The Undergraduate Student Government at Baruch College joined forces with the New York Blood Center to host a blood drive on April 2-3 in the Bearcat Den. This collaborative effort’s focus was on ensuring the availability of high-quality blood and stem cell products to those in need.

Volunteers were at the event to guide donors through the process and provide vital information about the importance of blood donation. The event was open to the Baruch student body on both days from 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., with a QR code provided to schedule appointments or an RSVP link on USG’s Instagram.

To reach their goal of 100 donations, the center had a meter screen tracking the number of donations. According to the screen, other colleges had 94 donations, with Baruch’s goal being 100 donations.

Students lined up to reach the goal on both days and were taken in rotations. They expressed being interested in donating blood but never having the accessibility and ease of donating it right at their campus.

Brayan Guaman-Camas donated blood for the first time. He suggested others do the same to not only find out their blood type but to help others in need. “If you have the opportunity to do it, why not!” he exclaimed. The process of donating blood took a total of an hour. This hour included signing in and giving information, filling out a questionnaire and then getting their blood taken which took 20 minutes out of the hour.

After their donation, students were offered refreshments such as snacks and drinks. They were also offered stickers that read, “I donate for the cookies” and “I gave blood today!”

Another student, Kelsy Lopez, said she was worried about not being able to donate due to a tattoo. “They were really nice and explained that as long as a needle hadn’t touched me in three months, I would be fine. I had gotten this tattoo six months ago so I was happy I was able to donate,” she commented.

NYBC was established in 1964 and is one of the largest independent, community-based blood centers. It is also renowned for its groundbreaking research in hematology, blood banking and transfusion medicine. The impact of NYBC’s work extends far beyond the borders of New York, reaching communities across the Tri-State area, Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. With a daily collection of approximately 4,000 units of blood products, NYBC plays a crucial role in supporting over 400 hospitals nationally. 

At the end of the two-day donation event, Baruch was able to surpass its record of donations. Hector Aguilar, coordinator for health and wellness division of student affairs, spearheaded the event saying, “We at Baruch College are a community to help others and it shows.”