FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

Contact: Jennifer Tislerics,
Gift of Life Michigan, 800-482-4881

Bay College and Michigan State University win the 2006 Gift of Life University Challenge. Over 5,000 signed up to Donate Life, setting a new record for the event.

Ann Arbor, March 1, 2006 – Breaking all previous records, the Gift of Life University Challenge resulted in more than 5,000 people signing up to donate life in Michigan. During the six week competition, 16 colleges and universities across Michigan competed to sign up the most people to the Gift of Life Organ, Tissue & Eye Donor Registry. The winners of this 3rd annual competition were Michigan State University (most donor registrants, with 1,494 people signing up) and Bay College (highest percentage of donor registrants, at 6.81% of their student population). Each winning school will be presented with a traveling trophy to display prominently on campus for one year.

Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land lent her support for the University Challenge again this year, partnering with Gift of Life. The Department of State will co-present the trophies and plaques to schools that signed up 500 people to the Gift of Life Donor Registry.

“We are very proud to partner with Secretary of State Land and the 16 participating colleges during this annual competition,” said Tom Beyersdorf, executive director at Gift of Life Michigan. “We extend our congratulations to Michigan State University and Bay College for their outstanding recruitment efforts. The enthusiasm for the Gift of Life Donor Registry displayed during the University Challenge gives hope to the 2,883 Michigan patients waiting for a life-saving organ transplant,” Beyersdorf added.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the participating colleges and universities were encouraged to sign up on the Gift of Life Donor Registry from January 9 through February 19, 2006. Many schools sponsored information tables on campus, answering common questions and signing students up on the Donor Registry. Most schools utilized email campaigns, sending a hyperlink to the online Donor Registry page at giftoflifemichigan.org. Many campuses also included articles about the Gift of Life University Challenge in student newspapers, alumni newsletters and web-based events calendars.

Final standings in the 3rd annual Gift of Life University Challenge can be found at giftoflifemichigan.org. Participating schools were: Baker College – Flint Campus, Bay College, Calvin College, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, Finlandia University (2005 University Challenge winner), Grand Valley State University, Kirtland Community College, Michigan State University, Muskegon Community College, Northern Michigan University, Saginaw Valley State University, University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Western Michigan University.