Earlier this month, Pearson ran with members of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s "Team in Training" in the Walt Disney World Marathon. RPI fraternities and sororities sponsored him in the run.

Pearson decided to help the Leukemia Society last Spring. At the time, he served as assistant dean of students and director of greek affairs. He asked the greek organizations to help him raise the $3,200 required to enter the race.

When he talked to the interfraternity and panhellenic councils, he was concerned that he might be asking too much.

He said he was pleasantly surprised when one of the fraternity presidents responded, "Is that all you need?"

"One of the really nice things about this is the sheer number of organizations that got involved," Pearson said.

The greeks responded with car washes, dinners, lip sync contests, candy sales, pie throws, can collections, and other fundraisers, ultimately generating nearly twice the necessary amount.

The events began as early as GM Week of last year, and were still going on through when Pearson completed his run. "I think some of them are still going," Pearson said.

"I don’t know how I would’ve raised $3,200 without them," he said.

In addition to helping out the Leukemia Society, Pearson hoped to cast a better light on the greek system. He said greek organizations are too often associated with alcohol and hazing, while their community service efforts are ignored.

However, publicity for efforts like this can change that. "It helps spread really what they stand for," he said.

For months, Pearson trained for the event by running between four and eight miles every weekday, capping the weekends with a 16-mile run.

The race was held on Sunday, January 7. Beginning and ending at the EPCOT Center, the 26.2-mile circuit took 23,000 runners through each of the parks in Walt Disney World.