GREENVILLE, Pa.—For the fifth consecutive year, Thiel College will serve as an overnight stop for many of the approximately 500 riders and volunteers participating in Bike MS: Escape to the Lake, a two-day fundraising ride scheduled for June 13-14.
The event raises approximately $500,000 each year in support of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. It is one of the five largest Bike MS rides in Pennsylvania. Beginning at Moraine State Park in Portersville, Pa., the participants travel through western Pennsylvania, and the event concludes on the shores of Lake Erie at Conneaut Township Park, Ohio.
Riders and volunteers will arrive at Thiel on Saturday, June 13. On Sunday morning, June 14, participants completing the full two-day event will depart from campus.
Thiel College was selected as an overnight host site in 2020, though that year’s event was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2026 event marks the fifth consecutive year the College has hosted participants overnight in Greenville.
Escape to the Lake typically draws between 400 and 600 cyclists, along with approximately 200 volunteers. Riders and support teams will stay on campus overnight before continuing the ride Sunday morning.
According to Bike MS, the series is the largest fundraising cycling event series in the world. In 2023, Escape to the Lake was named one of the top cycling events in the country by USA Today.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.