Darrell Pirtle didn’t participate in student organizations his freshman year.

Now a senior, he cites that as one of his biggest mistakes.  “Who knows who else I could have impacted?” says Darrell, the president of Jagathon, IUPUI’s Dance Marathon benefiting Riley Hospital for Children.  

Since joining the Jagathon committee in his sophomore year, Darrell has impacted countless students and families, helping to raise well over $100,000 for Riley Hospital.  The experience has changed him forever as well, exposing him to travel, education, and a career path he wasn’t anticipating.

Darrell, an Exercise Science major, joined the kinesiology Themed Learning Community (TLC) his freshman year, planning to focus on academics and getting the grades he needed to become an athletic trainer.  By his second year, he wanted more than the classroom for his college experience.  He reached out to his TLC mentor who encouraged him to join her on the Jagathon committee.  He did, and found a community of students committed to giving back and having fun.

He took on more responsibility within the committee in his junior year, and when it was time to select a president for his final year he put his name in for consideration.  “I got to see what you can do when you have time, when you have passion, when you have drive, when you want to give back to something. I really wanted to come back, but I didn’t just want to come back – I wanted to make an impact.”

Making an impact

All of these initiatives are paying off for Darrell and Jagathon.  The 2015-2016 campaign looks to be the most successful in the dance marathon’s history – even raising $24,000 in a single day – and Darrell has found a new passion and career path in higher education student affairs. A chance meeting with IUPUI's Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs reminded Darrell that his dance marathon experience doesn't have to end when he graduates. Starting with an internship with the IU Foundation this summer, Darrell will undoubtedly continue to impact IUPUI, Indianapolis, and beyond.