Oct. 25-27, students at Mississippi State University have the opportunity to take part in a statewide collegiate blood drive aimed at collecting this life-giving substance for fellow Mississippians.On Thursday, students donated blood in Rooms 301 and 302 in the Colvard Union from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Friday, students can give blood in the Winn-Dixie (formerly Jitney Jungle) parking lot from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The blood drive, which is sponsored by Mississippi Blood Services, is officially known as the Transylvania Bowl and is part of an annual competition that takes place between three Mississippi universities every year.
The competing colleges include the University of Mississippi, the University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi State University, and students from each of these universities are competing to win scholarship money for their university.
Jessica Dickson, the MSU Panhellenic community service chair, said she worked closely with Mississippi Blood Services to organize this event.
“I would like to encourage all students to go out and donate,” Dickson said. “It is a great opportunity to give back to the community and to help others.”
So far, many students seem to have gotten in the spirit of the event. “I’m all about it,” senior Mark Modenbach said. “I figure that I’ve got enough blood and that donating some of it would be a great way to help others.”
“I definitely plan on participating in the event,” junior Stephanie Gordon said. “It’s a great way to show our support both of the community and our fellow students.
“After all, if we give enough blood, the scholarship money will go to State rather than Ole Miss or Southern.”
Students who want to give blood should keep a few basic things in mind.
First, the donor must weigh at least 110 pounds and should not have received any tattoos or body piercings within ten months before giving blood.
Students and faculty who suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure can also give blood.
Finally, any students who wish to donate should remember to bring their student ID with them to the Union or other mobile units.
Even if a student’s blood is rejected, he or she will not walk away empty handed. Anyone who attempts to give blood will be offered a free t-shirt.
“Even though I haven’t been able to give blood the last three years because of my blood iron levels, I’m still going to try to go again,” senior Erin Campbell said. “Who knows, maybe this year it will be different.”
Dickson would also like to encourage the Greek community to give blood as a part of their Greek Week participation.
“The blood drive is an essential part of Greek Week,” Campbell said. “Any fraternity or sorority member that donates will receive points for their respective fraternity or sorority, but beyond that, I feel that it is a great way for the Greek system to give back to the community.”
Lauryn Landry, a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, said that not only does she think that giving blood is a great way for her sorority to earn points toward Greek Week, but it is also one of the many ways she honors her mother’s memory.
“I remember that during my mother’s illness, I could not give her any blood–even though our blood types matched–because of my age,” Landry said. “At that time, I made a promise to myself that when I got older, I would give blood in her honor to help others as I could not help her then.