SU Defeats UConn in Blood Battle
The Orange claims the title in the 2011 Blood Battle competition, defeating UConn in the overall participation rate, as well as the number of units collected.
Final Result:
· SU: 419 units of blood collected (vs an enrollment of 13,040) for a participation rate of .0321%
· UConn: 418 units of blood collected (vs an enrollment of 20,846 students) for a participation rate of .02%
However, the real winners are the 1,257 people who will receive this blood, as each unit saves three lives.
The SU vs. UConn Blood Battle, sponsored by the American Red Cross and the Division of Student Affairs, took place throughout the month of April, which is blood-drive month for the American Red Cross. All blood donations collected on campus this year are to benefit the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. A total of ten drives were held on the SU campus.
The SU vs. UConn Blood Battle was initiated by the Connecticut and New York-Penn American Red Cross offices in 2009-2010, in an effort to increase blood donations at college campuses. The SU vs. UConn Battle was patterned after the Ohio State vs. Michigan Blood Battle, which began in 2004.
UConn won the challenge last year, collecting 501 April units with an enrollment of 16,998 for a winning ratio of 2.95%. SU collected 208 April units with an enrollment of 12,491 for a participation ratio of 1.66%.
Each pint of blood can help save three lives. Throughout the past five years, students, faculty and staff have increased their blood donations by 58%: from 915 pints collected in 2005-2006, to 1447 pints donated in 2009-2010. The Sigma Labda Upsilon benefit drive for Sickle Cell Anemia patients saw 36 first-time minority donors. The Winnick Hillell Jewish Student Organization grew from a single drive to three drives annually, while Greek organizations Phi Kappa Psi, Sigma Alpha Mu, and Sigma Chi sponsor two drives annually. In all, Syracuse University blood drives have helped save more than 100,000 lives since the partnership began 40 years ago!
