Fall 2002

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Public relations students ‘Get Carded,’ win national second

“Go Green” Living Green Ribbon on Reitz Union North Lawn (Photo by Jon Fletcher)

UF students showed their commitment to ‘Get Carded’ by signing a large donor card (Photo by Jon Fletcher)

For the second year in a row, UF placed second in the Rowan University PRSSA National Organ Donor Awareness Campaign Competition. Entries were judged on the basis of the success of public relations efforts regarding organ and tissue donation.

Erin Thompson, PR 2001, a master’s student in the College, was liaison between the student group, the Florida Coalition on Donation, and the Southeast Tissue Alliance. Leah Schindel Lytle, PR 1994, MA 1996, served as professional liaison for the group.

During “Get Carded” activities, the UF students received some 290 signed pledge cards, signifying those who promised to talk to their family members about their choice to be donors.

“Get Carded” sponsored “Art of Donation,” an art contest on campus.

A “Let’s Talk About Life” speaker’s forum featured Alachua County Sheriff Stephen Oelrich, a donor father, whose late son, Nick, has saved or enhanced the lives of more than 100 people through organ and tissue donation.

The UF team also held the first “Go Green” Living Green Ribbon, with about 150 students gathered on the Reitz Union north lawn.

“Campaigns like ‘Get Carded’ are so important because they give us the chance to interact one-on-one with students, while educating them on the importance of organ and tissue donation,” Thompson said.

“Our main goal is to communicate what a special, unique opportunity donation provides—the opportunity to save lives.”