John McNiell met Allison Peters in seventh grade, but he didn’t ask her out until their senior year of high school.
They dated for less than a year before graduation separated the couple. McNiell, senior in aerospace engineering, landed in Auburn while Peters decided to study biology at the University of Alabama. They resolved to make their relationship work despite the distance.
McNiell and Peters quickly became busy with their different schools and different classes.
But their college experiences began to overlap in a unique way: they both found their niche with Dance Marathon, a nationwide movement involving college and high school students that supports Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
The organization raises awareness and money throughout the year, building up to a 12-40-hour event where students stay on their feet through dancing, games, entertainment and interaction with children’s hospital patients and families in support of children served by their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.
Peters was introduced to the organization by a friend and McNiell randomly signed up during Organization Days on the concourse.
At first, McNiell said, they thought Dance Marathon was a competition between universities.
“That’s not what it is, though,” McNiell said. “We learned it was way more about helping each other grow and building each other’s programs.”
Throughout their four years in college, McNiell and Peters’ relationship grew stronger, along with their passion for Dance Marathon.
Peters became president of Alabama’s chapter during her junior year, and McNiell was appointed president of Auburn’s chapter during his senior year.
They often give each other guidance about how to run their programs, McNiell said.
“Sometimes she probably has better advice since she’s been president for two years,” McNiell said. “She lets me learn.”
Their relationship has helped Dance Marathon members from Auburn and Alabama bond, Peters said.
“It opened up communication between staff members,” Peters said. “It’s not a competition, but a chance to grow.
Four years after they made their relationship official, surrounded by Christmas lights and flowers, McNiell proposed to Peters on his front porch, where the two “spent many summer nights together” in high school.
“I got a little suspicious when we got dressed up and went to a nice restaurant,” Peters said. “But we had such a fantastic night together. By the time he actually proposed I was so shocked and so giddy.”
The couple plans to wed in August, but the date is still up in the air, Peters said. They intend to stay involved with Dance Marathon after they graduate from college, through donations and alumni programs.
“People call us a ‘power couple,’ but really we just love what we do,” McNiell said. "We’re so thankful for the opportunity we’ve been given to lead these great programs.”
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