Wayne State wins tenth straight Gift of Life Campus Challenge
Thanks to a friendly rivalry between 10 Michigan colleges and universities, 164 new participants added their names to the Michigan Organ Donor Registry over a five-week span.
Throughout the 18th annual Gift of Life Michigan Campus Challenge, college campus communities from across the state competed to sign up the most people as organ, tissue and eye donors.
When the competition ended on February 25, two schools secured top rankings. For the tenth consecutive time, Wayne State University registered the most new donors (71). Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker School of Medicine signed up the highest percentage of their student body (2.08 percent). Both schools will receive trophies in celebration of their achievements.
Since 2012, WSU’s Gift of Life campaign has been spearheaded by Beverly and Tim Butler, associate professor of global supply chain management, who lost their daughter, Rebecca Joy Butler, in May 2011 while waiting for a lung transplant. Rebecca was a marketing student at WSU and a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.
Alpha Gamma Delta, with the help of other student organizations, has led WSU’s efforts in the Campus Challenge virtually this year through emails and a social media initiative.
Since 2016, WSU has partnered with police departments in the community to honor fallen Sgt. Collin Rose, who in his final act of service saved or improved the lives of up to 70 people through organ and tissue donation.
The Gift of Life Campus Challenge is one of the most successful organ donation college outreach programs in the nation and has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for its exceptional results. Gift of Life Michigan honored WSU in 2020 with the inaugural Community Partner Award for its efforts. Over the past 10 years, WSU has added 5,301 new people to the MI Organ Donor Registry.
Gift of Life Michigan is the state’s federally designated organ and tissue recovery organization, which acts as an intermediary between donors, their families and hospital staff. Gift of Life Michigan, in collaboration with Eversight Michigan, provides all services necessary for organ, tissue and eye donation.
You can find a full list of participating campuses and their final scores at giftoflifemichigan.org/campus-challenge. To add your name to the Michigan Organ Donor Registry at any time, visit giftoflifemichigan.org, call 866-500-5801 or visit any Secretary of State office.
