Karis Hudgins, Social Media Manager, and Chris Flores-Rivera, Staff Writer   

It’s not every day you have the opportunity to save a life, but with the simple act of giving a blood donation, UNC Greensboro students and staff did just that. On Tuesday, April 1st, UNC Greensboro partnered with the American Red Cross to host the final on-campus blood drive of the 2025 spring semester.  

This event ran from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. as a part of the university’s ongoing commitment to providing the campus community with the chance to give back. Two blood drives are hosted in the EUC Cone Ballroom each semester, spaced approximately 56 days apart as required by the Red Cross. This ensures that students who previously donated are eligible to participate multiple times during the academic year if they choose. Donors were offered two types of blood donations to decide between: whole blood and Power Red (red blood cells). 

Kathleen McGirty, the Assistant Director of the EUC, who has overseen the blood drives for several years, acknowledged the incredible efforts of blood donors, voicing her excitement and appreciation. “We’ve done really well at each of the blood drives we’ve hosted on campus,” McGirty said. “We normally aim to collect 125 pints, but at each event this year, we have exceeded our goal.” She also acknowledged this time of the year being more difficult for students to participate as exams are approaching. However, despite the busy time of the year, the blood drive held on April 1st was once again an impressive turnout.   

This blood drive collected 136 pints of blood, including both whole blood and Power Red donations, surpassing the event’s goal by 11 pints. With this latest count, the total amount of blood collected this academic school year, through the UNCG-Red Cross partnership reached 613 pints¾an extraordinary contribution to the critical need for blood donations in the United States.  

The motivation behind donating blood and volunteering for the event varied, but McGirty noted the overall theme was the desire to give back to the community. Ariana Parral Cruz, a volunteer at the check-in station highlighted this. “Even though this may not seem like a big way to help out, it feels like I’m doing something good,” she said.   

For Ayla Thompson, a business major in her senior year, donating blood was an opportunity to overcome a personal fear. “The last time I tried to donate blood about a year ago, it didn’t work out too well because I have a fear of needles,” she explained. “I’m trying to face that fear again today.” Thompson also noted the incentive given by the Red Cross¾a $15 Amazon gift card for each donor¾as well as UNC Greensboro incentive to receive points on Bryan Gold Initiative, an app for UNCG business students that tracks their accomplishments.  

First-year Kinesiology student Ricayla Warren volunteered alongside Melanin in Medicine, a UNC Greensboro group that supports students of color entering the medical field. “Everyone was very friendly when I donated, so volunteering at blood drives is something I personally like doing to give back,” Warren said.   

While Warren was one of the experienced volunteers, the event attracted many new faces looking to get involved, such as Jessica Oliver-Leon. After graduating with a degree in Public Health, Leon aspires to be accepted into a Physician Assistant program and took the event as an opportunity to boost her resume. “This is my first time volunteering for a blood drive, but it’s been a good experience, everyone is very friendly and it’s a calm environment,” she stated. 

The partnership between UNC Greensboro and the American Red Cross has been ongoing for over 14 years, allowing students and staff an opportunity to save lives. The latest blood drive is just one example of how the university goes above and beyond to support the community and help students foster important values like empathy and civic responsibility. 

Overall, the final on-campus blood drive of the 2025 spring semester offered a meaningful experience for volunteers and donors alike. For more information regarding future blood drives hosted on UNC Greensboro’s campus, students are encouraged to regularly check their emails and stay connected through the EUC’s official Instagram page @uncg_euc