Lang
8/22/25
A recent settlement will allow University of Iowa Dance Marathon to resume using the phrase “For the Kids” in its fundraising efforts.
Several university dance marathon groups nationwide have used the phrase in recent years, but Penn State actually applied to trademark the phrase in 2019. The U.S. Patent Office officially registered the trademark in January of 2020.
In August of 2023, a woman who had been involved in Indiana University-Purdue University’s dance marathon filed a petition for cancellation of Penn State’s “For The Kids” trademark. Kaylee Tutrow argued that at the time of Penn State’s application, the phrase was already in wide use by other philanthropic fundraising efforts. A recent settlement in the case will allow charitable organizations such as UI Dance Marathon to once again use the phrase royalty-free.
The settlement has some stipulations, including that the phrase can only be used for a charitable organization, and the phrase cannot be used in a disparaging manner toward Penn State or lead one to believe the organization using it has ties to the State College-based university.
“For the Kids Way” outside the Stead Family Children’s Hospital had to be renamed “Hawkeye Wave Way” last year due to the copyright dispute. The road…originally named South Hospital Drive…runs from Hawkins Drive to South Grand Avenue.