Hit the Bricks, the annual campus-wide philanthropic event benefitting the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund will take place on Oct. 1, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is a rescheduled date due to forecasted lightning on the original date. Features Editor Alexandra Meier discussed Hit the Bricks’ fundraising goals, favorite memories and impact with Theo Berson, executive director of Hit the Bricks. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Meier: Why do you think Hit the Bricks resonates so strongly with the student body?
Berson: It’s one of the only traditions that brings together every corner of campus — first-years to seniors, graduate students, faculty, alumni and even community members — all doing something together. Because it happens so early in the year, it’s a fun way to kick off “Pro Humanitate” and set the tone for the rest of the year.
Meier: What new strategies or planning initiatives went into driving engagement for this year?
Berson: Last year, we implemented a rule that all first-year students had to sign up with their residence hall. This was our way of taking the hard work out of the registration process and giving them an instant community. All of the freshman residence halls have tables next to each other during the event so first-year students can meet each other.
This year, we created a similar process for faculty members by forming teams for every department across campus. Faculty only have to register for the event, which takes away the stress of finding a team. Highlighting first-years and faculty members is a new development for us to expand participation.
Meier: What are your fundraising goals for this year?
Berson: Historically, we’ve raised just around $300,000, so that’s another goal we would love to hit. We are on a great pace right now, so we just need to see it come to fruition.
Meier: How many teams are registered for Hit the Bricks this year? How does this compare to previous years?
Berson: We have a record number of teams this year — 163 in total.
Meier: Tell me more about the Hit the Bricks leadership team.
Berson: I am the executive director, [senior] Ava Balsinger is the senior director and [junior] Ellie Deminico is the junior director. We also have a broader executive team of 10 people and 120 other students are committee members or ambassadors. So, our full team is about 130 people working to make the event happen this year.
Meier: How do you keep everyone engaged throughout the day?
Berson: We host “specialty laps” every hour starting at 11 a.m., where runners will get bonus points to add to their team’s total lap count. Carrying a football, wearing a wig, running in high heels and suiting up in a tie or jersey are all specialty laps in which runners earn bonus laps for their teams. We also invite student performance groups, from the Wake Forest Band to the Momentum dance crew, to perform at the event. For the first time this year, we’re bringing in the July Turner Band to perform around 3 p.m. We also have different hours that are sponsored by different organizations, like the NFL and The Bears, to keep people engaged.
Meier: What’s your favorite part of the day?
Berson: I love the start. It’s definitely the least attended part of the day, but I love seeing everyone take off and give it their all for the first lap as soon as we say “3…2…1…go.” We are starting at 10 a.m. this year, which is an earlier start time than previous years, so I am hoping people can still get to the quad for the start.
Meier: What’s your all-time favorite memory from past Hit the Bricks events?
Berson: Last year, we held the event in the rain during a hurricane system moving through North Carolina. We thought about cancelling or postponing the event, but decided to go through with it. Watching people still pour their hearts into it, running on the wet bricks in the rain, was awesome. Looking back, it was such a recipe for disaster, but we had such a great time. At the end of the day, after announcing our record-breaking total, the director team and I sprinted onto the grass and slid across the quad in the pouring rain.
Meier: What advice would you give to freshmen about navigating Hit the Bricks for the first time?
Berson: The best advice I can give is to just spend as much time as you can on the quad the day of the event. Even if you’re not running, spectating and soaking in the energy is the best way to fall in love with the tradition.
Meier: How much money has Hit the Bricks raised for the Brian Piccolo Research Fund since its inception?
Berson: Coming into this year, we are at around $1.75 million raised from Hit the Bricks and $6.5 million for the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund in total. When we eclipse $255,000 this year, we will hit $2 million raised from Hit the Bricks.
Meier: Will you be running the event this year?
Berson: Absolutely — I always make time to run laps. The three highest instances of any running in my life have been the past three years of Hit the Bricks. I don’t think I’ve ever ran more than a 5k on any given day apart from Hit the Bricks. It is definitely what brings the runner out in me.
