in September. Over the course of the year, the executive board and the steering committee became very close with all the work that they did to make Dance Marathon go smoothly. “I love the executive board and the steering committee, working with them was fun, not work,” said Hillis. Hillis was able to manage a team of 15 members, with many differing opinions. Despite the work, the event went off without a hitch and was a huge success. Hillis explained the key is that each person is in charge of one specific thing. “Everyone is an expert in their committee, everyone works together and it works out.”

In addition to the work Hillis does with athletics she is also an SRD, Student Resident Director, of Williams Hall. Her work in Residence Life and Housing, managing a team of five resident assistants, is just another leadership role Hillis balances everyday. As an SRD, Hillis runs weekly staff meetings, meets with her RAs for individual meetings and performs campus-wide duty a few times a month.

Hillis had plenty of experience working on a team as a student-athlete.  Hillis said that her experience at Holy Cross has been defined by her involvement in athletics and by the work she did on Dance Marathon. She made some of her closest friends through both groups. Hillis explained that she had to learn to be comfortable diving in front of a lot of people, and working on a team with both the swimmers and the divers. “With Dance Marathon, I was again working on a team, working with a national organization. These are things I had never done before I came here.”   

Hillis is one of the busiest students on campus, between academics, diving, Dance Marathon and her position in Residence Life and Housing. “These activities have made me grow as a person, I was truly pushed outside of my comfort zone,” said Hillis.

The success of Dance Marathon, including the $34,000 raised, is a testament to the type of athletes and passion present at Holy Cross. Hillis is a true leader in and out of the pool and is always up for the fight against Pediatric HIV/AIDS.

For more information check out http://hcdm.up4thefight.org/