University Health Services is sponsoring a blood drive with LifeShare Community Blood Services, Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 7 p.m. on the third floor in the student center.

LifeShare Community Blood Services is a community-focused nonprofit organization that provides blood and blood component supply to patients across Northeast Ohio. The organization has partnered with Kent State since 2007.

Scott Dotterer, Office of Health promotion coordinator, said that blood banks are always looking for blood.

The process of donating blood takes 45 minutes from start to finish. Participants may schedule their donor appointments online, but walk-in appointments are also welcome with priority given to those with scheduled appointments.

“You can’t make blood, somebody has to donate it for someone else to benefit,” Dotterer said. “One unit of blood can help save or sustain up to four lives.”

According to LifeShare, about 38 percent of Americans are eligible to donate, but only 10 percent give blood. Twenty percent of donated blood is given to infants and children, but most is given to cancer patients.

“Over the holidays people are busy, and the weather is bad, and a lot of people just don’t have the time [to donate blood],” Dotterer said. “Those are the times blood banks need blood the most.”  

As a thank you to those who donate, LifeShare provides free Chipotle gift cards to students, staff and faculty members. For every 40 units of blood collected at the blood drive, a $500 tuition scholarship is created for a Kent State student. Last year, 354 units of blood were collected at the September blood drive, allowing LifeShare to creat 27 scholarships at the end of the year.   

“Since the scholarship initiative started, LifeShare has given $153,000 in scholarship money,” Dotterer said.

Amanda Goodenow, a sophomore marketing major, received a LifeShare Scholarship last year.

“[Winning the scholarship] has allowed me to share my dreams with others and pursue my goals by furthering my education in the College of Business,” Goodenow said.

Students do not have to give blood to qualify for the scholarship. Students must be enrolled in the fall, U.S. citizens and submit a one-page typed statement about their major and future goals.

For more information on the blood drive and scholarship, visit https://www.kent.edu/UHS/lifeshare-blood-drive.

Contact Brenna Parker at [email protected].