A lot of tears have been shed at Penn State University this past year.

The Jerry Sandusky scandal led to the firing of head football coach Joe Paterno, who, only weeks ago, died of lung cancer.

Sunday night, tears fell again. But these were tears of joy.

In the midst of what has been a year of crisis at Penn State, the students at the school demonstrated how to tackle adversity head-on.

This past weekend, the Interfraternity/Panhellenic Dance Marathon celebrated its 40th anniversary by raising a record $10.69 million dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund for cancer research. The amount surpassed the previous record by $1.1 million. To have raised a record amount in the midst of all of the negativity surrounding the school and in a horrific economy is nothing short of amazing.

So, too, was the reaction of those who took part.

When the final number was announced, many in the crowd broke down in tears. The students spent 46 hours dancing to raise the funds. More than 700 dancers remained until the end. While the dancing took place on the main campus, the fundraising reached out to all corners of the state. Many of those students could be found throughout the state during "canning" weekends this past fall as they solicited change from residents.

'Thon has raised more than $88 million for cancer research since it first began. It is the largest student philanthropy in the world.

The funds they raised and the tears they shed are a tribute to their desire to be a part of something that is greater than themselves.