Students can dance from 3:30 p.m. until 1 a.m. today in the Danna Center to win prizes and raise money for the United Way.

The Student Government Association, University Programming Board and the Black Student Union are co-sponsoring the Loyola Dance-athon, today from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.

James Jarc, president of UPB, Bea Forlano, president of SGA, and Tyrone St. Junior, President of BSU, along with members of each group, have been working together for about a month and a half in preparation of the event.

According to Jarc, about eighty percent of the faculty and staff donate to the United Way.

“The Dance-athon is a great way for the Loyola students to contribute to the cause,” he said.

“There will be many faculty and staff in attendance, some serving as celebrity judges.

“They will determine who keeps dancing and who gets eliminated.”

“Since it isn’t just a campaign to raise money, but actually an event that we all think will be highly enjoyable, it may hopefully turn into an annual event,” Forlano added.

“We are hoping to get some media coverage for the event, and one of our goals is to not only challenge the Loyola community as a whole to become part of the United Way campaign, but also the external community.”

The competition will lastuntil 1 a.m.

The last person dancing will win the grand prize.

There also will be raffles and other prizes, such as gift certificates to local restaurants, tickets to sports events and even a meal plan.

The cost is $5 to dance, $7 to dance and recieve five free drink tickets, or $10 to dance, recieve five free drink tickets, and recieve a t-shirt.

Registration ends at 3:30 p.m. today in the Danna Center.