On April 1, student-athletes at Millersville University partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to make a dream come true for 8-year-old Olivia Neupauer. The event took place during the Millersville Metrics track and field meet, where the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) revealed that Olivia and her family will be taking a weeklong trip to Walt Disney World Resort at the end of April.

"I can't express how thankful we are," said Olivia's mother, Eftihia. "I was blown away with the time and effort that the students, directors and coaches put in."

As the Neupauer family, which resides in Lancaster, arrived at Biemesderfer Stadium on Millersville University's campus, they were met by a cluster of students holding signs to welcome Olivia. After their arrival, Olivia and her four siblings played games with student-athletes, completed arts and crafts and watched "Hannah Montana," Olivia's favorite show. When it came time for the reveal, the Neupauer family entered the stadium amidst a wave of cheers, through a tunnel created by the student-athletes. "Everyone was cheering her on and made all of us feel so special," Eftihia said. "I couldn't believe all these people were out there to support her."

The reveal was especially meaningful to the Neupauer family because Olivia's father, Andy, is a former player on Millersville University's football team. During the event, the SAAC gave Andy a jersey with the number he wore while on the team. Eftihia and Andy are both Millersville University alumni and they met when they were students.

Four years ago, Olivia was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a disease characterized by scarring in the kidneys. After several years of battling the disease, Olivia is in remission and continues to take medication. Olivia's family first contacted the Make-A-Wish Foundation when she was diagnosed but was unaware of Millersville University's involvement with the program. Through the SAAC's fundraising efforts, the expenses for the trip, such as airfares, the hotel stay and passes to the theme park, will all be covered.

The SAAC raises money year-round for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in a variety of ways, including trivia nights, collecting donations at sporting events and its largest fundraiser: an annual talent show at the Winter Center. During the talent show, many of the school's sports teams sign up to sing, perform dance routines and offer magic shows. Other groups outside of the athletic teams often participate in the show as well, such as dance troupes and cheer teams. "It's a fun night of watching people make fools of themselves and raise money for a good cause," said Sami Fried, vice president of the SAAC. The 2023 talent show was held on April 23 to raise funds for next year's Make-A-Wish reveal.

The partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation includes multiple schools and divisions. This year's event marks the fifth time that Millersville University's athletic department has organized a wish reveal during a sporting event on campus. "The event puts into perspective that athletics is bigger than just sports," Fried said. "We got to make this girl and her family's day by granting her wish. The smile on Olivia's face made this bigger than us and bigger than sports."